45,8% of all international tourist arrivals in 2022 were destined for the European Union, despite accounting for only 3% of the world's land area and 5,6% of the world's population, according to data from the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the EU, on the occasion of World Tourism Day (September 27).
According to the figures, six of the top 10 destinations in the world are EU member states (Austria, France, Spain, Italy, Germany and Greece.
According to Eurostat data, in 2022 foreign tourists from both EU and non-EU countries accounted for 43% of all overnight stays in tourist accommodation, while they were the majority in 11 of the 27 Member States.
Cyprus was in fact one of the three EU countries where foreign tourists accounted for more than 90% of overnight stays in tourist accommodation, namely 91%, after Malta (92%) and Croatia (91%).
In Luxembourg and Greece, foreign tourists (from EU and non-EU) accounted for 86% and 84% respectively of tourist nights. In Austria, Slovenia, Portugal and Spain this percentage was between 60% and 70%.
The highest number of overnight stays by international tourists in absolute numbers was recorded in Spain (270 million overnight stays) and Italy (201 million overnight stays). Together, these overnight stays in the two countries account for 40% of all international tourism overnight stays in accommodation in the EU.
At the same time, 57% of all overnight stays in tourist accommodation in the EU in 2022 related to internal tourism, i.e. tourism from within the country. As Eurostat points out, although international tourism is a positive element for any country, dependence on it makes a country vulnerable to external shocks that can cause restrictions on international transport.
Source: KYPE