Tourism statistics at regional level

Data extracted in March 2025.

Planned article update: September 2026.

Highlights

In 2023, the capital regions of Berlin (17.5 million), Paris (15.5 million), Madrid (14.2 million) and Roma (12.9 million) recorded the highest numbers of nights spent in tourist accommodation by domestic tourists.

In 2023, the Spanish island region of Mallorca registered – by far – the highest number of nights spent in tourist accommodation by international tourists (47.2 million).

Source: Eurostat (tour_occ_nin3)

Tourism plays a key role in the European Union (EU) economy, contributing significantly to economic growth, employment and regional development. With diverse landscapes, rich cultural heritage and world-class attractions, the EU is a leading tourist destination. Tourism has the potential to support regional economies, particularly in coastal, mountain or outermost regions, while also fostering cross-border connections; jobs created or maintained by tourism can help counteract industrial or rural decline.

Tourism can also have negative consequences or externalities. It presents economic challenges, such as seasonal employment fluctuations or excessive demand during peak seasons, placing a strain on local infrastructure and/or acting as a nuisance for local communities. Tourism also has an environmental impact: locally through noise, pollution, waste generation, wastewater discharge and habitat loss, and globally through transport emissions. Understanding regional tourism patterns helps policymakers develop strategies for sustainable growth, balancing economic benefits with social and environmental impacts.

In 2019, before the COVID-19 crisis, the number of nights spent in EU tourist accommodation stood at 2.88 billion nights spent. Tourism demand plummeted in 2020, as the number of nights spent by domestic tourists fell 33.4%, while international tourism was hit even harder, down 69.7%. The gradual easing of travel restrictions, renewed consumer confidence and the enduring appeal of EU destinations drove a steady recovery, initially led by domestic tourists. A marked increase in the number of international tourists followed in 2022, as the number of nights spent accelerated. In 2023, the total number of nights spent in EU tourist accommodation surpassed the pre-pandemic total, reaching 2.94 billion.

The infographic above provides information on the EU regions with the highest numbers of nights spent in tourist accommodation during 2023. The list includes popular destinations for:

beach holidays, such as Mallorca, Tenerife, Alicante/Alacant or Málaga in Spain
city destinations, such as Barcelona and Venezia, as well as the French, Italian and Spanish capital regions Paris, Roma and Madrid
mountain destinations, such as Bolzano-Bozen in northern Italy.

Number of nights spent in tourist accommodation

More about the data: tourism statistics

Tourism, in a statistical context, refers to the activity of visitors taking a trip to a destination outside their usual environment, for less than a year. This definition is wider than the common everyday definition, insofar as it encompasses not only private leisure trips but also visits to family and friends, as well as business trips.

Tourism statistics are traditionally collected from suppliers of tourism services through surveys of tourist accommodation establishments or from administrative data. These establishments include all types of accommodation which provide, as a paid service, accommodation for tourists. They are defined according to the activity classification NACE and include:

The annual statistics presented in this chapter generally refer to 2023. They are typically presented for NUTS level 3 regions, although a more detailed breakdown between domestic and international tourists is only available at NUTS level 2 for Belgium. For Albania (2023) and for Türkiye (2022), only national data are available for the latest year.

In 2023, there were 2.94 billion nights spent in tourist accommodation across the EU, 53.2% of which were accounted for by domestic tourists and 46.8% by international tourists. The number of nights spent in tourist accommodation reflects both the length of stay and the number of tourists and is considered a key indicator for examining tourism developments, even if it does not cover stays at non-rented accommodation, nor same-day visits (without an overnight stay).

Map 1 presents regional information on the total number of nights spent in tourist accommodation during 2023 (as denoted by the size of each circle). There were 9 NUTS level 3 regions where the number of nights spent was above 30.0 million, including:

the Spanish island regions of Mallorca (51.2 million nights spent) and Tenerife (34.3 million)
the capital regions of Paris in France (43.9 million), Roma in Italy (41.1 million) and Madrid in Spain (30.2 million)
the coastal regions of Barcelona (39.8 million) and Alicante/Alacant (32.0 million), both in Spain
the coastal region of Venezia (38.2 million) and the mountainous region of Bolzano-Bozen (36.1 million), both in Italy.

Domestic tourists accounted for a majority (53.2%) of the total nights spent in EU tourist accommodation in 2023. They visited a wide range of destinations, as they accounted for a majority of the nights spent in 943 out of 1 107 NUTS level 3 regions. By contrast, international tourists were often concentrated in a small number of regions that rank among the most frequented tourist destinations in the EU; this may create tourism pressures and have an impact on sustainable development.

Map 1 shows information on the origin of EU tourists, identifying 3 specific groups, namely those regions characterised by:

a relatively high proportion of nights spent by domestic tourists – gold-coloured circles indicate the 827 regions where domestic tourists accounted for at least 65.0% of the total nights spent
a relatively equal share of nights spent between domestic and international tourists – green circles indicate the 190 regions where the share of domestic/international tourists was greater than 35.0%, but less than 65.0%
a relatively high proportion of nights spent by international tourists – blue circles indicate the 90 regions where international tourists accounted for at least 65.0% of the total nights spent.

