The interest of American tourists in Europe is only growing, reaching numbers never seen before. If in summer trips already increased by 55% compared to 2022, the trend continues for this Christmas with a planned increase of 21% compared to last year. Barcelona is the European city that rises the most, 61%, and thus fully enters the list of the ten most visited European cities for Christmas. The list is headed by London, Paris and Madrid, which also registers a significant increase of 37%.
This data is provided by the travel insurance and assistance company Allianz Partners after analyzing more than 1.3 million travel itineraries departing and returning to the United States between November 22 and January 4 of next year.
London, with its lighting and Christmas atmosphere, maintains the first position and Paris the second since Allianz Partners began carrying out this study in 2016. In this edition, the increase in three cities on the peninsula stands out: Barcelona in first place, which consolidates, with this 61% more American tourists, what is already its main market during the first and summer. In fact, this is the main client of Barcelona hotels, ahead of the British, French, Italian and German. Not in vain, during the first six months of this year, 477,000 Americans stayed in Barcelona establishments, with nearly 1.3 million overnight stays, 12.4% of the total.
Lisbon is also in fashion during these dates with 47% more tourists from the United States and is in ninth position in the ranking. Another significant increase is that of Prague, which with 51% more travelers returns to the list of the twenty busiest European cities. It is in position number 16 after the pandemic deleted it from the list. Another capital that has stopped being among the favorites since 2017 is Geneva, which this year registers a 12% increase in visitors and is ranked 19th on a list that is followed by Venice with a 14% increase in visitors.
Behind Milan, in tenth position, and as the cities most visited by Americans during these days are Munich (9%), Zurich (11%), Athens (6%), Edinburgh (15%), Manchester (19 %), Prague, Vienna, Brussels (8%), Geneva and Venice.
