The modern European traveller seeks a meaningful connection with their destination, guided by sustainability and the quality of the experience.
European tourism is evolving under new conditions, with travellers’ values shifting towards authenticity, sustainability and a meaningful connection to destinations, reflecting a broader social shift towards quality, balance between visitors and local communities and greater environmental awareness.
In this context, the new study by the European Travel Commission (ETC), develops profiles of the responsible European traveller, capturing different behaviours and contributing to the optimisation of the marketing strategies and product development of the National Tourism Organisations. The project was implemented with the support of MINDHAUS, a tourism marketing strategy firm and member of the V+O Group | SEC Newgate.
The analysis identifies five profiles: “Those Looking for Off-the-Beaten-Track Destinations”, who avoid crowds, “Gen Z Remote Adventurers”, who combine travel with work, “Hassle-free Holidaymakers”, who prioritise comfort, “Impact-conscious Travellers”, with greater environmental awareness, and “Eco-conscious Explorers”, the most environmentally conscious audience.
The findings show that 64% of Europeans have already adopted at least one responsible behaviour, having a strong desire to travel and a willingness to spend substantial sums. In particular, 8 out of 10 are planning a trip within Europe and 4 in 10 are budgeting for an expense of more than €1,500. These are travellers who opt for alternative destinations, longer stays and more frequent off-peak trips.
For example, 51% turn to less popular destinations and 10% to more remote areas, whilst their journeys are more carefully planned, with 50% choosing stays of more than seven nights and 67% travelling during the mid or low season, thereby contributing to a a more even distribution of tourist flows.
This trend extends to different types of travel: 22% choose sun and sea holidays, whilst 15% choose city breaks, cultural experiences and outdoor activities, respectively, and 10% wellness trips. At the same time, safety (45%), reliable weather conditions (35%), attractive offers (30%) and local hospitality (28%) remain the main criteria for choosing a destination.
At the same time, the issue of overcrowding is highlighted, with 25% stating that they are concerned about the large number of visitors and 26% consciously preferring uncrowded destinations. Interestingly, only 15% report that concerned about their personal environmental footprint of their travels.
Commenting on the results of the ETC study, the General Manager of MINDHAUS, Mr Konstantinos Triantafyllis, states: “European tourism is not simply evolving in terms of trends, but in terms of values, reflecting a clear shift towards more conscious travel choices. This translates into a new demand framework, where experience and quality play a decisive role in shaping the value of tourism. In this environment, it is crucial that destinations are able to respond effectively to travellers” changing expectations and strengthen their long-term competitiveness through more sustainable development strategies.”
The analysis is based on the responses of approximately 24,000 Europeans who took part in the ETC’s rolling survey, “Monitoring Sentiment for Intra-European Travel (MSIET)”, between October 2024 and March 2026.
Source: tornosnews.gr