Looking in more detail, the regions most favoured by international tourists were primarily island, coastal, alpine and capital regions, where tourism generally plays an important role in the local economy. Most of these 90 regions experience considerable tourism pressures, with pronounced peaks in demand, typically during the summer and/or winter seasons. Such pressures need to be balanced with the needs of local communities, with sustainable development contributing to the preservation and protection of natural and urban environments. In addition to 15 capital regions – those of Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Croatia, Italy, Latvia, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal and Slovenia – this group was composed of:

20 predominantly island regions in Greece
11 predominantly mountainous regions in Austria
10 predominantly island and/or coastal regions in Spain
10 predominantly urban regions in Italy
9 predominantly island and/or coastal regions in Croatia
4 Slovenian, 3 Bulgarian, 3 Portuguese, 2 Irish and 1 Dutch region
Cyprus and Luxembourg.

Map 1: Nights spent in tourist accommodation
Source: Eurostat (tour_occ_nin3)

Berlin had the highest count of nights spent by domestic tourists in 2023 …

Figure 1 shows the most frequented tourist destinations in the EU, based on NUTS level 3 regions. It provides information for those regions with the highest numbers of nights spent in tourist accommodation, detailing the top regions for all tourists, domestic tourists and international tourists.

Capital regions serve as economic, political and financial hubs, attracting professionals for meetings, conferences and other corporate activities. Furthermore, they are also cultural destinations, with historical sites, museums, concert venues, theatres and sporting events. As such, capital regions serve as both business and cultural centres, often with demand from domestic travellers for both professional and leisure purposes. In 2023, the EU regions with the highest number of nights spent by domestic tourists included:

Berlin in Germany (17.5 million)
Paris in France (15.5 million)
Madrid in Spain (14.2 million)
Roma in Italy (12.9 million).

After the 4 capital regions of the EU’s largest economies, the regions with the highest number of nights spent by domestic tourists were primarily coastal areas. In 2023, domestic tourists spent at least 12.0 million nights in 4 other regions:

Hérault (12.7 million) and Var (12.0 million) along France’s southern coast, which include popular destinations such as Montpellier, Sète, Saint-Tropez and Fréjus
Alicante/Alacant (12.5 million) on the south-eastern coast of Spain, which includes popular destinations such as Benidorm, Altea or Calpe
Hamburg (12.4 million) in northern Germany, a bustling port city known for its maritime heritage, cultural attractions and vibrant neighbourhoods.

… while Mallorca had the highest number of nights spent by international tourists

In 2023, the Spanish island region of Mallorca had, by far, the highest count of nights spent in tourist accommodation by international tourists, at 47.2 million. There were 6 regions within the EU where international tourists spent between 26.9 million and 29.8 million nights:

2 more Spanish regions – Tenerife (29.8 million) and Barcelona (29.7 million)
2 Italian regions – Venezia (29.1 million) and Roma (28.2 million)
the French capital region of Paris (28.4 million)
the Croatian coastal region of Istarska županija (26.9 million).

Figure 1: Top tourist regions in the EU
Source: Eurostat (tour_occ_nin3)

Figure 2 presents, for each EU country, the most frequented region by domestic and by international tourists (based on the share of the total number of nights spent in tourist accommodation in each country). These relative shares reflect, to some degree, the number of regions in each EU country; Cyprus and Luxembourg are single regions at NUTS level 3 (and hence are not shown).

There were 11 EU countries (out of 25 for which data are presented) where the same region was the most frequented by both domestic and international tourists:

in Denmark, Germany, Estonia, France, Latvia, Malta, Finland and Sweden this was the capital region – Byen København, Berlin, Põhja-Eesti, Paris, Rīga, the island of Malta, Helsinki-Uusimaa and Stockholms län
in Bulgaria, Austria and Portugal this was a region other than the capital – Burgas (a coastal region on the Black Sea coast), Pinzgau-Pongau (an Alpine region south of Salzburg) and Algarve (a coastal region on the Atlantic coast).

In half of the remaining EU countries (7 out of 14), the capital region was the most frequented among international tourists; this was the case in Belgium, Czechia, Lithuania, Hungary, the Netherlands, Romania and Slovakia. In the other 7 countries, the most frequented regions for international tourists included:

the coastal regions of Kalymnos, Karpathos, Kasos, Kos, Rodos in Greece, Mallorca in Spain, Istarska županija in Croatia and Venezia in Italy
the mountainous region of Gorenjska in Slovenia (which includes the popular tourist attraction of Lake Bled)
the Border region of Ireland (which includes the rugged landscapes and coastline of Donegal)
Miasto Kraków in Poland (with its historic old town and rich cultural heritage).

Among the same 14 EU countries (where a different region was most frequented by domestic and by international tourists), the most frequented regions by domestic tourists were often less well-known internationally. Leaving aside the 3 landlocked countries, all but 2 of the most frequented regions for domestic tourists were coastal: Prov. West-Vlaanderen in Belgium, South-West in Ireland, Andros, Thira, Kea, Milos, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Syros, Tinos in Greece, Primorsko-goranska županija in Croatia, Roma in Italy, Klaipėdos apskritis in Lithuania, Koszaliński in Poland, Constanţa in Romania and Obalno-kraška in Slovenia. The only exceptions were the Spanish capital region of Madrid and the forested region of Veluwe in the centre of the Netherlands. In the landlocked countries, the most frequented regions were Královéhradecký kraj (including the Krkonoše and Orlické mountain ranges) in Czechia, Veszprém (a region including many castles, hills and vineyards near Lake Balaton) in Hungary and Prešovský kraj (including parts of the Tatra mountain range) in Slovakia.

