Despite all the nerves in the airline industry over fuel supplies due to the Middle East conflict, holidays still appear to be in big demand - especially to Spain. Southern Europe has established itself as the preferred destination for Europeans travelling this spring and summer, with a 17% increase in demand compared to last year, led by Spain, which accounts for 14% of travellers, followed by Italy (11%) and France (8%), as well as Greece and Portugal (both at 6%).
Holiday bookings in the Balearics have risen by 38.7% over the past week compared to the same period in 2025 and by 11.7% compared to the previous week, according to data published on Monday by the booking platform Travelgate. With 15.5% of all bookings, the Balearics remain the third most popular destination in Spain this week, behind Catalonia (19.8%) and Andalusia (16.5%).
Nationwide, 23.8% of this week’s bookings were made more than three months in advance; 11.6% between 31 and 60 days in advance, and 14.5% between 15 and 30 days before travel, whilst so-called last-minute bookings (made the day before or on the day of travel) account for 10%.
Of the bookings made in the country via this platform, 51.4% were made by couples and half of travellers (50.9%) booked for between 2 and 5 nights.
Spaniards lead the demand with 47.9% of tourist bookings made this week, followed by the British (23.3%) and the Germans (4.5%). And according to a recent report by the European Travel Commission (ETC), interest in travel is at its highest level since 2020, albeit in a climate of greater caution, with fewer trips and shorter durations, as well as more moderate budgets, due to the uncertainty and current impact caused by the conflict in the Middle East.
Against this backdrop, young Europeans are playing a key role in the growing optimism about travel, as travel intentions among 18- to 34-year-olds have risen significantly. Despite high levels of optimism regarding European travel, geopolitical tensions and rising costs are increasingly influencing travel decisions, according to ETC. The report highlights that safety has established itself as the main criterion when choosing a destination, cited by 2.2% of travellers, followed by a pleasant and stable climate (15%) and attractive offers (1.4%).
Furthermore, concern over rising travel costs remains the most prominent issue overall, affecting 20% of Europeans, whilst concerns related to tensions in the Middle East have risen sharply, climbing nine percentage points to 18%. In the words of ETC President Miguel Sanz, “what is changing is the way they travel. We are seeing a more selective approach focused on value for money, where travellers are opting for shorter stays, more flexible plans and carefully managed budgets”.
According to the ETC study, Europeans are being more thoughtful and selective in their travel plans. In particular, they are planning shorter trips than last year, with a more common stay now of 4 to 6 nights (38%), whilst longer stays of 7 to 12 nights have decreased (37%). Budgets are also being tightened in this scenario, with a growing percentage of travellers (+4%) planning to allocate a moderate budget of up to €1,000 per trip.
At the same time, the proportion of travellers with greater purchasing power has fallen: those budgeting €1,500 or more per trip have decreased by 9% compared to the previous season. ‘This change reflects greater cost sensitivity and a greater interest in obtaining the best value for money,’ according to the European organisation. Meanwhile, 39% of Europeans plan to take just one trip in the next six months, 7% more than last year, whilst the percentage of those planning to travel at least twice has fallen to 57%.