In 2024, I showed Oscar from Denver, Colorado the highlights of London. It was his first time in England. In contrast, Thanh and I have been to the capital of the United Kingdom many times. During the weekend of Pentecost 2026, we went together for a weekend of museums, food, and a concert.
Today is the King’s Official Birthday in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and other Commonwealth Realms. It’s always on a Saturday in June and this year the day is 20 June. King Charles III‘s actual birthday is 14 November.
UK visitor numbers
According to forecasts by VisitBritain, the UK is expected to receive 45.5 million inbound visitors in 2026, generating £35.7 billion in tourism spending. Compared with 2025, that represents growth of 4% in arrivals and 7% in nominal spending. VisitBritain estimates that inbound tourism volume would reach 105% of 2019 levels, while spending would climb to 126% of pre-pandemic figures, although inflation-adjusted spending still remains below 2019 levels.
The figures confirm that tourism remains one of the UK’s largest export industries. International visitors spend tens of billions of pounds annually in hotels, restaurants, attractions, transport and retail, supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
American visitors remain the UK’s most valuable market
The United States continues to dominate inbound tourism to the United Kingdom. American tourists are not only the country’s largest long-haul market but also its highest-spending visitor group.
VisitBritain forecasts 5.5 million visits from the United States in 2025, with spending expected to reach a record £6.7 billion. That means nearly £1 in every £5 spent by international tourists in the UK comes from American visitors alone.
The strong American market reflects several trends. The weak pound has made Britain relatively attractive for US travellers, while cultural familiarity, aviation connectivity and the popularity of film and television tourism continue to drive demand. British destinations linked to productions such as ‘Harry Potter‘, ‘Bridgerton‘, James Bond and ‘The Crown‘ remain particularly popular with overseas tourists.
Beyond the United States, the UK’s largest inbound visitor markets include France, Germany, the Republic of Ireland, and Spain. According to VisitBritain data, those countries ranked among the top contributors to inbound tourism in 2024.
European markets continue to provide the backbone of UK tourism in volume terms. VisitBritain forecasts European arrivals to grow by 4% in 2026, while long-haul markets are expected to grow by 5%. However, long-haul visitors generally spend more money and stay longer, making them disproportionately valuable to the tourism economy.
The People’s Republic of China remains an important recovery market. Although East Asian tourism has been slower to return than expected after the pandemic, Chinese tourism is rebounding rapidly. VisitBritain forecasts 827,000 Chinese visits in 2025, an increase of 46% compared with 2024, while spending from Chinese visitors is expected to rise by 77% to £1.6 billion.
Australia, Saudi Arabia, and New Zealand have also shown particularly strong growth since 2019, with some markets significantly exceeding pre-pandemic levels.
Air travel dominates arrivals to the UK
Despite the prominence of rail connections through the Channel Tunnel, the overwhelming majority of international visitors still arrive in the United Kingdom by air. London Heathrow remains Europe’s busiest international airport, while Gatwick, Manchester, Stansted, and Edinburgh also handle large volumes of inbound tourists.
Long-haul visitors from North America, Asia, and the Persian Gulf states almost exclusively arrive by plane, while many European tourists also rely on low-cost airlines serving regional airports across the country.
Rail travel nevertheless plays an important role, particularly for short-haul European tourism. Eurostar services linking London with Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam continue to attract leisure travellers seeking city breaks and lower-carbon transport alternatives. The route between London and Paris remains one of Europe’s most significant international rail corridors.
Ferry travel also retains importance, especially for visitors from Ireland, France and the Netherlands, although its market share is much smaller than aviation.
The geography of UK tourism strongly shapes transport patterns. London acts as the main gateway for international visitors, but regional airports in Scotland, Northern England and Wales have increasingly sought direct long-haul connections to attract tourists without requiring transfers through the capital.
Visitors are staying slightly shorter periods
Although international visitor numbers are increasing, average trip lengths have become somewhat shorter in recent years. VisitBritain estimates that spending per visit remained broadly flat in 2025 despite higher overall tourism revenue. One reason is that average stays declined, especially among European travellers.
European tourists often visit the UK for short urban breaks of two to four nights, particularly in London, Edinburgh, Manchester, and Liverpool. Long-haul travellers generally stay much longer, frequently combining several destinations during one trip.
The growth of hybrid working and flexible travel patterns has also influenced tourism behaviour. More visitors now combine leisure and remote work, while others add short UK stopovers to wider European itineraries.