Figure 2: Regional concentration of nights spent in tourist accommodation in each EU country
Source: Eurostat (tour_occ_nin3)

The number of nights spent in EU tourist accommodation increased 6.8% in 2023

Having recovered strongly from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic during 2022 (up 50.2%), the number of nights spent in tourist accommodation across the EU continued to grow in 2023, albeit at a considerably slower pace, with annual growth of 6.8%.

A majority of NUTS level 3 regions saw the number of nights spent in their tourist accommodation increase between 2022 and 2023. This was the case for 907 out of the 1 117 regions for which data are available (as shown by the teal shades in Map 2). At the top end of the distribution, there were 49 regions where the number of nights spent rose by at least 25.0%; they were dispersed across most EU countries. Focusing on those regions that already had at least 1.0 million nights spent in tourist accommodation during 2022, the highest annual rates of change for 2023 were observed in:

the Border region of Ireland, where the number of nights spent more than doubled, rising from 4.0 million to 8.1 million (up 101.8%)
Peiraias, Nisoi, a region in close proximity to the Greek capital (up 39.4%)
the Austrian capital region of Wien (up 30.5%)
the predominantly urban region of Dortmund in Germany (up 30.0%)
Blagoevgrad in south-western Bulgaria (up 29.7%).

In 204 NUTS level 3 regions, the number of nights spent in tourist accommodation fell between 2022 and 2023 (as shown by the golden shades in Map 2). At the lower end of the distribution, 23 regions experienced a fall of more than 10.0%. Poland (7 regions), Belgium, Hungary, the Netherlands (each 3 regions) and Ireland (2 regions) were the only EU countries to report more than a single region with a double-digit decline. Focusing on those regions that already had at least 1.0 million nights spent in tourist accommodation during 2022, the lowest annual rates of change for 2023 were observed in:

Mid-East Ireland, which includes, among other towns, Kildare and Wicklow (down 23.2%)
Monza e della Brianza, located to the north of Milano in Italy (down 19.4%)
South-East Ireland, which includes, among other cities and towns, Waterford, Kilkenny and Wexford (down 14.1%)
Arta, Preveza in north-western Greece (down 11.7%).

Map 2: Nights spent in tourist accommodation
Source: Eurostat (tour_occ_nin3) and (tour_occ_ninat)

Seasonality

Seasonality has a considerable impact on tourism. It is linked to various environmental factors, such as climate or geographical location, as well as socioeconomic factors like public and school holidays or factories closing for annual leave. Tourist arrivals are generally more evenly spread than the number of nights spent across the calendar year, due to a higher concentration of longer stays in the summer months.

In the 3rd quarter of 2023, tourists spent 1.2 billion nights in EU accommodation. As such, the months of July, August and September together accounted for 41.9% of the total nights spent during the year. The 2nd quarter of 2023 accounted for more than 1 in 4 (26.5%) nights spent during 2023, with lower shares for the 4th quarter (17.0%) and the 1st quarter (14.6%).

Map 3 shows the total number of nights spent in tourist accommodation during each quarter of 2023 for NUTS level 1 regions.

In the Austrian region of Westösterreich, more than 1 in 3 (34.7%) of all nights spent in tourist accommodation were during the 1st quarter of the year; the highest regional share in the EU.
Nearly 1 in 3 (32.5%) of all nights spent in the Finnish archipelago of Åland occurred during the 2nd quarter of the year; the highest regional share in the EU.
More than 2 out of 3 of all nights spent in Severna i Yugoiztochna Bulgaria (69.3%) and Croatia (68.8%) occurred during the 3rd quarter of the year; the highest regional shares in the EU.
The Spanish island region of Canarias had the highest share of nights spent during the 4th quarter of the year, at 25.9%, followed closely by the Spanish capital region (25.8%). The distribution of nights spent in Canarias was particularly notable, as it remained evenly balanced throughout the year: the lowest share was 22.6% in the 2nd quarter, while the highest share was 26.5% in the 3rd quarter.

Warm temperatures and relatively high sunshine hours during the winter months may, at least in part, explain the year-round demand for tourist accommodation in Canarias. A similar pattern was also observed in the French outermost regions (Régions Ultrapériphériques Françaises). Many of the other EU regions with relatively stable tourist demand throughout 2023 were predominantly urban regions, where professional travel and weekend visitors help balance summer tourism. This was the case, for example, in the capital regions of Région de Bruxelles-Capitale / Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest (Belgium) and Comunidad de Madrid (Spain).

At the other end of the spectrum, tourist accommodation in Croatia, Severna i Yugoiztochna Bulgaria (on the Black Sea coast) and the French island region of Corse experienced high levels of seasonal tourism demand. In these 3 coastal destinations, at least 65.0% of the total number of nights spent in tourist accommodation occurred during the 3rd quarter of 2023. This pattern reflects the peak in demand for beach tourism and a substantial influx of visitors for relatively long stays from July to September.

