This country is overtaking Spain as the most popular destination among European travellers

Photo by Mette Randem

As half of all travellers now turn to AI for trip planning, Italy has dethroned Spain as Europe's most coveted holiday destination—marking the first such change in years.

The traditional European travel hierarchy has been upended, according to the newly released Marriott Bonvoy 2026 Ticket to Travel Report, which surveyed consumers across Europe. While Spain accounted for 24% of all European travellers last year, Italy has now claimed the top spot in a remarkable reversal.

This shift comes as 72% of European travellers embrace "country-hopping"—visiting multiple nations in a single journey. The trend is strong among younger travellers, with 58% of 18-24-year-olds planning multi-country adventures in 2026, according to the report.

The Mediterranean Shift

Europeans plan to take the same number or more holidays in 2026, averaging 4-5 trips per year.

The top 10 destinations across European markets now rank as:

1. Italy

2. Spain

3. France

4. Greece

5. Germany

6. England

7. Türkiye

8. Croatia

9. Portugal

10. USA (for UK travellers)

    
    

Notably, Germany now ranks as Germans' own top destination, while UK travellers place England second—both reflecting strong domestic tourism trends.