Domestic tourism data also suggests changing travel habits within Britain itself. According to VisitBritain, British residents took 27 million overnight trips in England during the third quarter of 2025, slightly down 2% year-on-year, while tourism day visits increased by 12% to 286 million.
That suggests that cost-conscious consumers increasingly favour shorter and more flexible domestic travel rather than traditional week-long holidays.
London remains dominant, but regional tourism is growing
London continues to dominate inbound tourism to the United Kingdom. The capital remains one of the world’s most visited cities, attracting tourists with landmarks such as Buckingham Palace, Tower of London, British Museum and the London Underground itself, which has become part of the visitor experience.
However, tourism authorities are increasingly trying to spread visitors more evenly across the country. VisitBritain has invested heavily in campaigns promoting regional destinations and screen-tourism locations outside London.
Scotland has performed particularly strongly. Visa spending data cited by VisitBritain showed tourism spending in Scotland rising 6% in 2025, outperforming London and England overall. Wales also recorded growth.
Cities such as Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow and Birmingham have expanded their tourism profiles through culture, music, sport and events. Historic destinations including Bath, York, Oxford, and Edinburgh continue to attract international travellers interested in heritage tourism.
At the same time, some traditional seaside destinations have seen their share of domestic tourism decline. VisitBritain notes that large towns and cities increased their share of domestic overnight tourism in 2025, while seaside destinations lost ground.
Domestic tourism remains enormous
Although inbound tourism attracts most international attention, domestic tourism remains vastly larger in volume terms. British residents take hundreds of millions of leisure trips every year within their own country.
In the third quarter of 2025 alone, domestic tourism spending reached £25.2 billion, including £9.6 billion from overnight trips and £15.6 billion from day visits. Total domestic tourism spending rose 11% year-on-year.
The data also reveals evolving travel preferences. Solo travel is becoming more common, spending on package trips has increased, and travellers increasingly favour urban destinations and hobby-based trips.
Transport patterns are also changing. The share of domestic trips made by private car declined compared with previous years, reflecting rising fuel prices, changing environmental attitudes and improvements in rail connectivity.
Competition and uncertainty remain major concerns
Despite the positive outlook, the British tourism industry still faces significant uncertainties. VisitBritain warns that geopolitical tensions, economic slowdowns, aviation capacity, exchange rates and global trade disruptions could all affect future tourism growth.
Competition within Europe is also intensifying. Mediterranean destinations have recovered strongly after the pandemic, while countries such as Spain, Italy, and Greece continue to compete aggressively for international visitors.
The UK additionally faces challenges linked to post-Brexit border formalities and electronic travel authorisation systems, although tourism officials hope these will not significantly deter visitors.
Climate change may also reshape future tourism flows. Hotter summers in southern Europe could make Britain’s milder climate more attractive during peak season, particularly for travellers seeking cooler urban and countryside destinations.
For now, however, the overall trajectory remains positive. International tourism to the United Kingdom is growing again, visitor spending is reaching record levels, and Britain continues to benefit from a global image built on culture, heritage, film, sport and language. With visitor numbers forecast to approach 50 million annually by the end of the decade, tourism is set to remain one of the country’s most strategically important industries.
Heritage, culture and global connections drive British tourism
Tourism in the United Kingdom is built on an unusually broad mix of heritage, culture, landscape, entertainment and international connectivity. Few countries combine globally recognisable cities, royal traditions, industrial history, dramatic coastlines, literary heritage and world-famous popular culture within such a relatively compact geographical area.
As a result, the UK attracts a wide range of travellers, from short-haul European city-break visitors and American heritage tourists to football fans, music lovers, hikers and international students.
London remains the country’s tourism powerhouse and one of the most visited cities in the world. International visitors are drawn to landmarks such as Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Tower Bridge and the Tower of London, alongside museums including the British Museum, the Natural History Museum, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. The city’s West End theatre district rivals Broadway, while shopping districts such as Oxford Street, Covent Garden, and Knightsbridge continue to attract millions of visitors annually. London’s multicultural character also makes it one of Europe’s leading culinary destinations, with restaurants representing cuisines from virtually every continent.
Yet tourism in Britain extends far beyond the capital. Edinburgh has developed into one of Europe’s leading cultural tourism cities, thanks to its medieval Old Town, Georgian New Town and globally famous Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Scotland more broadly benefits from strong international demand for landscapes, castles and whisky tourism.