Map 3: Nights spent in tourist accommodation
Source: Eurostat (tour_occ_nin2m)

Tourism pressures

For every 1 000 inhabitants in the EU, an average of 6 574 nights were spent in tourist accommodation during 2023

Since the rise of mass tourism in the 1950s and 1960s, EU regions have been affected by tourism in different ways. Some regions continue to attract very few visitors, while others have seen a significant increases in tourism. This reflects – at least in part – developments such as the emergence of package holidays, low-cost airlines, online booking platforms and alternative forms of accommodation. Additionally, an increasing share of the EU’s workforce is choosing to work as digital nomads.

Sustainable tourism aims to preserve and enhance cultural and natural heritage, including the arts, gastronomy or biodiversity. The success of tourism depends on its sustainability, with the quality of destinations often shaped by their natural and cultural environments and their integration into the local community. For the purpose of this publication, tourism intensity is defined as the number of nights spent in tourist accommodation per 1 000 inhabitants.

In 2023, there were 6 574 nights spent in EU tourist accommodation per 1 000 inhabitants. The regional distribution of tourism intensity was heavily skewed, highlighting that mass tourism tends to be concentrated in relatively few regions. The ratio of tourist nights spent per 1 000 inhabitants was higher than the EU average in fewer than 3 out of 10 NUTS level 3 regions (320 out of 1 117 for which data are available). The statistics presented are likely to underestimate the true extent of tourism pressures, given the numerator for the ratio does not include same-day visitors, some people staying in short-stay accommodation offered via online platforms, or people staying in non-rented accommodation (such as 2nd homes, or staying with friends/relatives).

Map 4 shows those EU regions that experienced the highest tourism pressures in 2023. A total of 40 NUTS level 3 regions had at least 40 000 nights spent in tourist accommodation per 1 000 inhabitants (as indicated by the darkest shade of blue). At the upper end of the distribution, there were 9 regions with more than 100 000 tourist nights spent per 1 000 inhabitants:

Zakynthos, a Greek island region in the Ionian Sea, had the highest ratio of tourism intensity, at 149 900 nights spent per 1 000 inhabitants
Istarska županija on the Adriatic coast in Croatia, had the 2nd highest ratio, at 133 400 nights spent per 1 000 inhabitants
Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, which are both island regions in Canarias (Spain), had the next highest ratios, at 118 700 nights spent per 1 000 inhabitants and 117 800 nights spent per 1 000 inhabitants, respectively
3 more Greek island regions also featured in this group:
- Kalymnos, Karpathos – Iroiki Nisos Kasos, Kos and Rodos in the Aegean Sea
- Andros, Thira, Kea, Milos, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Syros and Tinos (also in the Aegean Sea)
- Kerkyra in the Ionian Sea
while 2 mountainous regions in western Austria also recorded very high ratios of tourism intensity – Tiroler Oberland and Pinzgau-Pongau.

By contrast, there were 128 NUTS level 3 regions across the EU with fewer than 1 000 tourist nights spent per 1 000 inhabitants in 2023 (as shown by the lightest shade of yellow in Map 4). Most of these regions were clustered in 5 EU countries:

Poland (29 regions) – with the southern region of Rybnicki recording its lowest ratio, at 351 nights spent in tourist accommodation per 1 000 inhabitants
Romania (24 regions), with the southern region of Teleorman having the lowest ratio, at 22 nights spent in tourist accommodation per 1 000 inhabitants
Germany (20 regions), with the western city of Herne in North Rhine-Westphalia recording its lowest ratio, at 403 nights spent in tourist accommodation per 1 000 inhabitants
Bulgaria (14 regions), with the north-eastern region of Targovishte having its lowest ratio, at 332 nights spent in tourist accommodation per 1 000 inhabitants
Belgium (11 regions), with Arr. Soignies, located to the north-east of Mons in the Hainaut region, recording its lowest ratio, at 284 nights spent in tourist accommodation per 1 000 inhabitants.

Alongside Teleorman in Romania, the Greek region of Dytikos Tomeas Athinon – a densely populated region to the west of the capital, largely composed of industrial and/or residential neighbourhoods – was the only other region in the EU with fewer than 100 tourist nights per 1 000 inhabitants in 2023.

Map 4: Nights spent in tourist accommodation
Source: Eurostat (tour_occ_nin3) and (tour_occ_ninat)

For each square kilometre of the EU, an average of 697 nights were spent in tourist accommodation during 2023

An alternative indicator for analysing tourism pressures is tourism density, defined here as the total number of nights spent in tourist accommodation per square kilometre (km²) of area. In 2023, the EU average was 697 nights spent per km².

Map 5 shows that this measure of tourism pressure was concentrated in predominantly urban regions, which generally have much smaller areas. In 2023, 51 NUTS level 3 regions had a ratio of tourism density of at least 10 000 nights spent per km² (as shown by the darkest shade of blue).

The French capital region of Paris was a clear outlier, recording by far the highest concentration of tourists in 2023, with 418 300 nights spent per km². This was 4.7 times as high as in any other region of the EU: the Greek capital region – Kentrikos Tomeas Athinon – had the 2nd highest ratio, with 88 500 nights spent per km².

