Short trips close to home gain ground among Europeans

One in ten Europeans has decided not to travel this summer due to the rise in energy costs, but among those who will travel, there are increasingly more who will take shorter, urban trips, and closer to home, especially the younger ones.

This is shown by the results of a survey by YouGov with more than 14,000 people, conducted for the a&o hostels chain, in twelve European countries: Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Denmark, Belgium, Netherlands, Austria, Italy, United Kingdom, France, and Spain.

The survey reveals that Europe is, by far, the preferred destination for this summer. 30% of respondents plan at least one short domestic trip (up to six days), while another 16% plan a short break within Europe and 17% intend to spend at least a week traveling around the continent.

This preference for short trips around Europe is especially evident among young people aged 18 to 34, of whom up to 24% plan to take a break around Europe in the coming weeks.

What suggests a structural change in tourism habits is that 6% of all respondents have actively replaced or postponed a long-haul trip in the last six months in favor of a destination within Europe.

Regarding this change, Phillip Winter, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of a&o Hostels, stated: "If traditional holidays are out of reach due to high costs, urban trips—which until now were an occasional whim—are gaining importance, which also means that expectations for short trips are increasing. Traveling remains a consolidated need, but the decision of where to go is really a matter of budget."

The report places price as the most decisive factor when traveling today. High energy costs and personal bills prevent many from traveling this summer, while those who do are increasingly swapping distant destinations for closer options.

Specifically, 31% of respondents stated that price influenced their choice of their last destination. This budget sensitivity rises to 35% in both Belgium and the Netherlands, reaching its peak in Hungary with 39%. Financial pressure is felt most acutely among younger travelers (18 to 34 years old), as 37% admitted they chose their destination based mainly on their budget.

15% of Germans and French will not travel this summer

Economic pressure goes far beyond the choice of destination. 11% of respondents will not travel at all this summer due to high energy prices, a figure that rises to 15% in both Germany and France. Furthermore, energy costs will lead 5% of respondents to forgo at least one planned flight, while 3% will give up at least one car trip.

Older travelers are the most affected by this increase in costs: among those over 55 years old, 13% state they will completely forgo traveling this summer. In contrast, younger travelers are more resilient, with only 7% of those aged 18 to 34 planning to stay home.

World events also strongly influence destination choices: 12% of respondents indicate that geopolitical factors guided the selection of their last trip. This concern is higher in the Czech Republic (18%) and Austria (19%).

Overall safety plays a decisive role for around 10% of travelers, a figure that rises to 16% among young people aged 18 to 24. The data suggests that political stability and a safe environment are now crucial for travelers, which directly benefits European cities.