The Scottish Highlands, Loch Ness and the Isle of Skye have become iconic destinations for road trips and nature tourism, while golf tourism around St Andrews attracts affluent international visitors.
In England, historic cities such as Bath, York, Oxford, and Cambridge draw tourists interested in architecture, universities and Roman or medieval heritage. Liverpool and Manchester have built strong tourism industries around music, sport and industrial culture. Liverpool continues to capitalise on its association with The Beatles, while Manchester has become one of Britain’s leading destinations for football tourism due to the global popularity of Manchester United and Manchester City.
The British coastline also remains an important part of the tourism economy, although seaside tourism has evolved considerably since its 20th-century heyday. Resorts such as Brighton, Blackpool, and Bournemouth continue to attract domestic visitors, while Cornwall and Devon have become major destinations for surfing, hiking and luxury coastal holidays. National parks including the Lake District, Snowdonia, the Peak District, and the Scottish Cairngorms are central to Britain’s outdoor tourism offer.
Film and television tourism has become increasingly important in recent years. International visitors travel to locations associated with ‘Harry Potter’, ‘Downton Abbey’, ‘Bridgerton’, James Bond and ‘The Crown’, while fan tourism linked to franchises such as ‘Doctor Who‘ and ‘Sherlock‘ also contributes to visitor numbers. Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter has become one of the country’s most successful visitor attractions.
Royal tourism remains another major draw. Ceremonial events involving the British monarchy attract global attention, while royal residences such as Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace and the Palace of Holyroodhouse generate substantial visitor income. Major national events, including royal weddings, jubilees and coronations, often produce temporary tourism surges.
The UK’s tourism economy also benefits from its role as a global transport and business hub. London Heathrow acts as one of the world’s largest international airports, making the country highly accessible for transit and stopover tourism. Business travel remains a major contributor to hotel occupancy, conference tourism and airline traffic, especially in London and other major cities.
Economically, tourism is one of the United Kingdom’s largest service industries. Before the pandemic, the sector directly and indirectly supported millions of jobs across accommodation, transport, retail, food services, entertainment and cultural industries. Tourism is particularly important in rural and coastal areas where alternative employment opportunities may be limited.
The industry also has major regional development impacts. In parts of Scotland, Wales, Cornwall and Northern Ireland, tourism functions as a cornerstone of the local economy. Visitor spending supports small businesses, guesthouses, restaurants, heritage sites and transport operators, while helping to preserve historic buildings and cultural landscapes that might otherwise struggle financially.
At the same time, the growth of tourism has created challenges. Popular destinations including central London, Edinburgh and parts of the Lake District increasingly face concerns about overtourism, housing affordability and pressure on infrastructure. The rapid expansion of short-term rentals through platforms such as Airbnb has intensified debates over housing availability in some tourist-heavy areas.
Environmental concerns have also become more prominent. Aviation remains central to Britain’s inbound tourism market, while heavy visitor numbers place pressure on historic sites and natural landscapes. In response, tourism authorities increasingly promote sustainable travel, rail tourism and regional dispersal strategies designed to spread visitors more evenly across the country.
Despite these pressures, tourism remains deeply woven into the UK economy and international identity. Britain continues to market itself through a combination of heritage, creativity, language, education, music, sport and popular culture. From Shakespeare and royal palaces to Premier League football and contemporary television drama, the country possesses a cultural reach that few destinations can match.
Overtourism pressures are growing in parts of the United Kingdom
The rapid recovery of tourism has also intensified discussions about overtourism in parts of the United Kingdom, although the issue is generally more localised than in heavily tourism-dependent countries such as Spain or Italy. Britain does not face nationwide overtourism in the same way as some Mediterranean destinations, but several cities, historic districts and rural landscapes are increasingly struggling with the side effects of visitor pressure, particularly during peak seasons.
London faces pressure from global popularity
London experiences the most visible strain. Areas such as Westminster, Covent Garden, Soho, Notting Hill and South Kensington can become extremely crowded during summer months and holiday periods, with packed Underground stations, long queues at attractions and rising pressure on public space.
The city’s success as a global tourism destination has also contributed to soaring accommodation prices and the expansion of short-term rental platforms, which critics argue have reduced the supply of housing for residents in central neighbourhoods.
