Europe’s tourism cross-roads: record visitor numbers, rising climate risks and a new sustainability strategy
Europe’s tourism industry is both booming and burning. As the continent welcomes record-breaking visitor numbers, it faces an escalating climate crisis that threatens the very destinations it depends on. From wildfires and floods to the erosion of coastal ecosystems, the warnings are no longer theoretical.
Against this backdrop, the European Commission is finalising its first-ever EU Sustainable Tourism Strategy, signalling a historic shift in how Europe views its most visited and most vulnerable sector. The goal: ensure that tourism remains a source of prosperity — without exhausting the landscapes, cities and communities that sustain it.
A tourism boom — and a warning sign
In 2024, Europe hosted roughly 747 million international arrivals — more than any other region in the world. The European Travel Commission (ETC) projects that 2025 will exceed even that, with tourist spending expected to rise 11% year-on-year. Spain alone is on track to hit 100 million visitors, an all-time high.
Yet those same numbers expose deep fractures. Many of the continent’s most iconic destinations are now on the front lines of climate stress.
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In Spain and Portugal, this year’s wildfire season started earlier and burned more land than the previous decade’s average.
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Flooding in northern Italy and southern France forced evacuations and closed tourist routes during peak season.
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Heatwaves across Croatia, Turkey and Greece pushed temperatures above 45 °C, prompting airlines to adjust schedules and hotels to convert common spaces into cooling areas.
According to the European Environment Agency, climate change is already shifting Europe’s tourism geography northwards and inland — a trend expected to accelerate in coming years.
The EU steps in: sustainability as a survival strategy
The European Commission’s upcoming Sustainable Tourism Strategy, launched in consultation this year, is Europe’s first attempt to weave climate resilience, sustainability and social balance into a single tourism policy.
Unveiled by Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas at the Global Tourism Forum in Brussels, the plan sets out five priorities: balanced visitor flows, green mobility, digital and green skills, climate-resilient infrastructure, and shared governance through transparent data.
It represents a cultural shift as much as a policy one: tourism will no longer be judged solely by volume or spend, but by the health of the destinations themselves.
The market is shifting: travellers demand sustainability
Europe’s strategic push reflects not only environmental urgency but also consumer demand.
A Booking.com survey (2024) found that 76% of travellers want to travel more sustainably, while 43% are willing to pay more for accommodations that demonstrate eco-friendly practices. Similarly, Euromonitor International ranks “sustainable travel” among the top three global consumer megatrends for 2025.
The European sustainable-tourism market, valued at USD 55.9 billion in 2023, is projected to grow by more than 12% annually through 2028, according to GlobalData.
Younger generations, particularly Gen Z and millennials, are driving this transformation. Their preference for slower travel, low-carbon mobility and locally rooted experiences has pushed destinations and travel platforms to innovate — from regenerative agriculture stays to circular-economy hospitality models.
Examples of Europe’s new sustainable tourism in practice
While Brussels debates frameworks, many destinations and businesses are already testing what sustainable tourism looks like on the ground. Across Europe, examples show how tourism can adapt — and even thrive — in a changing climate.
1. Slovenia: a national model for green certification
Slovenia has quietly built one of the world’s most comprehensive sustainable-tourism systems. Through its Green Scheme of Slovenian Tourism, destinations are audited and awarded bronze, silver or gold labels based on sustainability criteria, from waste management to community engagement. Ljubljana and Bled are now flagship examples, combining low-emission transport with local sourcing and heritage protection.
2. Valencia: from mass tourism to climate-neutral city
In 2023, Valencia became the first city in the world to verify its tourism carbon footprint through the Global Sustainable Tourism Council. By 2030, it aims to become fully climate-neutral. The city has redirected visitor flows away from over-exposed areas and toward lesser-known neighbourhoods, backed by strict mobility and energy-use targets.
3. Greece and Portugal: rebuilding after fire
Following destructive wildfires, Greek islands such as Rhodes and Portuguese regions like the Algarve have started replanting burned landscapes with climate-resilient species and designing nature trails that educate visitors about ecological restoration. Tourism revenue directly funds these efforts — an example of “regenerative tourism” in action.
4. The Netherlands: managing overtourism with design and data
Dutch cities, from Amsterdam to Utrecht, are using behavioural design and digital tools to guide visitors toward quieter districts. Meanwhile, rural regions like Twente and Drenthe are marketing themselves as “slow tourism” alternatives — offering cycling routes, local food experiences and small-scale accommodations that distribute tourism benefits more evenly across the country.
5. Alpine regions: adapting winter tourism
As snow seasons shorten, Alpine destinations in Austria and Switzerland are diversifying beyond skiing. Mountain-wellness retreats, hiking festivals and rail-linked eco-lodges are transforming what “high season” means. Tourism boards now invest as much in biodiversity and trail maintenance as in lifts and slopes.
A wider cultural shift: travel as stewardship
These examples mark a shift in how tourism is imagined — from extractive to regenerative, from seeing nature as a backdrop to recognising it as the main asset.
Europe’s leading tourism organisations are echoing that message. The European Travel Commission has made climate action central to its campaigns, promoting rail over air for short-haul routes. The Global Sustainable Tourism Council has expanded training across EU member states, while the European Destinations of Excellence (EDEN) programme continues to spotlight small communities that balance tourism growth with ecological integrity.
As Commissioner Tzitzikostas put it, Europe must move from “promotion to preservation.” In other words, the goal is not fewer visitors, but smarter visitation — tourism that sustains local economies while respecting their limits.
The next chapter for Europe’s tourism story
The EU’s sustainable-tourism framework, set for adoption in 2026, arrives at a defining moment. Climate volatility is no longer abstract; travellers are demanding change; and many destinations are already proving that sustainability and success are compatible.
For the European tourism industry — from coastal hotspots to rural recreation regions — the challenge is clear: the future belongs to those who can protect what makes Europe worth visiting in the first place.