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EU tourism nights rise 1.7% in the first half of 2026, led by foreign visitor growth

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09 September 2026

EU tourism nights rise 1.7% in the first half of 2026, led by foreign visitor growth

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The EU recorded 1.32 billion overnight stays in tourist accommodation in the first half of 2026, with foreign visitor growth nearly three times faster than domestic demand. Ireland, Malta and Slovakia posted the strongest gains, while Cyprus and Romania saw the sharpest declines.

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Editorial team

Related Organisation(s)

Eurostat

Topics
Geographical descriptors

Cyprus

EU-27

Ireland

Malta

Romania

Slovakia

Organisation Type

Academic / Research and VET Institutions

Destination Management & Marketing Organisations

National authorities

Regional Authorities

  • Specific types of tourism

    • Adventure tourism

    • Coastal, maritime and inland water tourism

    • Cultural tourism

    • Ecotourism

    • Education tourism

    • Festival tourism

    • Gastronomy tourism

    • Health and medical tourism

    • MICE tourism

    • Mountain tourism

    • Religious tourism

    • Rural tourism

    • Sports tourism

    • Urban/city tourism

    • Wellness tourism

  • Transition Pathway Strategic Areas

    • Changes in tourism demand and opportunities

    • Improving statistics and indicators

    • Tools for data on tourism

  • Business activities

    • Camping grounds, recreational vehicle parks and trailer parks

    • Holiday Housing / Apartments and other short stay accommodation

    • Hotel and similar accommodation

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According to Eurostat, EU tourist accommodation recorded 1,321 million overnight stays in the first half of 2026, up 1.7% on the same period in 2025. Ireland (+14.6%), Malta (+9.9%) and Slovakia (+5.9%) posted the strongest growth, while Cyprus (-7.7%) and Romania (-6.7%) recorded the steepest declines among the nine countries that saw a fall. Foreign visitors accounted for almost half of all overnight stays (48.9%) EU-wide, ranging from over 90% in Malta and Cyprus to under a quarter in Germany, Poland and Romania. Nights spent by foreign visitors grew 2.5%, nearly three times faster than domestic nights (+0.9%).

#TourismIndicators #TourismDevelopment #TourismSustainabilityIndicators

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