Edinburgh has become a symbol of overtourism concerns
Edinburgh has become one of Britain’s clearest examples of overtourism tensions. The Scottish capital receives millions of visitors annually despite its relatively small population, and the pressure becomes especially intense during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August.
Residents have increasingly complained about overcrowding, noise, waste management issues and rising housing costs linked to the growth of short-term holiday lets. Local authorities have introduced stricter licensing rules for tourist accommodation in response.
Film tourism and social media create new hotspots
The popularity of film and television tourism has also created unexpected pressures in smaller communities. Villages and rural areas featured in productions linked to ‘Harry Potter’, ‘Bridgerton’ or other internationally successful series have sometimes struggled to cope with sudden visitor surges.
In some cases, local residents have complained about traffic congestion, illegal parking and disruption to daily life. Social media has amplified the phenomenon, with viral travel videos rapidly turning quiet locations into major tourist attractions.
National parks and coastal regions feel the strain
Natural landscapes are facing similar challenges. The Lake District, Snowdonia and parts of the Scottish Highlands experienced record visitor numbers after the pandemic, particularly as domestic tourism boomed during travel restrictions.
Narrow rural roads, insufficient parking facilities and overcrowded hiking trails became major issues during peak periods. Some communities argued that infrastructure investment had failed to keep pace with tourism growth.
Cornwall has faced particularly strong pressure from domestic tourism and second-home ownership. During summer, the county’s population can swell dramatically, putting strain on roads, public services and local housing markets. Rising property prices linked to holiday homes and short-term rentals have fuelled concerns that local residents are being priced out of coastal communities.
Tourism remains economically essential
At the same time, tourism remains economically vital for many of these regions, making the debate politically sensitive. Local businesses, hotels, restaurants and cultural institutions depend heavily on visitor spending, and many rural areas would struggle economically without tourism income.
Authorities therefore increasingly focus on “destination management” rather than limiting tourism outright. National and regional tourism organisations are encouraging visitors to travel outside peak periods and explore lesser-known destinations.
VisitBritain has promoted campaigns aimed at dispersing tourists beyond London and the most crowded hotspots, while local authorities are investing in sustainable transport, visitor infrastructure and crowd management strategies.
Sustainable tourism becomes a growing priority
Rail tourism is also being promoted as a more sustainable alternative to car-based travel in fragile rural areas. In Scotland and parts of Northern England, scenic railways are increasingly marketed as a way to reduce traffic congestion while supporting tourism growth.
For now, overtourism in the United Kingdom remains concentrated in specific locations rather than representing a nationwide crisis. However, with international visitor numbers forecast to continue growing and domestic tourism remaining strong, pressure on historic cities, coastal communities and national parks is likely to intensify further in the coming years.
Belgian tourism to the UK remains strong
Belgium continues to be an important tourism market for the United Kingdom, helped by geographical proximity, strong transport links and longstanding economic and cultural ties between the two countries. According to VisitBritain
, the UK welcomed approximately 873,000 visitors from Belgium in 2024. Together, those travellers spent a record £505.2 million during their visits.
Belgian visitors are particularly valuable because they travel frequently, return regularly and often explore destinations beyond London. VisitBritain notes that almost four in five Belgian holidaymakers visiting Britain are repeat visitors, while 64% of all nights spent by Belgian tourists take place outside the British capital.
Holiday travel accounts for the majority of Belgian spending in the UK, representing 54% of total expenditure. Business travel is also relatively important: 21% of Belgian visitors travel for professional reasons, which is above the international average for inbound tourism to Britain.
The strong Belgian market is closely linked to transport accessibility. Eurostar services between Brussels and London have transformed short-break tourism over the past decades, allowing travellers to move directly between the two capitals in roughly two hours. Air connections between Belgium and airports such as Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, and Edinburgh also remain important, particularly for business travellers.
Belgian tourists are especially drawn to London for shopping, theatre, museums and football, but Scotland, the English countryside and historic cities such as Bath, York, and Oxford also remain popular. The UK’s cultural familiarity and the widespread knowledge of English among Belgians make Britain an accessible destination for both leisure and business travel.
A sizeable Belgian community lives in the United Kingdom
Alongside tourism, the United Kingdom is also home to a longstanding Belgian expatriate community, although it remains relatively small compared with larger European diasporas such as the French, Polish or Italian communities.
