US tourists heading to Europe again this summer

US-based Squaremouth says travel to European countries is approaching, and in some cases, surpassing levels that haven’t been seen since 2019. The company analysed travel data to reveal the current trends that are shaping summer travel this year.

Prior to the pandemic, Europe comprised roughly half of all summer trips insured through Squaremouth. This figure eventually fell to around 11 per cent mid-pandemic, during the summer of 2021. This year, travel to Europe peaks in September at 51 per cent, and then again next summer at 52 per cent of all trips booked.

Italy, France, the UK, Greece, Germany, and Ireland have historically been the most popular European countries during the summer months. According to data from Squaremouth.com, more travellers are insuring trips to Italy and Greece than pre-pandemic years, while the UK and Germany appear slightly less popular than they were in 2019.

The average cost of a summer trip to Europe this year is US$7,819, according to Squaremouth.com. This is over $1,000 more than it was prior to the pandemic, with the cost averaging $6,709 in 2019.

At the height of the pandemic, more US travellers stayed within the country than ever before. Squaremouth reported a near 50/50 split between US travellers going abroad and staying stateside.

With the return of European travel this summer, international travel overall is almost back to normal, accounting for 79 per cent of all trips insured on Squaremouth.com. In comparison, 84 per cent of summer trips in 2019 were to international destinations.