Thus, Portugal merges into the top ten in the ranking led by the United Kingdom, Spain and Italy. Germany, USA, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Portugal and Greece follow the list of destinations most requested by European tourists.
The study concluded that at the end of April, leisure tour bookings exceeded 2019 levels by 25%. As for business travel bookings, they also exceeded pre-pandemic levels for the first time in March, increasing by double digits in April. “The return to work was one of the factors that contributed to this growth,” asserts the Mastercard Institute of Economics, which attributes the lifting of travel restrictions as the main factor in the recovery.
Transportation spending is also bolstering signs of recovery: spending on cruises increased 62 percentage points between January and the end of April, while spending on express passenger transport is now also in line with pre-pandemic levels — with the exception of travel train expenses, which are still 7% lower. 7% from 2019. “Expenses with tolls and car rental also continued to grow, at approximately 19% and 12%, respectively, demonstrating that travel by car remains a preferred option for many,” the institute.
In addition to this data, the survey concluded that international tourists spend more on experiences than buying at a destination. In fact, spending on experiences grew 34% compared to 2019, and the areas with the largest increase were bars and clubs (72%) and theme parks, museums, concerts, and other recreational activities (35%).
The study “Travel 2022: Trends and Transitions” analyzes the current state of travel in 37 markets based on analysis of public data and anonymized data from aggregated sales recorded on the Mastercard network.
source: marketer
Emily Brontë is a journalist and feature writer specialising in culture, entertainment, literature, and current affairs. She is dedicated to producing clear, accurate reporting that helps readers stay informed about developments in the UK and around the world.
