Summer 2026 Tourism: Greece, Spain and Italy Getting Popular | .TR
SUMMER 2026 TOURISM OUTLOOK: SOUTHERN EUROPE GAINS GROUND
Theodore Slate
– Jul 6, 2026
East Asia and Southeast Asia are the dominant forces in the world’s summer tourism, gathering over a quarter of worldwide travel intentions for the period of June to August 2026. However, the share of international travel plans is redistributed more significantly than before, with some destinations scoring high and threatening the leaders while several others witness a downfall
Based on the data provided by the Data Appeal Mabrian platform, the Search Share Index (SSI) of worldwide travel intentions demonstrates that East Asia is the most popular destination for international travelers with 14.41%. It is down by 1.67 p.p. year-over-year. West Asia was the region with the biggest YoY decrease, with the SSI plummeting by 2.69 p.p. The instability in the Middle East persists, lowering the appeal of this destination
Southern Europe Leads the Charge
Southern Europe is the rising force in international summer 2026 tourism, gathering 11.71% of global travel intention, with the SSI surging by a substantial 2.47 p.p. compared to summer 2025. It was fueled by favorable weather conditions and excellent air accessibility. Greece, Spain, and Italy are the most popular destinations within Southern Europe
Athens is the favorite choice for trips to Greece, with 0.77% of global travel intention, up by 0.23 p.p. YoY. It is the most prominent regional hub, also acting as a gateway to numerous Greek islands. Other strong performers include:
- Barcelona (1.01%, +0.22 pp)
- Rome (0.85%, +0.09 pp)
- Madrid (0.91%, +0.14 pp)
- Milan (0.76%, +0.10 pp)
North America is another popular destination for international travel, with 8.36% of global travel intention for summer 2026, up by 1.01 p.p. YoY. The region attracts more visitors due to the FIFA hosts and mega-cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and Orlando and the availability of flights to the U.S. There is a considerable number of domestic destinations to choose from when visiting North America, including the East Coast, West Coast, and the south of the country. Besides the major American cities, Vancouver (+0.11 p.p.) and Calgary (+0.09 p.p.) in Canada are also attractive and promising choices.
Asia’s Mixed Picture
There is a noticeable difference between the results for East and Southeast Asia. East Asia recorded an SSI decrease by 1.67 p.p. and gathered 14.41% of worldwide travel intention in summer 2026. Meanwhile, Southeast Asia recorded a YoY increase by 0.55 p.p. and comprises 13.58% of global travel intentions. Bali is the favorite choice for those who want to visit Southeast Asia, with 1.38% of international travel intention, up by 0.32 p.p. Other popular destinations are Manila, Jakarta, Hanoi, Da Nang, and Phu Qoc in Vietnam, the Philippine Islands, and Thailand.
West Asia is another region with a considerable presence in international summer 2026 tourism. Despite the regional score of 10.71%, West Asia has witnessed a considerable YoY decrease by 0. 19 p.p. The reason for this is the ongoing regional instability. At the same time, there are destinations within West Asia that attract international visitors. These include Turkey, Cyprus, and Georgia
Emerging Opportunities in Latin America and Africa
The worldwide travel intentions demonstrate a slight increase for destinations outside Europe and Asia. With 4.28%, Africa attracts a considerable share of international visitors. At the same time, Latin America and the Caribbean are even more popular with global travel intentions of 3.38%, with a considerable YoY increase by 0.72 p.p. Peru, Brazil, and Mexico are the most popular South American destinations, with Puerto Rico, Aruba, and Guatemala also being attractive choices. They are growing in popularity as both urban and beach destinations. Northern Europe also saw increased interest as a destination for a coolcations (trendy travelers), up by 0.6 p.p. with London, Edinburgh, Dublin, Copenhagen, and Iceland as the most popular destinations.
The Dynamic Nature of Long-Haul Tourism
To summarize the worldwide travel intentions for summer 2026, it is possible to state that long-haul tourism is dynamic and shifting to meet the changing needs of international visitors. Some destinations gather more attention and travelers due to a better balance of costs and accessibility and/or unique offers and events. Such places include European cities in Northern Europe. Moreover, there is a general trend toward choosing nearby international destinations rather than long-haul ones
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