5 highlights for European Tourism – From the ETC webinar

After two years of pandemic, the war on Europe’s borders is a further obstacle to a return to normality. As stated by the European Travel Commission during the webinar on the impacts of the Russian-Ukrainian war on European tourism, it is not easy to predict with certainty what the consequences of today’s situation might be. However, several scenarios were mentioned:

1. Russia’s exit from the market
   Russia’s exit from the market will be a major loss for Europe and will also have a major impact on neighbouring countries. Countries that are heavily dependent on Russian tourism will also suffer a setback. Until before the outbreak of the war, Europe was the preferred holiday destination for Russians, with 56% of the Russian population choosing it over other destinations.
2. Indirect effects
   Despite the likely increase in the domestic market, regions further away from the conflict zones will still suffer from the indirect effects of the war such as higher prices, inflation and slower growth. As a result, consumers will be less inclined to spend large amounts of money on travel.
3. Europe as a safe destination
   A general analysis of online reputation and social sentiment shows that, at present, Europe continues to be seen as a safe destination, despite the ongoing conflict. Suffering the greatest consequences in terms of ‘negative reputation’ are the Eastern European countries, geographically closer to the war.
4. North American market
   The North American population is still uncertain about the actual level of security that Europe can guarantee. Nevertheless, most bookings have not yet been cancelled, so it is possible to continue working on this target with cautious optimism.
5. Air traffic restrictions
   There has been no sign of a further decline in international travel following the initial shock, when there was a 7% drop in the number of flights purchased to Europe within two weeks; transatlantic travel has also returned to pre-war levels.

Source: ForwardKeys

At Twissen, we are observing a slowdown in the recovery of tourism caused by international instability, which will force industry players to re-evaluate their communication and marketing strategies according to the target market. For the year 2022, the staycation trend observed during the pandemic can be expected to continue: therefore, ensuring safety and reducing the level of uncertainty for domestic travellers will be the basic condition for gaining the trust of this segment.

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