Europe's leisure travel market is resilient, but the behaviors driving it are shifting in ways that matter.
According to Phocuswright’s Europe Consumer Travel Report 2026, travelers across the U.K., France and Germany report doing less research than a year ago, and online travel agencies have overtaken general search as the primary online resource for planning trip components.
Artificial intelligence remains a secondary tool for most travelers, but it's growing quickly across all three markets and gaining particular influence over destination choice. Offline, recommendations from friends and family continue to dominate.
Against this backdrop, the nuances separating these three markets are sharpening: Cost sensitivity is rising, long-haul appetite is softening and convenience, flexibility and peer influence are reshaping how Europeans plan and book leisure travel.
![]()
Key country findings from the study:
U.K.
- The U.K. remains the most travel-active market by frequency.
- Air travel is still high at 77%, though slightly down versus 2025, while domestic travel rose to 61% and travel elsewhere in Europe remains strong at 60%.
- Booking and planning behavior is more convenience-led than in the other markets. “Quick and easy booking process” is much higher in the U.K. Location services also matter more in the U.K. at 31%, compared with 17% in France and 16% in Germany.
France
- France has the strongest alternative accommodation and road/rail profile. It leads on home/flat rentals at 44%, road trips in own/borrowed cars at 60%, rail at 40%, rental cars at 40% and stays with friends/relatives at 57%
- The biggest year-over-year travel pattern change is destination mix. Domestic destinations fell sharply from 65% to 49%, while other European destinations increased from 37% to 45%.
- France stands out strongly in in-destination behavior. Multi-day tours, guided tours and wellness are higher than the other two markets.
Germany
- Germany had the biggest increases in air travel and spend.
- Germany is the least favorable toward short-term rentals in 2026. Home/flat rental fell from 33% to 26%, while hotel net is 65%, all-inclusive is 25% and upscale hotels are 27%, supporting more structured/commercial lodging.
Phocuswright’s Europe Consumer Travel Report 2026
This report is based on an online survey fielded in April 2026 among leisure travelers in the U.K., France and Germany who had taken at least one overnight trip in the past 12 months and played an active role in planning and booking it. It examines how travelers research, choose and book trips, including the roles of digital and offline resources, social media, AI, digital identity and geopolitics in shaping travel behavior and future intent.