Security Concerns Hit Long-Haul Travel To Europe

Long-haul travel to Europe during the 2016 summer season stalled, with major markets bearing the brunt of the fall off, according to a research report.

The ForwardKeys report said growth due to the UEFA Cup in late June/early July plus a surge in bookings at the end of Ramadan was offset by a decline in late July and early August.

Security concerns contributed to an overall decline of 0.9 percent, with France, Belgium and Turkey particularly affected.

Long-haul arrivals into Turkey were down 26.7 percent against the same period in 2015, Belgium was down 21.4 percent and France down 9.6 percent.

Some smaller markets not affected by security concerns benefitted from a switch from perceived riskier destinations.

Arrivals to Spain were up 10 percent and Portugal 5.2 percent. Poland on 26.1 percent and Ireland on 18.1 percent also saw strong growth.

Russia had a 19 percent upswing as Chinese tourist numbers continued to rise.