Data Appeal & Phocuswright White Paper
European Travelers Seek Active and Nature-Led U.S. Itineraries as Perception Enters a Sensitive Phase
Traveler perception is playing an increasingly important role in shaping European demand for the U.S., with early 2026 data showing a slight decline and highlighting clear opportunities to improve the overall in-destination travel experience. Enhancing activity and experience offerings, while better aligning with travelers’ growing appetite for a broader mix of experiences, will be essential to strengthening appeal among European visitors.
FLORENCE, Italy, June 3, 2026 – European travel demand to the United States is evolving as European travelers are approaching long-haul trips to U.S. destinations with greater selectivity, shorter planning windows, and a stronger appetite for diverse experiences that extend beyond iconic urban centers.
This is the key takeaway from The Evolution of European Demand to the U.S.: Understanding Shifting Travel Patterns, a white paper developed by The Data Appeal Company / Almaviva Group and Phocuswright, aimed at sparking analysis and discussion ahead of Phocuswright Europe 2026, to be held June 15–17 in Barcelona. “As the industry convenes in Barcelona this June for Phocuswright Europe, the timing could not be more relevant: the decisions travel companies make now about product, positioning and channel strategy will determine how they capture or lose European demand over the next several years,” says Eugene Ko, senior director, marketing and communications, Phocuswright.
The report, developed by Data Appeal Mabrian, the company’s Tourism & Destinations division, cross-analyzes flight bookings, preferred and emerging destinations, arrival airports, visitor profiles, accommodation preferences, demand drivers, traveler experiences, and perception indices from EU28 countries to examine how European travel behavior toward the United States has evolved since 2023.
“European demand for the U.S. is nuanced in ways that aggregate data simply cannot capture,” adds Ko. “What makes this collaboration with Data Appeal so valuable is the ability to layer Phocuswright’s consumer survey intelligence, specifically how travelers from the U.K., France, Germany, Italy and Spain think, plan and book, with real-time demand signals and perception indices. Together, they give travel companies a far more actionable picture than either dataset provides alone.”
According to Phocuswright, North America is projected to reach $567 billion in gross bookings in 2026, up 3.1% year over year, confirming its position as the world’s largest regional travel market. Among markets analyzed in a forthcoming report, the U.K. shows the strongest connection to North America, with 15% of the British traveler population visiting the region. France follows at 11%, while Germany—despite having the largest traveler base—records 9%, while Spain and Italy remain at 8% and 6%, respectively.
Given Europe’s central role among long-haul inbound source markets for the U.S., the analysis aims to highlight the behaviors, preferences and emerging trends to help U.S. travel stakeholders remain competitive.
Perception, a key factor in understanding European demand for the U.S.
“Perception indices for overall experience and tourism products indicate that European travelers are a discerning audience whose high expectations for a world-class destination such as the U.S. are not always fully met,” highlights Maria Pradissitto, North America Market Manager at Data Appeal.
Compared with 2023, European travelers’ perception indices improved in 2025, particularly the Perception of Security Index, which increased by +12.5 points to 81.4/100, and the Perception of Climate Index, which rose by +2.4 points to 80.6/100.
However, despite improving by+9 points to 59.3 out of 100, the Global Tourist Perception Index remains low in comparison with other relevant destinations worldwide, underscoring “the need to closely examine the underlying factors affecting its performance,” says Data Appeal’s expert.
In fact, year-to-date 2026 European perception indices show a slight decline compared with the same period in 2025, driven mainly by the Global Tourist Perception Index (-1.5 points, now at 56.6/100) and the Perception of Security Index (-0.7 points, now at 81.1/100), as well as lower safety perception scores in key origin markets such as Germany (-1.3 points, now at 80.7/100), the United Kingdom (-0.6 points, now at 83.2/100), and Italy (-0.5 points, now at 87.6/100).
According to Pradissitto, “these trends suggest that European travelers’ perception of the United States is entering a more sensitive phase—a development that destinations should monitor closely to remain competitive in the long-haul travel market,” particularly regarding expectations and quality standards in tourism products, services, and hotel experiences.
