[FREE WHITE PAPER] The Evolution of European Demand to the U.S.: Understanding Shifting Travel Patterns

The new white paper, developed by Data Appeal through its tourism division Mabrian in collaboration with Phocuswright, explores the role and evolution of European demand for travel to the United States between 2023 and 2025, with an early look at emerging signals for 2026.

The United States has long been one of the most recognisable and aspirational long-haul destinations for European travellers. Its appeal remains strong, but it now exists within a more complex travel environment.

High travel costs, geopolitical uncertainty, and a more cautious perception of safety and value are reshaping how Europeans plan, choose, and book trips to the U.S.

For U.S. destinations and tourism businesses, understanding this shift is essential. It means identifying how traveller preferences, behaviours, and expectations are evolving to build more effective products, strengthen positioning, and develop a more resilient strategy for attracting European demand.

What you’ll find inside the white paper

• Perception: How indicators related to tourism offer, safety, climate, and hospitality are changing
• Air bookings: How demand evolved in 2025 and the early signals for 2026
• Preferred and trending destinations: Where Europeans are traveling and which U.S. destinations are gaining momentum
• Arrival airports: The main entry points for European travellers arriving in the United States
• Demand drivers: The most relevant motivations behind travel choices
• Visitor profile: Traveller composition, seasonality, and accommodation preferences
• Travel experiences: The most-appreciated and most-booked activities

A snapshot of the findings

• Unstable perception indices: compared with 2023, Europeans’ perception of the U.S. tourism experience and tourism products has improved. However, in early 2026, all perception indicators are declining: the Global Tourist Perception Index is down 1.5 points, while the Perception of Security Index has fallen by 0.7 points.
• Air bookings are recovering: In 2025, flight bookings declined by 4% year over year. However, in the first months of 2026, they increased by 11% YoY.
• Growing demand for alternative, authentic, and nature-based experiences: culture remains the main travel motivation, but it has lost ground compared with 2023. At the same time, interest is rising in active holidays, nature, beach destinations, food and cuisine, and quintessentially American itineraries.