There were 15 NUTS level 3 regions in the EU where the ratio of tourism density was higher than 20 000 nights spent per km² in 2023. Just over half of this group was composed of capital regions: those of France and Greece (already mentioned above), together with the capital regions of Denmark, Belgium, Austria, Malta, Czechia and Germany. There were also very high ratios recorded in:

4 predominantly urban regions of Germany – München, Frankfurt am Main, Düsseldorf and Hamburg
2 suburban regions located around the French capital – Hauts-de-Seine and Seine-Saint-Denis
the popular island region of Lanzarote that forms part of Canarias in Spain.

At the other end of the distribution, 113 regions had tourism density ratios below 75 nights per km² in 2023 (as shown by the lightest shade of yellow in Map 5). These regions were generally concentrated in rural areas of northern, eastern and southern EU countries. The only exceptions were Elbe-Elster in eastern Germany and the French regions of Haute-Saône, Meuse (both in eastern France), Creuse (central France) and Guyane (an outermost region).

At the very bottom of the distribution, 3 regions recorded particularly low tourism density ratios: Călăraşi and Teleorman in southern Romania, as well as Guyane (an outermost region of France), each reporting fewer than 10 tourist nights per km².

Map 5: Nights spent in tourist accommodation
Source: Eurostat (tour_occ_nin3) and (tour_occ_ninat)

Guest nights spent at short-stay accommodation offered via online collaborative economy platforms

Developments in information and communication technologies have had a major impact on the tourist accommodation market. The emergence of online platforms has made it easier for small-scale service providers to advertise/offer their rooms, apartments and holiday homes to potential guests, with a rapid expansion of this market.

More about the data: experimental statistics on short-stay accommodation offered via online platforms

The information presented in this chapter has, up to this point, been based on official tourism statistics, compiled according to Regulation (EU) No 692/2011. These statistics provide limited coverage of holiday and short-stay accommodation, as data for holiday homes, apartments and rooms in otherwise private buildings are often outside the scope of tourism registers and surveys.

Official statistics on holiday and short-stay accommodation are generally underestimated, given that several EU countries limit the scope of observations to establishments with, for example, at least 10 bed places. In recent years, this coverage issue has been further compounded by the emergence of online platforms that provide relatively simple methods for private individuals and small enterprises to offer short-stay accommodation; this has led to a surge in the provision of this type of accommodation.

For this reason, Eurostat embarked on an experimental data collection exercise aimed at improving the completeness/coverage of tourism statistics. It is based on a previously unexplored channel, namely data on listings/bookings obtained directly from 4 major online platforms (Airbnb, Booking.com, Tripadvisor and Expedia Group). The exercise is currently restricted to the collection of information on holiday and short-stay accommodation (NACE Group 55.2), reflecting the principal type of accommodation for service providers within the collaborative economy.

In 2023, Málaga in southern Spain was the most frequented region for nights spent in short-stay accommodation offered via selected online booking platforms

The rapid expansion of guest nights spent in short-term accommodation offered via the selected online booking platforms has brought significant benefits to some regions in the EU. Popular destinations have seen increased visitor numbers, driving economic activity, while investment in short-term accommodation can help to revitalise underused or vacant properties.

On the other hand, housing affordability has become a pressing issue in some regions experiencing a surge in the supply of short-stay accommodation, as long-term rental availability decreases and property prices rise. Additionally, an influx of tourists can lead to overcrowding, straining infrastructure and public services, while communities may be displaced as the character of neighbourhoods changes and local culture and identity are eroded.

Figure 3 shows the NUTS level 3 regions that recorded the highest number of guest nights spent at short-stay accommodation offered via online booking platforms in 2023. The southern Spanish coastal region of Málaga recorded the highest count, at 17.9 million guest nights, while 7 more regions reported at least 10.0 million guest nights:

the capital regions of Roma in Italy (13.5 million), Paris in France (12.2 million) and Madrid in Spain (10.1 million)
2 more Mediterranean coastal regions in Spain – Barcelona (12.7 million) and Alicante/Alacant (12.0 million)
2 coastal regions in other EU countries – Algarve in Portugal (10.4 million) and Splitsko-dalmatinska županija in Croatia (10.0 million).

The information presented in Figure 3 on the overall number of guest nights spent at short-stay accommodation offered via online booking platforms can be analysed according to the origin of guests. For example, international guests accounted for approximately 3 out of 4 guest nights spent in Málaga during 2023.

In 2023, the 20 most frequented NUTS level 3 regions for short-stay accommodation booked by domestic guests via the selected online booking platforms were almost exclusively located in Spain and France, with 2 regions from Poland the only exceptions.

In Spain, the most frequented regions for domestic guests were generally developed, coastal regions on the southern and eastern coastlines – Málaga, Alicante/Alacant, Cádiz and Valencia/València – the only exceptions being the capital region of Madrid and the north-western Atlantic coastal region of Asturias.
In France, several of the regions most frequented by domestic tourists were relatively rural areas, characterised by their coastline and/or mountains, including:
- Haute-Savoie and Savoie in the Alps
- Bouches-du-Rhône, Hérault, Var and Alpes-Maritime on the Mediterranean coast
- Gironde, Charente-Maritime, Morbihan, Vendée, Calvados and Finistère on the Atlantic coast.
In Poland, the 2 most frequented regions included:
- the predominantly urban region of Trójmiejski on the northern coastline that includes Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot
- the predominantly rural, southern region of Nowotarski, which acts as a gateway to the Tatra mountains.