Exact figures fluctuate depending on migration patterns and post-Brexit residency changes, but UK migration statistics and census estimates indicate that tens of thousands of Belgian citizens live in the United Kingdom. Many are concentrated in London and the South East of England, where they work in international business, finance, diplomacy, European institutions, academia and the creative industries.
Before Brexit, freedom of movement within the European Union made relocation between Belgium and the UK relatively straightforward, particularly for professionals working between Brussels and London. Since the UK’s departure from the EU, migration procedures have become more restrictive, although business, study and family migration between the two countries continues.
The Belgian presence in Britain is also strengthened by education and corporate links. Belgian students have traditionally attended British universities in significant numbers, while multinational companies operating between London, Brussels and Antwerp maintain strong cross-Channel professional networks.
At the same time, there is also a notable British population living in Belgium, especially in and around Brussels due to the presence of NATO and the European Union institutions. The relationship between the two countries therefore extends well beyond tourism alone, reflecting decades of economic, diplomatic and cultural integration.
British visitors remain important for Belgian tourism
The tourism relationship between the United Kingdom and Belgium is highly reciprocal. British visitors form one of Belgium’s most important international tourism markets, particularly for city trips, cultural tourism, battlefield remembrance tourism and business travel.
Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp remain especially popular with British travellers because of their accessibility by Eurostar, ferry and short-haul flights. The rail connection between London and Brussels has made Belgium one of the easiest continental European destinations for British tourists, encouraging large numbers of weekend and short-break visitors.
Bruges has long enjoyed a particularly strong profile in the British market, helped by its medieval city centre, canals and international visibility through films such as In Bruges. Brussels attracts visitors interested in architecture, museums, gastronomy and European politics, while Antwerp has increasingly developed a reputation for fashion, nightlife, museums and its growing culinary scene.
Battlefield tourism also remains a major factor in British travel to Belgium. The World War I memorial sites around Ypres (Ieper) and Passchendaele attract large numbers of British visitors every year, many of whom travel specifically to visit cemeteries, museums and remembrance ceremonies linked to the Western Front. The Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate in Ypres has become one of Belgium’s most internationally recognised remembrance events.
British tourists are also important for Belgium’s beer and culinary tourism sectors. Belgian beer culture, chocolate, fries and fine dining remain major attractions for UK visitors, while music festivals such as Tomorrowland attract younger British travellers in significant numbers.
Business tourism forms another substantial part of British travel to Belgium. Brussels’ role as the capital of the European Union and a major diplomatic hub generates constant flows of British politicians, diplomats, journalists, lobbyists and corporate travellers, even after Brexit.
A significant British community lives in Belgium
Belgium is also home to a sizeable British expatriate population. According to Belgian population statistics, tens of thousands of British nationals reside in the country, with particularly large communities in Brussels, Flemish Brabant and parts of Wallonia.
The British presence in Belgium is closely tied to international institutions. Brussels hosts major European Union institutions, NATO headquarters and numerous multinational corporations, attracting British diplomats, civil servants, consultants, lawyers and journalists. Even after Brexit, many British professionals continued living and working in Belgium due to the concentration of international organisations in the capital.
British nationals are also prominent in Belgium’s academic and business sectors. International schools around Brussels have long catered to British and other expatriate families, while the city’s international environment makes it relatively easy for English-speaking professionals to integrate.
Beyond Brussels, some British residents have settled in rural parts of Belgium, particularly in areas popular with expatriates and retirees. Others live in university cities such as Leuven (Louvain) and Ghent or in Antwerp, where international trade, shipping and creative industries attract foreign professionals.
Brexit nevertheless complicated life for many British residents in Belgium. UK citizens who had previously benefited from European Union freedom of movement were required to regularise their residency status after the UK left the EU. Belgian authorities introduced special residence arrangements for British nationals already living in the country, but migration between the UK and Belgium has become administratively more complex than before 2020.
Despite those changes, the links between Britain and Belgium remain exceptionally close. Tourism, diplomacy, education, business and transport continue to connect the two countries intensely, with Eurostar symbolising one of Europe’s strongest cross-border travel corridors.
Scotland 2013
- Antwerp to Inverness.
- Inverness to Aberdeen.
- Aberdeen to Edinburgh.
- Edinburgh.
- The West Highland Line (also known as the Harry Potter Line).
- Glasgow.
- Glasgow to Belgium.
- RECAP | Scotland, our first trip together.
England 2022
- ENGLAND 2022 | Bletchley Park.
- REVIEW | GWR Night Riviera sleeper train from London to Penzance.
