ETOA’s Pulse Check asks one question each time. It’s a rapid and straightforward way to highlight our members’ voices and opinions.

December 2024
As we reach the end of the year, we asked our members for an update to the question we asked you in February, on how you feel about the operating environment for European tourism in 2024 compared with 2023.

How do you feel the operating environment for European tourism has been in 2024 compared with 2023?

The majority of respondents feel that 2024 has not been an improvement on 2023, with 69% saying things have remained the same or become more challenging since then. This is in line with sentiment in February 2024, when 70% of respondents said this. Interestingly, 39% said business has become more difficult in 2024, compared with 35% who felt that would be the case at the start of the year. Encouragingly, though, in February 7% felt circumstances would become much more challenging, whereas that figure has almost halved, to 4% at the year end. It is moderate challenges that have increased over the year, as opposed to severe ones (28% in February versus 35% in December).

At the opposite end of the scale, the number of people who feel things are much more favourable has dropped threefold, from 3% in February to 1% in December. There are conversely more people who feel business is moderately easier now than there were at the start of 2024 (30% now compared with 27% in February).

When asked what changes they would like to see the the 2025 operating environment in order to facilitate tourism business, our members primarily cited better systems for accessing tickets to major attractions, as well as easier physical access to these in destination. Other areas mentioned that would improve business success are:

• Less onerous regulation compliance procedures
• Fewer visa restrictions from long haul markets
• More notice given of changes to visitor taxes and regulations
• More media focus on the positives of tourism as opposed to the negatives