Brussels, Belgium – Global travel intentions for long-haul trips are becoming more cautious in 2026, as financial pressures, limited vacation time and changing travel preferences push more travellers toward domestic and short-haul destinations. However, Europe continues to maintain strong appeal thanks to its reputation for safety and diverse travel experiences, according to a new travel outlook report.
The latest Long-Haul Travel Barometer 1/2026, released by the European Travel Commission (ETC) and Eurail, provides forward-looking insights into travel plans among travellers from seven major overseas markets: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Japan, South Korea and the United States.
Long-haul travel demand softens in 2026
Across the surveyed markets, 59% of respondents plan to take a long-haul trip in 2026, marking a 5% decline compared with the previous year. While the decrease is moderate within individual markets, the broader trend indicates travellers are becoming more sensitive to cost, value and available time when planning long-distance travel.
Rising travel costs and economic uncertainty are prompting many travellers to consider closer-to-home or domestic trips, particularly in markets such as Australia, Canada and the United States.
Europe maintains strong interest among travellers
Despite the cautious outlook, interest in long-haul travel to Europe in 2026 remains relatively strong, with 42% of surveyed travellers considering a trip to the region, only slightly lower than last year.
Demand varies significantly by market. Interest is highest in China (59%) and Brazil (54%), where travellers continue to view Europe as a highly attractive destination. In Brazil, destinations such as Portugal remain particularly popular.
In China, travellers are increasingly favouring personalised and experience-led itineraries, although geopolitical concerns and rising costs are beginning to influence travel decisions.
Meanwhile, demand from Australia has seen the sharpest decline, falling to 47%, as travellers increasingly favour shorter trips to nearby Asian destinations. Travel intentions in Canada have dropped slightly to 45%, while in the United States, interest in visiting Europe has declined to 34%, influenced by economic uncertainty and recession concerns.
Cost and limited vacation time remain major barriers
Among travellers who do not plan to travel overseas in 2026, high costs are the primary barrier, cited by 52% of respondents. A growing preference for domestic travel is the second most common reason.
Affordability remains the main challenge for those considering long-haul travel to Europe 2026, with 43% identifying cost as the key obstacle, particularly among travellers aged 18–34.
Limited vacation time is another major constraint, especially for travellers in Japan and South Korea, while Chinese travellers show greater sensitivity to geopolitical tensions when planning long-haul journeys.
Europe’s safety reputation strengthens its appeal
Safety has become the most important factor when choosing a European destination, cited by 51% of respondents, a significant increase compared with the previous year.
Europe continues to rank highest globally for safety, including political stability, personal security and natural hazard resilience. This perception is particularly strong among Chinese travellers, reinforcing the region’s reputation as a reliable destination in an uncertain global travel environment.
Booking habits and travel trends evolve
The report also highlights changing booking behaviour among international travellers. Only 36% of travellers have already booked their European trip, reflecting greater uncertainty and more flexible planning compared with previous years.
Fully packaged travel products are becoming less popular, while semi-package trips combining guided services with independent travel are gaining traction. This trend is particularly evident among Chinese travellers, whose preference for partial packages has increased since 2025.
Travellers from the United States, Canada and Australia continue to favour separate bookings for flights, accommodation and activities, giving them greater flexibility.
Cultural experiences, slow travel and wellness gain popularity
Leisure remains the dominant reason for visiting Europe, accounting for 75% of planned trips, while business travel has risen to 9%, particularly among travellers from Australia and South Korea.
Planned activities are largely centred on culture and history, followed by gastronomy, city breaks and nature tourism. The concept of slow travel, which emphasises longer stays and deeper engagement with destinations, is also growing in popularity, rising from 22% in 2025 to 26% in 2026.
Spending priorities are shifting as well. Food and beverages remain the largest travel expense, while interest in shopping has declined significantly, especially among Chinese travellers.
Although still a niche segment, wellness tourism is gradually gaining traction, with growing interest in relaxation and health-focused travel experiences.
Europe well positioned for changing travel preferences
According to Miguel Sanz, President of the European Travel Commission, the evolving travel landscape requires destinations to adapt to changing traveller expectations.
“As travellers plan further ahead for 2026, we are seeing a more cautious approach to long-haul travel,” he said. “Europe’s strong safety perceptions, quality infrastructure and wide range of cultural and nature-based experiences remain clear strengths.”
Sanz added that strengthening Europe’s global tourism brand around experience-led, responsible and longer-stay travel will be key to attracting the next generation of international visitors.
