From a pool of 1,000 surveyed Americans, a distinct trend emerges, revealing an increasing preference among them for choosing Estonia over Switzerland and Sweden for their travel plans between September and December 2023, compared to the same period in 2022.
According to the Long-Haul Travel Barometer of ETC, five per cent of Americans are planning to travel to Estonia this autumn. On the other hand, the preference for the other two countries has significantly dropped.
On average, American respondents mention visiting two to three destinations during their future trips, a pattern consistent with the trends observed in previous autumn travel seasons.
Typically, American travellers favour destinations primarily centred in Western and Mediterranean Europe.
In addition, American travellers, particularly those visiting Europe for the first time, often opt to spend more of their time in coastal areas or at the beach.
The top choice among Americans, with 34 per cent opting for it, is France, closely followed by Italy at 29 per cent, the UK at 20 per cent, Spain at 18 per cent, and Germany at 16 per cent.
Greece gathered 12 per cent of preferences, Austria received nine per cent, while Ireland, Portugal, and Denmark each received six per cent.
The least favoured options, each chosen by only five per cent of respondents, were Belgium, Türkiye, and Estonia.
Travellers from the US planning to visit Europe between September and December 2023 had diverse interests in their reasons for choosing to visit the continent.
As ETC explains, culture and history are the preferred activities among Americans visiting Europe, with 31 per cent of respondents favouring them. Slow travel follows closely at 28 per cent, reflecting a preference for Americans immersing themselves in the daily life of European cities.
City life activities, such as street art and beach relaxation, each collected 28 per cent of preferences. Similarly, gastronomy experiences and nature exploration, such as hiking and eco-tourism, each accounted for 23 per cent.
In terms of transportation preferences among American travellers within Europe, air travel stands out as the top choice, with 53 per cent of respondents opting for it, representing more than half of the participants.
In contrast, single and return train tickets gather 34 per cent of preferences, and 30 per cent prefer train passes. The train options are favoured by a significant number of American travellers due to their cost-effectiveness and reasonable travel times.
On the other hand, bus travel is one of the less favoured choices, chosen by 14 per cent of American travellers.
Motorhomes, including campervans and truck campers, are the least preferred option, with only three per cent of American respondents opting for them.
