According to the latest CityDNA Barometer Report, which is based on the most recent air ticketing data by ForwardKeys, the European travel and tourism sector is showing promising signs for the last quarter of 2023. The report shows that leading European destinations in Southern Europe are approaching pre-pandemic levels in Q4 2023, with Madrid experiencing a 9% increase in international arrivals compared to the same period in 2019. London (-2%), Dublin (-2%), and Rome (-3%) are projected to reach almost pre-pandemic arrival levels.
Southern European destinations are expected to continue to lead the way in the highest recovery rankings. Cities such as Lisbon and Athens have witnessed double-digit growth in Q4, increasing by 13%. Istanbul and London are also gradually climbing the rankings of the most recovered destinations.
“Seat capacity for international travel to Europe nearly reached pre-pandemic levels during the Q3 and is on an upward trend ahead of Q4 – a much-needed stimulus for travel to take off again across Europe,” says Olivier Ponti, VP of Insights at ForwardKeys.
“This increase in air supply is so far met by a sustained increase in demand which we expect will push many destinations back to pre-pandemic levels while overall volumes continue their recovery towards 2024,” adds Ponti.
Spain’s outbound market is rebounding at a faster pace than the global average. Specifically, departures to other European countries are 6% higher than in the same quarter of 2019. Additionally, long-haul travel is also showing signs of recovery, with bookings currently at pre-pandemic levels.
ForwardKeys and CityDNA have a strong and enduring partnership that aims to provide European city tourism authorities with the necessary information to develop reliable tourism strategies and marketing campaigns. As part of this partnership, members of CityDNA receive the Barometer quarterly. To know more about CityDNA and its membership benefits, please visit their website.