Europe may still be a dream destination for many, but the kind of travellers filling its streets is slowly changing. A new survey suggests that while American visitors are not coming in the same numbers as before, tourists from China and India are stepping in to fill the gap. The findings were published on Wednesday by the European Travel Commission.
Europe loses hold on American tourists
For the first time since the pandemic travel rush began, there are signs that Americans may be pulling back on trips to Europe. In the last few years, Americans travelled to Europe in huge numbers. A strong dollar and a stable economy back home made those trips easier to afford. But now, that rush doesn’t seem as strong as it once was.
An earlier study by the European Travel Commission found that Americans were less keen to travel to Europe in 2026 compared to 2025. The reasons include growing economic worries and global political tensions. The latest survey shows that while total international arrivals to Europe are still expected to rise by 6.2% this year, growth from the Americas is projected at just 4.2%.
According to aviation data firm Cirium, bookings from Europe to the United States between October 7 and the end of January dropped 14.2% compared to the same period a year earlier. Bookings from the US to Europe also fell, down 7.3% year-on-year.
Chinese and Indian tourists step forward
Even as American growth slows, travellers from Asia are expected to rise sharply. The survey estimates that arrivals from China to Europe will jump 28% in 2026 compared to 2025. Indian tourist arrivals are also set to grow, rising by 9%. These increases are expected to help balance out the softer demand from the US and keep Europe’s overall tourism numbers moving upward.
Despite Americans holding back, Europe’s travel industry is still seeing healthy spending. The survey says travel spending across Europe is estimated to have risen by 9.7% in 2025. That suggests that the visitors who are coming are willing to spend more, especially on premium experiences.
Major European airlines are seeing this trend clearly. Carriers such as Lufthansa and Air France-KLM have reported steady growth in bookings for premium cabins. At the same time, economy-class bookings on transatlantic routes have fallen.
Despite the change in who is travelling, Europe’s tourism leaders remain optimistic. “Europe continues to stand out as a reliable destination, well-positioned to respond to evolving demand for more flexible travel and experience-led journeys,” said Miguel Sanz, head of the European Travel Commission, in a statement.
At the same time, some European countries have issued travel advisories about visiting the US. These warnings include stricter border checks, reports of visitors being detained, and protests linked to the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. According to the US National Travel and Tourism Office, visits to the US from western Europe were down 4% in December compared with the same month a year earlier.