In the list of the 20 most frequented regions by domestic guests, it was generally the case that domestic visitors accounted for a higher share (than international visitors) of the overall number of guest nights in 2023. This pattern was observed in 15 out of the 20 regions, with the exceptions being Málaga, Alicante/Alacant, Madrid, Alpes-Maritimes and Valencia/València.

In 2023, 8 different countries featured in the ranking of the 20 most frequented NUTS level 3 regions for short-stay accommodation booked by international guests via the selected online booking platforms. The vast majority of these 20 regions were among Europe’s most popular destinations:

Spain had the highest number of regions, with 6: Málaga, Barcelona, Alicante/Alacant, Tenerife, Madrid and Mallorca
Italy followed with 4 predominantly urban regions: Roma, Milano, Firenze and Venezia
there were 3 Croatian regions along the Adriatic coastline: Splitsko-dalmatinska županija (with Split as its capital), Istarska županija (with Pula as its capital) and Primorsko-goranska županija (with Rijeka as its capital)
the list also included 2 French regions: Paris and Alpes-Maritimes
2 Portuguese regions: Algarve and Área Metropolitana do Porto
the capital regions of Budapest (Hungary) and Wien (Austria), as well as
Cyprus.

In the list of the 20 most frequented regions by international visitors for 2023, the number of guest nights spent by international visitors was consistently higher than the number for domestic visitors. In absolute terms, the largest differences were recorded in those regions with the highest overall numbers of guest nights: for example, international visitors in Roma spent 10.1 million more guest nights in short-stay accommodation offered via the selected online booking platforms than domestic visitors. The next largest differences between guest nights spent by international and domestic visitors were recorded in Barcelona (9.9 million), Splitsko-dalmatinska županija (9.4 million), Málaga (9.0 million) and Paris (8.6 million). In relative terms, Croatian regions had the biggest disparity, as the number of guest nights spent by international visitors outnumbered that for domestic visitors by a factor of 30 : 1 in both Splitsko-dalmatinska županija and Istarska županija.

Figure 3: Top tourist regions in the EU for short-stay accommodation offered via selected online booking platforms
Source: Eurostat (tour_ce_oan3)

Online booking platforms have made it easier for travellers to book accommodation year-round. Although these platforms provide the opportunity for a more even distribution of tourist flows, some destinations continue to experience considerable peaks in demand. Map 6 illustrates the seasonality of guest nights spent at short-stay accommodation offered via the selected online booking platforms in each quarter of 2023. Across the EU, there were 719 million guest nights spent at such accommodation in 2023. Of this total, 13.4% were in the 1st quarter of the year, 25.0% in the 2nd quarter, 43.2% in the 3rd quarter and 18.4% in the final quarter.

During the 3rd quarter of 2023, there were 24.6 million guest nights spent in Croatia in short-stay accommodation offered via selected online booking platforms

Map 6 shows the number of guest nights spent at short-stay accommodation offered via the selected online booking platforms during each quarter of 2023; the figures are reflected in the size of the circles for each region. Across NUTS level 1 regions, the highest count of guest nights spent was recorded in Croatia, with 24.6 million nights in the 3rd quarter of 2023. A similar analysis for the other quarters reveals that:

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes in France had the highest number of guest nights spent during the 1st quarter of 2023, at 6.3 million, reflecting its position as a leading destination for winter sports
the Spanish region of Este – which includes, among other cities, Barcelona, Alicante/Alacant and Valencia/València – had the highest numbers of guest nights during the 2nd and the 4th quarters, with 13.7 million and 9.1 million, respectively.

In all but 4 of the NUTS level 1 regions for which data are available, the 3rd quarter had the highest share of guest nights spent during 2023, coinciding with the traditional summer peak season. This was particularly evident in Croatia, where 71.2% of all guest nights were spent during this period. Additionally, 16 other regions across the EU reported that the 3rd quarter accounted for more than half of all guest nights spent in 2023. However, 4 regions exhibited a different seasonal pattern:

in Westösterreich (Austria) and Régions Ultrapériphériques Françaises (France), the 1st quarter of 2023 had the highest share, at 36.3% and 32.1%, respectively
in the Spanish regions of Canarias and Comunidad de Madrid, the final quarter of 2023 accounted for the highest share, at 30.0% and 28.6%, respectively.

Looking in more detail at seasonal variations, the share of all guest nights spent during:

the 1st quarter of 2023 ranged from a low of 1.8% in Nisia Aigaiou, Kriti (Greece), Corse (France) and Croatia to a high of 36.3% in Westösterreich
the 2nd quarter of 2023 ranged from a low of 15.9% in Westösterreich to a high of 31.6% in West-Nederland
the 3rd quarter of 2023 ranged from a low of 20.9% in Régions Ultrapériphériques Françaises to a high of 71.2% in Croatia
the 4th quarter of 2023 ranged from a low of 4.6% in Croatia to a high of 30.0% in Canarias.

As was the case for tourist accommodation (see above), predominantly urban regions tended to experience relatively stable demand for short-stay accommodation offered via the selected online booking platforms throughout the year. This was particularly evident in 2023 for the metropolitan region of Nordrhein-Westfalen (Germany), as well as in the capital regions of Comunidad de Madrid (Spain), Région de Bruxelles-Capitale / Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest (Belgium) and Yugozapadna i Yuzhna tsentralna Bulgaria (Bulgaria).