Great Outdoors and All-American Experiences Trending Among European Demand
More compelling itineraries and enhanced travel experiences that reflect European travelers’ interests, motivations, and levels of engagement are set to play a key role in shaping their perception of the United States, according to Data Appeal’s insights.
“Many of the trendiest U.S. destinations among European travelers are closely tied to active tourism and nature, including national parks, iconic landscapes, and classic road-trip circuits—from Death Valley and Cody to Tusayan and Sedona near the Grand Canyon, as well as West Yellowstone,” explained Pradissitto. This is reflected in demand drivers, where active tourism has shown the most consistent growth since 2023, increasing by 1.5 percentage points to reach 17.2% of European travel motivations.
This trend highlights a strategic opportunity for the U.S. to showcase a broader and more diverse travel proposition through experiences, products, and services that genuinely resonate with evolving traveler interests, improving travelers’ perception. Data Appeal insight indicates that, while culture remains the leading demand driver, accounting for 31.9% of motivations in 2025 despite a decline of 2.8 percentage points since 2023, nature continues to represent a significant share at 17%. Together with active tourism, these segments form a strong foundation for developing more compelling itineraries, while also leveraging other growing motivators such as sunbathing and food and cuisine.
In this scenario, data indicates that major connectivity hubs are still crucial for European demand. Phocuswright’s upcoming European Consumer Travel Market Report 2026 shows that travelers from the United Kingdom, France, and Germany visiting the U.S. are primarily drawn to iconic urban and coastal destinations, with 46% to 55% choosing major urban hotspots and 49% to 56% favoring beach and ocean destinations. Findings from the new report will be presented on Center Stage at Phocuswright Europe 2026.
A closer look at Data Appeal’s demand trend insights, based on consolidated stay reviews, reinforces this pattern. New York City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami Beach, and San Francisco lead the ranking of the top 15 favorite U.S. destinations for EU28 travelers, and eight of them also correspond to the top arrival airports for European visitors. Interestingly, since 2023, European demand for top preferred gateway destinations has shown a declining trend, falling by -15.9% in 2025, indicating softer momentum among the most mature hotspots—even as the broader 2026 outlook for U.S.-bound European travel remains positive.
This broader trend is reflected in flight booking data. GDS bookings from EU28 countries* for travel throughout 2026, made at least six months in advance and recorded through April, increased by +11% compared with the same period last year, following a -4% decline in 2025 versus 2024. This rebound, combined with shorter booking windows than in 2025, indicates a more reactive yet deliberate planning process, as European travelers continue to show strong interest in the U.S. while becoming more selective about where and how they travel.
The full report, The Evolution of European Demand to the U.S.: Understanding Shifting Travel Patterns, is available here: www.datappeal.io/evolution-european-demand-US
*EU28 Countries: Detailed list available in Eurostat
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About The Data Appeal Company
Part of Almawave / Almaviva Group, The Data Appeal Company, with Mabrian as its tourism intelligence division, is a global leader in AI-powered travel intelligence. Together, they provide predictive insights to destinations, tourism boards, and travel industry professionals worldwide. Leveraging proprietary artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, and an expert tourism advisory team, they transform data from over 130 sources into strategic decision-making tools, delivering one of the world’s most comprehensive ecosystems for sustainable destination growth and competitiveness.
About Phocuswright
Phocuswright is the travel industry’s leading market research authority, delivering the intelligence executives and investors rely on for high-stakes decisions. Through rigorous analysis of market sizing, segmentation, trends and consumer behavior, Phocuswright equips travel’s most influential organizations to anticipate shifts and outpace the competition. The company produces landmark conferences in the U.S. and Europe and operates PhocusWire, a premier digital media platform covering travel, technology, tourism and hospitality. With analysts across five continents and operations in Asia Pacific and Europe, Phocuswright brings a truly global perspective to one of the world’s largest industries. Phocuswright is a wholly owned subsidiary of Northstar Travel Media, LLC.
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Ana Maria Marquez
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