Out of 45 countries in the European continent, Spain has been recognised as the best country for summer tourism in 2024.

According to the Europe Summer Tourism Index by SchengenVisaInfo, Spain collected the highest points thanks to its popularity and beaches. The country also had high scores for its cuisine, friendly people, and good weather, Schengen.News reports.

According to Behar Sadiku, a Global Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Expert, there are new trends related to the behaviour of tourists in Europe, with a concern for rising costs being one of the main ones.

In the post-pandemic times, travellers are each taking more and more care about their finances, preferring to spend less and take two trips per year instead of spending more in one destination alone.

Sadiku also points out that this summer, travellers are growing more cautious about the weather conditions – seeking destinations with milder temperatures.

As per costs, Spain is not the most expensive country to spend a seven-day vacation there, but it is not the cheapest either. Spain is listed as the 20th most expensive for summer tourism in 2024.

Lowest Ranked European Countries for Summer Tourism This Year

While Spain, Italy, Greece, Türkiye  and Portugal are in the top five, the countries with the lowest scores on this ranking, are as follows:

• Liechtenstein – 2.47 points
• Switzerland – 2.48
• Luxembourg – 3.36
• Iceland – 3.46
• Andorra – 3.57

Most & Least Popular Destinations for Summer Tourism in Europe

In terms of popularity, Spain, France, Greece and Italy ranked the highest. The least popular countries for summer tourism in Europe are Belarus, Moldova Kosovo, and Lichtenstein.

Switzerland Is Europe’s Most Expensive Country for Summer Tourism

According to the Index, Switzerland is the most expensive country in the European continent to spend a one-week vacation during the summer.

Other countries with the lowest scores for affordability include France, Liechtenstein, Monaco and Norway.

However, Kosovo, Belarus, Serbia, North Macedonia and Lithuania are Europe’s cheapest countries for summer tourism this year.

Spain & Greece Ranked the Highest for Best Beaches to Spend Summer Vacations in 2024

With over 600 blue flag beaches, Spain and Greece have been recognised for having the best beaches in this ranking, followed by Türkiye, Italy and Portugal.

Except for 13 countries that do not have beaches, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Finland, Estonia and Sweden, rank the lowest in this category.

Spain Is Europe’s Friendliest Host While Russia Is the Most Unfriendly

Despite recent reports of Barcelona residents being unwelcoming of tourists, Spain has emerged on the top for being the friendliest country for summer tourists. After Spain, Italy, Portugal, San Marino and Ireland are the most welcoming countries in this ranking.

On the other hand, the most unfriendly countries are Russia, Belarus, North Macedonia and Serbia.

Italy Has Europe’s Most Delicious Food

According to the Index, Italy has gained the highest score for culinary, followed by Greece and Portugal while Andorra and France tie for the fourth position.

However, countries that have scored the lowest for their cuisine include Malta, Cyprus, Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro.

Europe’s Country With the Best Summer Weather Is Cyprus

Cyprus has the highest score for the average temperatures in the European continent, suggesting it has the best weather for the summer season. Malta, Spain, Albania, Italy and Montenegro followed.

Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and the United Kingdom, on the other hand, are ranked the lowest for their weather.