Many regions across the EU exhibited seasonal patterns of tourism demand, particularly during the summer months. This was particularly evident in Croatia, Severna i Yugoiztochna Bulgaria (on the Black Sea coast), Kentriki Elláda and Nisia Aigaiou, Kriti (both Greece), as well as in the French island region of Corse. In each of these coastal regions, the 3rd quarter of 2023 accounted for at least 63.8% of all guest nights spent in short-stay accommodation offered via the selected online booking platforms.

Map 6: Guest nights spent at short-stay accommodation
Source: Eurostat (tour_ce_omn12)

Source data for tables and graphs

Download Excel file

Data sources

Tourism statistics presented within this chapter may be split into 2 main types:

official statistics about the occupancy of tourist accommodation establishments
experimental statistics on collaborative-economy-platforms – in other words, short-stay accommodation booked through 4 major online booking platforms (Airbnb, Booking.com, Tripadvisor and Expedia Group).

Official statistics about the occupancy of collective tourist accommodation

Regional tourism statistics are available from suppliers of tourism services and are collected through surveys of tourist accommodation establishments (establishments are also referred to as local kind-of-activity units). These surveys provide information that covers tourism capacity (counts of establishments, rooms and bed places) and occupancy (the number of arrivals and nights spent). Data are presented by region, by degree of urbanisation and for coastal/non-coastal areas.

Since 2012, the legal basis for the collection of tourism statistics has been Regulation (EU) No 692/2011 concerning European statistics on tourism and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1051/2011. Among other changes, Commission delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/1681 introduced a requirement to provide additional data on nights spent at tourist accommodation establishments, including:

monthly data for NUTS level 2 regions
annual data for NUTS level 3 regions
annual data for selected cities (capital cities, cities with at least 200 000 inhabitants, and other selected cities with relevance for tourism).

Tourism statistics are presented according to the tourist’s country of residence, not the tourist’s citizenship. Domestic tourism covers the activities of residents who stay in their own country (but outside their usual environment) and this may be contrasted with the activities of international tourists (often referred to as inbound or non-resident tourists). Within the EU context, the latter can be i) tourists from other EU countries or ii) tourists who live outside the EU.

Experimental statistics on short-stay accommodation reserved through online booking platforms

Statistics on short-stay holiday rentals have traditionally been under-covered, given the relatively high number of small market participants – many of whom are private individuals – that are often excluded from business or tourism registers. Indeed, Regulation (EU) No 692/2011 allows tourism statistics to be collected using a threshold whereby EU countries can opt to limit the scope of their observations to establishments having at least 10 bed places (or 20 bed places for smaller tourism countries). In practice, this means that part of the short-stay holiday rentals market is not represented in official statistics.

Since 2021, and following an agreement with 4 online platforms – Airbnb, Booking.com, Tripadvisor and Expedia Group – Eurostat has published a set of experimental statistics for short-stay accommodation booked through these platforms. This new data source allows an information gap to be closed, since many holiday homes, apartments and rooms in otherwise private buildings were not previously covered by tourism statistics. However, at this stage it is not yet possible to integrate this new source of information into existing tourist accommodation statistics, due to the potential double-counting of online listings that are also covered by official statistics; methodological work in this area is ongoing.

The 4 online platforms agreed to share their data on the number of nights booked and the number of guests, allowing access to reliable information on holiday and other short-stay accommodation reserved through their platforms. These experimental statistics are published from reference year 2018 onwards and may be investigated for regions or cities. It is important to stress that, while these statistics from online platforms cover a significant part of the market, they do not cover the entire market and new online platforms may emerge. In the future, Eurostat will investigate the possibility of extending the scope of this experimental data collection exercise to other types of accommodation (for example, hotels) and/or different platforms.

Definitions

Tourist accommodation establishments include all types of tourist accommodation providing, as a paid service, accommodation for tourists, regardless of whether or not the provision of tourist accommodation is the main or a secondary activity. These establishments are defined according to the activity classification NACE as units providing short-term or short-stay accommodation services:

hotels and similar accommodation (NACE Group 55.1) – includes accommodation provided by hotels, resort hotels, suite/apartment hotels, motels
holiday and other short-stay accommodation (NACE Group 55.2) – includes holiday homes, visitor flats and bungalows, cottages and cabins without housekeeping services, youth hostels and mountain refuges
camping grounds, recreational vehicle parks and trailer parks (NACE Group 55.3) – includes the provision of accommodation in campgrounds, trailer parks, recreational camps, and fishing and hunting camps for short-stay visitors.

The number of nights spent (overnight stays) is based on a count of nights that tourists/guests actually spend (sleep or stay) in specific types of accommodation.

Within the context of experimental statistics on short-stay accommodation reserved through selected online booking platforms, the number of guest nights spent at short-stay accommodation is compiled using the number of overnights stays (in other words, the number of nights that short-stay accommodation has been rented out) multiplied by the number of guests staying at the accommodation. The scope of these experimental statistics is narrower than that used for traditional tourism statistics, with information only collected for NACE Group 55.2.

