Three in four Europeans plan to take an overnight trip between October 2026 and March 2027, according to a new survey from the European Travel Commission, with Poland recording the strongest travel intentions of any country surveyed.

The commission's "Monitoring Sentiment for Intra-European Travel" report, Wave 26, published on 9 November, found that 76% of Europeans intend to travel in the autumn and winter period, up three percentage points on the same period last year. The survey covered 6,000 consumers across ten European markets.

Poland leads, Spain close behind

Poland emerged as the strongest market, with 87% of Polish residents planning an overnight trip before March 2027, a rise of five percentage points on last year. Spain followed with 82%, while Germany and the Netherlands each recorded 79%.

The figures measure residents' intention to travel rather than confirmed bookings or visitor arrivals, but they point to a busy winter season for European destinations despite rising costs. Financial pressure remains the biggest concern for travellers, affecting 37% of respondents.

Interest in travelling during October and November has fallen compared with last year, down 11%, but intentions recover in the new year. Travellers show a growing interest in February to March 2027 trips, up 8%, with March getaways up 6% on last year.

December is the peak month

December is the most popular month to travel during the period, chosen by 23% of those planning trips, driven by the Christmas season. More than half of those planning to travel, 56%, are looking at taking two or more trips by March, while the share planning just one trip has fallen by seven percentage points.

City breaks are the most popular type of trip, favoured by 19% of travellers, followed by culture and heritage trips at 18%. The findings underline a shift towards shorter, experience-led breaks rather than long summer-style holidays.

Southern and Mediterranean Europe remains the most popular region, drawing 53% of travellers, up from 52% a year earlier. France, Spain and Italy each account for about 10% of destination preferences, followed by Germany at 8% and the United Kingdom at 5%.

Greece holds a top-ten spot

Greece ranks among Europe's ten most popular destinations for the autumn and winter season, sharing seventh place with Austria and Portugal at 4% of respondents' picks. British travellers show particular interest in Greece, with 7% planning a visit, placing it fourth among their choices behind Spain, France and Italy.

Technology is also shaping how Europeans plan their holidays. The commission reports that 40% of travellers planning trips now use artificial intelligence tools during inspiration, planning or booking.

Eduardo Santander, chief executive of the European Travel Commission, said the findings underlined "the ambition of the Commission's new Sustainable Tourism Strategy: travel remains at the heart of the European way of life, but traveller behaviour and industry dynamics are constantly shaped by external factors."

The survey was conducted in September 2026 across Germany, the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, Poland and Austria. The commission said the results offered a positive outlook for winter destinations, even as travellers weighed costs and changing holiday habits.