For many, summer in Europe evokes sun-soaked beaches, seaside escapes, and Mediterranean flavours.

​

But that’s only part of the story.

​

There are travellers turning to Europe’s vibrant cities—especially during shoulder months—for their culture, creativity, and urban energy. From iconic museums and gourmet dining to summer festivals and sporting events, these cultural hubs continue to draw global attention.

​

In fact, nearly 1 in 3 Europeans plan to take a city break or cultural trip within the continent over the next six months.

​

To explore the latest shifts in markets and behaviours, The Data Appeal Company—using its D / AI Destinations platform for destination management and marketing—has analysed key summer 2025 tourism trends in partnership with Mabrian. Both companies are part of the Almawave Group. The analysis focuses on seven of Europe’s leading urban destinations: Barcelona, Berlin, Copenhagen, Helsinki, London, Paris, and Rome.

​

This report answers essential questions:

• What is the current traveller sentiment toward each city?
• What are the main motivations driving trips?
• How are hotel rates and OTA prices expected to evolve?
• Which summer events will generate the greatest interestand spending?

​

With short-term trends acting as early signals, this analysis offers actionable insights for DMOs and travel professionals looking to understand evolving traveler expectations, benchmark price trends vs. 2024, and plan sustainable growth strategies aligned with real-time market dynamics.

• Traveller sentiment: How do visitors really feel?
• Share of searches and air capacity: Where are travellers coming from?
• Travel drivers: What motivates tourists to choose a destination?
• OTA rates: When do tourists really arrive?
• Events and urban pulse: How festivals shape travel demand
• Strategic takeaways for destinations and tourism managers