Context

The EU is a major tourism destination, renowned for its diversity of landscapes, from sun-kissed coastlines to snow-capped mountains and picturesque countryside. Its vibrant cities offer a seamless blend of modern amenities and historical charm. Tourists are drawn not only to the rich arts and cultural heritage found in an array of museums, theatres and listed sites, but also to its dynamic music, festivals and gastronomy. This variety – often within close proximity – enriches the European tourism experience, making the EU a destination that caters to a wide variety of interests and tastes. Tourism also makes a significant contribution to the EU’s regional economies and plays a key role in helping to achieve the objectives of various EU, national, regional and local policies, thanks to its cross-cutting economic and social dimensions.

The EU’s competence in the area of tourism is to support and coordinate in relation to the actions of individual EU countries. In June 2010, the European Commission adopted a communication, Europe, the world’s No. 1 tourist destination – a new political framework for tourism in Europe (COM(2010) 352 final). It provides the underlying framework for tourism developments across the EU, with 4 principal areas of action: stimulating competitiveness, promoting sustainable and responsible tourism, consolidating Europe’s image as a high-quality destination and maximising the potential to develop tourism in the EU. The framework also emphasises innovation and digital transformation, while encouraging off-season tourism, accessibility and responsible tourism practices.

On 5 May 2021, the European Commission adopted an updated version of its industrial strategy, Updating the 2020 New Industrial Strategy: Building a stronger Single Market for Europe’s recovery (SWD(2021) 351 final), taking account of changing circumstances in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The revised strategy highlighted how industrial ecosystems may lead green and digital transformations, boosting the EU’s global competitiveness. To do so, the European Commission proposed launching a number of ‘transition pathways’: tourism was selected as the 1st of these (given it was among those activities hardest hit by the pandemic); see the Transition pathway for tourism.

In recent years, EU policy developments have focused on sustainable tourism, digitalisation and inclusivity, while also addressing the challenges posed by climate change, over-tourism and the COVID-19 pandemic. At the end of 2022, this work was summarised in a set of Council conclusions, adopted as the European Agenda for Tourism 2030. It describes measures and outputs needed to improve the resilience of tourism within the EU, with actions to be taken by individual countries, the European Commission and tourism stakeholders. It serves as a strategic framework for tourism policy, focusing on:

sustainability – promoting environmentally friendly practices and reducing the carbon footprint of tourism
competitiveness – enhancing tourism’s global competitiveness through innovation, digitalisation and better infrastructure
inclusivity – ensuring that tourism is accessible to all, including people with disabilities and other marginalised groups
economic growth – supporting job creation, especially in regions with high tourism potential
crisis resilience – strengthening tourism’s ability to respond to crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

To enhance the visibility of the EU as a tourist destination and increase international tourist arrivals, the European Commission undertakes a wide range of communication and promotion activities. Furthermore, it provides grants to the European Travel Commission (ETC), a non-profit organisation responsible for promoting Europe as an international tourist destination through reports, handbooks and websites (see Visit Europe).

This article forms part of Eurostat’s annual flagship publication, the Eurostat regional yearbook.

You can explore the maps interactively using Eurostat’s Statistical Atlas.

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Database

Regional statistics by NUTS classification (reg), see

Regional tourism statistics (reg_tour)

Occupancy in collective accommodation establishments: domestic and inbound tourism (reg_tour_occ)

Tourism (tour), see

Tourism industries – annual data (tour_inda)

Occupancy of tourism accommodation establishments (tour_occ)

Nights spent by domestic and international tourists (tour_occ_n)

Nights spent at tourist accommodation establishments by NUTS 2 regions (tour_occ_nin2)

Nights spent at tourist accommodation establishments by NUTS 3 regions (from 2020 onwards) (tour_occ_nin3)

Accommodation offered via collaborative economy platforms – experimental statistics (tour_ce)

Occupancy – monthly data (tour_ce_om)

Short-stay accommodation offered via collaborative economy platforms by months, residence of the guest and NUTS1 and NUTS2 regions – experimental statistics (tour_ce_omn12)

Occupancy – annual data (tour_ce_oa)

Guest nights spent at short-stay accommodation offered via collaborative economy platforms by NUTS 3 regions – experimental statistics (tour_ce_oan3)

Thematic section

Publications

General link

Recent Eurostat publications on tourism

Paper and PDF publications

Eurostat regional yearbook – 2025 edition
Tourism satellite accounts – 2023 edition

Online publications

Selected datasets

Regional statistics (t_reg), see

Regional tourism statistics (t_reg_tour)

Tourism (t_tour), see

Annual data on tourism industries (t_tour_inda)

Occupancy of tourist accommodation establishments (t_tour_occ)

Nights spent at tourist accommodation establishments by NUTS 2 regions (tgs00111)

Methodology

Manuals and further methodological information

Metadata

Occupancy of tourist accommodation establishments (ESMS metadata file – tour_occ_esms)
Trips of EU residents – annual data (ESMS metadata file – tour_dem)

External links

Legislation

Regulation (EU) No 692/2011 of 6 July 2011 concerning European statistics on tourism and repealing Council Directive 95/57/EC
Regulation (EU) No 1051/2011 of 20 October 2011 implementing Regulation (EU) No 692/2011 concerning European statistics on tourism, as regards the structure of the quality reports and the transmission of the data
Commission delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/1681 of 1 August 2019 amending Regulation (EU) No 692/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning European statistics on tourism, as regards the transmission deadlines and adaptation of Annexes I and II

Visualisation