Strong rise of private accommodation on booking platforms in the first quarter
A strong uptake in private accommodation on booking platforms in the first quarter is being recorded across the European Union. The first three months of this year have confirmed a stable upward trend for private accommodation within the European Union. Through leading global intermediaries – Airbnb, Booking and Expedia – a total of 144.3 million overnight stays were recorded. This represents a growth of 9.7 percent compared to the same period last year. The data shows that demand remains strong. Furthermore, all winter months individually surpassed last year's results.
Malta leads European growth, Croatia in the upper house
Although the entire Union is recording stable growth, the dynamics vary significantly from market to market. Malta recorded the biggest leap in the first quarter with growth of over 30 percent. Slovenia, Slovakia, and Cyprus are following closely behind.
With a growth of 15.6 percent, Croatia has positioned itself at the very top of countries with double-digit growth rates. This places it alongside Greece and Germany. On the other hand, the most visited major markets such as Spain and France maintained stable but slightly more moderate single-digit growth rates.
Winter resorts and city tourism marked the end of the year
A look at the more detailed regional structure from the end of last year reveals a clear concentration of traffic in three specific segments: winter Alpine resorts, mild climate regions, and key metropolises. European travellers most frequently chose destinations such as the Canary Islands and Andalusia in Spain. They also opted for the French region of Île-de-France and the Austrian Tyrol, which traditionally dominates the winter season.
Report prepared by Eurostat in direct collaboration with platforms clearly indicates that informal accommodation, which is often outside of traditional hotel registers, is becoming a key indicator of real travel dynamics in Europe.
