US TRAVEL TO EUROPE SURGING - THESE ARE THE DESTINATIONS TRENDING THIS SUMMER

As summer approaches, the allure of European destinations beckons to American travelers once again, with a substantial uptick in bookings noted by leading travel insurance provider Allianz Partners.

According to its annual Top 10 Summer European Destinations review (part of its European Summer Travel Index), there has been an astonishing 34 percent increase in the number of Americans venturing across the Atlantic this summer compared to the same period last year.

Its analysis of flight itineraries of five to eight days’ duration, departing between Memorial Day and Labor Day, indicated that the U.K. capital of London continues to reign supreme as the most sought-after destination, with the French capital (and Olympic host) city of Paris closely trailing behind in the second spot with only half the number of bookings.

The vibrant city of Dublin, Ireland, once again secured its position as Europe’s third most popular vacation spot. All of the top three destinations promise to deliver a rich tapestry of international sports and music events to entice travelers this summer season.

For the first time since the survey was first launched in 2015, Nice, France, famed for its picturesque beaches and Mediterranean charm, nudged its way onto the list in tenth place. Meanwhile, Barcelona, Spain, also reclaimed its eighth-place spot among the elite destinations after a notable absence from last year’s top 10 list. These two Continental locations managed to bump Milan, Italy, and Lisbon, Portugal out of the top 10 for 2024. 

Longstanding favorites, like Edinburgh, Scotland (fourth) and Amsterdam, Netherlands (sixth)—which each rose by two positions since 2023—wrestled for their position in the middle of the pack.  Rome, Italy (fifth) actually slid down one slot this summer, and Reykjavik, Iceland (seventh), and Athens, Greece (ninth), each fell by two spots on this year’s roster.

“Following the pandemic, Europe has been a top summer destination for Americans,” said Daniel Durazo, director of external communications at Allianz Partners USA. “Since transcontinental travel typically requires a more substantial budget to cover the flights, hotels and tours that combine for a memorable trip, the right travel insurance plan becomes even more valuable to protect against covered losses resulting from trip cancellations, interruptions, delays and medical emergencies that are sometimes an unexpected byproduct of vacation planning.”

2024-04-26T16:59:06Z dg43tfdfdgfd