Multi-Country European Adventures on the Rise With Tourism Surged Past Pre-Pandemic Levels in First Part of 2024

European travel recovered past pandemic levels in the first quarter of 2024, with +7.2% foreign arrivals and +6.5% overnights reported by the European Travel Commission. This was partly due to the increasing demand from the United States, which continues to be Europe’s most important long-haul source market.

U.S. travelers have also turned their single-location trips into multi-city or multi-country vacations this year. According to the American Express 2024 Global Travel Trends Report, 63% of respondents want to explore more than one country during a single European trip in 2024.

A IMG (International Medical Group) survey also indicates that multi-destination travel is growing, not just for “leisure travel.” While 50% of respondents plan to travel for business, 78% of those plan to participate in “bleisure travel,” combining business and leisure activities that may involve multiple cities.

Americans Plan Record-Breaking Splurge During 2024 Summer Vacations

American Express reports that 66% of respondents have major trip plans in 2024. Similarly, Allianz Partners USA Vacation Confidence Index 2024 estimates the average American household will spend $2,843 on 2024 summer vacations, exceeding $2,000 for the fifth time since tracking began in 2009.

Americans increasingly plan to spend their travel budget in Europe — 34% more than last year, according to an Allianz Partners survey conducted in April 2024. The Heart of Western Civilization, Europe offers countless wide-ranging experiences — historic cities, geological wonders, world-class cuisine, watching the sunset from the Eiffel Tower, hiking in the Scottish Highlands, or whale-watching in the Azores.

Additionally, the survey reported that London, United Kingdom, Paris, France, and Dublin, Ireland, were Americans’ most sought-after destinations last year. Newcomers Barcelona, Spain, and Nice, France, took over Lisbon, Portugal, and Milan, Italy, in the Top 10.

According to the new Booking.com and Statista joint study, European Accommodation Barometer 2024, half of European hoteliers report visitors opting for shorter stays. This suggests travelers prefer shorter stays in multiple locations to longer stays in one place.

The Rising Popularity of Multi-Country Destinations in Europe

Google Trends shows rising interest in searches for “open-jaw tickets to Europe,” where tourists fly into one city and depart from another before returning to the same home city. At destinations, travelers arrange transport between the two target cities via car, train, bus, or budget airline flights.

Daniel Levine, a consumer trends expert and keynote speaker, observed improved affordability of open-jaw tickets. He noted a feedback loop in which online travel agents are improving their pricing strategies for open-jaw flights through multi-city searches. As consumers discover they can add extra destinations at a lower cost, agents recognize the value of enhanced open-jaw capabilities. Continually advancing technology means more innovative open-jaw opportunities will soon emerge.

Betsy Ball, co-founder of Euro Travel Coach, said, “We often have clients who want to travel to both France and Italy. It only makes sense that they would fly into one country and home from another. For example, they might fly into Paris, then fly to Venice, and fly home from Rome. These open-jaw flights can be enormous time savers.”

Denisa Caldova, Global PR and Content Manager at Daytrip, which offers private door-to-door car transfers between cities with local English-speaking drivers and optional sightseeing stops, addressed the popularity of multi-country destinations. She noted that routes from Seville, Spain, to Lisbon, Portugal, and from Vienna, Austria, and Budapest, Hungary, were among the top three European routes for transfers with kids in the first half of 2024.

Why Travelers Opt for Complex Routes Despite Added Hassles

Justin Crabbe, founder of private jet booking platform Jettly, says, “I can adjust my plans based on recommendations, personal preferences, or unexpected discoveries. This adaptability leads to unique experiences that wouldn’t be possible with a more rigid schedule.”

However, he highlights one disadvantage. “This type of travel needs more planning. It can be less predictable than a round trip. But, it usually leads to a richer, more diverse journey.”

Steven Hammer, president of marketing agency RankHammer, attests to the unpredictability of open-jaw tickets. On their trip home from Cabo, all three of his kids’ boarding passes bore full SSSS markings — Secondary Security Screening Selection — despite having active global entry and usually qualifying for precheck. They encountered the same issue during a stop in Phoenix. Hammer believes this was due to their trip appearing as a one-way journey, which likely triggered additional security measures not typically experienced with a traditional round trip.

However, many travelers agree that the positives outweigh the negatives. Like Arsen Misakyan, the co-founder of LAXcar, said, “It was cost-effective and allowed me to maximize my travel experience by visiting more countries without unnecessary returns. I saved around 20% on airfare and got to experience the culture and landscapes of multiple countries.”

Travelers are making the most of their trips as interest in multi-country European tourism surges past pre-pandemic levels. The growing popularity of open-jaw tickets and multi-destination itineraries indicates a desire for richer, more diverse experiences despite the added planning. The allure of flexibility and adventure may outweigh the challenges of complex travel routes.

This article was produced by Media Decision and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.