EU Sustainable Tourism Strategy adopted against background of increasing resilience

European tourism demand held firm over the summer despite ongoing global uncertainty, according to the European Travel Commission’s (ETC) latest European Tourism: Trends & Prospects quarterly report (Q3/2026). International tourist arrivals increased by 3% compared with the same period in 2025, and the vast majority of destinations (80%) recorded more foreign visits than last year. The outlook, however, is increasingly shaped by forces beyond the sector’s control. Geopolitical and climate instability is pushing up prices and weakening travel confidence, while higher energy costs are set to squeeze household budgets and change how people travel in the months ahead.