- DEVON | Cruising River Dart from Totnes to Dartmouth.
- DEVON | Dartmouth Steam Railway from Dartmouth / Kingswear to Paignton.
- DEVON | Paignton – Totnes – Dartmouth.
- REVIEW | The Channel View Boutique Hotel in Paignton.
- ISLE OF WIGHT | Osborne House.
- REVIEW | Haven Hall Hotel in Shanklin on the Isle of Wight.
- ENGLAND | Isle of Wight 2022.
- LONDON | The Elizabeth Line and the Crossrail Place Roof Garden at Canary Wharf.
- REVIEW | The Gyle London.
- ENGLAND 2022 ROUND-UP | Elderly people, the rise of USB ports, Platinum Jubilee dessert flop and the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- 2022 Mediterranean Cruise – Mexico – England Travel Month.
Liverpool & Manchester 2023
- BEHIND THE SCENES | Gustaph and ‘Because Of You’ to represent Belgium at 2023 Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool.
- REVIEW | Avanti West Coast Lounge London Euston station.
- REVIEW | London Euston to Liverpool Lime Street on Avanti West Coast’s pride train.
- LIVERPOOL | 2023 Eurovision Song Contest venues & locations: arena, fan village, EuroClub, EUROfansCLUB.
- A visit to the Museum of Liverpool.
- LIVERPOOL | Merseyside Maritime Museum ft. Piermaster’s House, Border Force National Museum and International Slavery Museum.
- LIVERPOOL | Western Approaches / Liverpool War Museum.
- REVIEW | Radisson Red Liverpool.
- Discovering Liverpool.
- Liverpool to Manchester on the very first – 1830 – railway line.
- MANCHESTER | Imperial War Museum North (IWM North).
- Manchester’s gaybourhood around Canal Street.
- REVIEW | Radisson Collection The Edwardian Manchester.
- MANCHESTER | Science + Industry Museum.
- MANCHESTER | People’s History Museum.
- MANCHESTER | Afternoon Tea at Richmond Tea Rooms near Canal Street.
- Impressions of Manchester.
- REVIEW | Montcalm Royal London House – City of London.
- ENGLAND 2023 ROUND-UP | Less for more, pink pounds and pedestrian-unfriendly.
Some tourism statistics
- ITALY | More than 185 million visitors as tourism surges 7.1% in record year 2025.
- 8.7 billion rail trips in Europe in 2024 as Switzerland leads and Belgium’s data remain unavailable.
- NORWAY | Tourism breaks record with 40.6 million guest nights in 2025.
- NETHERLANDS | Rising international visitor numbers, domestic travel showed signs of stagnation in 2025.
- Taiwan tourism rebounds, Belgian market recovers, but cost pressures and geopolitical risks shape outlook.
- CURAÇAO | Tourism records for 2025, with 11,500 travellers from Belgium.
- International tourism to the United States continues to slide in 2026.
- Morocco records historic tourism year with 19.8 million visitors in 2025.
- Flanders continues to grow as a tourist destination with over 15 million visitors in 2025.
- Greece sets new tourism records in 2025 with nearly 38 million visitors.
- Thailand happy with Belgian visitor numbers and welcomes Tomorrowland festival.
- Belgian travel stats to the United States continued to decline throughout 2025.
- Is Greece too popular? 2024 tourism statistics raise overtourism concerns.
- TRAIN TRAVEL | European Union records 429 billion passenger-kilometres in 2023 but domestic travel still dominates.
- 5 million passengers flew from and to Brussels Airport in summer 2025.
- BELGIUM | Flemish museums attracted more than 4.8 million visitors in 2023.
- Belgium sees modest tourism growth in 2024, led by Flanders and Brussels.
- Travel in 2024: Spain, France, USA, China, Mexico lose ground and Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, UAE to grow market share.
- France, Spain, USA, China and Italy most visited countries in the world, Belgium 41st.
- France welcomed 100 million international visitors in 2024.
- Turkey welcomed 62 million international tourists who together spent $61 billion in 2024.
- SPAIN | 94 million international visitors and €108.7 billion tourism income in 2024.
- UN WORLD TOURISM BAROMETER | International tourism recovers pre-pandemic levels in 2024.
- Outside the EU, Europeans mostly travel to Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom.
- Intra-European travel mostly for fun and / or family.
- Europeans visit other European countries over 7 nights on average.
