Despite this year’s terrorist attacks, summer travel to London and Paris is set to rise this year, according to a new study from Allianz Global Assistance.
According to the report, this summer, travel to London will rise 36.55 percent year over year, while travel to Paris will rise 28.77 percent, making the two cities the continued first- and second-most popular destinations for Americans headed to Europe. Allianz said that the increase would bring both countries closer to the number of American travelers who visited in summer 2015, prior to the November 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris.
The study examined online airfare and package bookings for partners offering Allianz Global Assistance travel insurance from January 1 to April 30, for itineraries arriving in Europe May 29 through September 7.
During that period London was hit by an attack in which a terrorist drove a 4x4 into a crowd of people walking on Westminster Bridge before crashing into the gates of the House of Commons. In Paris, a terrorist shot a police van on the Champs Elysees, killing one police officer during a major campaign event for the French election.
The study does not include data following last week’s terrorist bombing of an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester or June 3's attack at London Bridge.
Other key findings: The report forecasts can 8.16 percent increase in summer travel to Stockholm, despite a terrorist attack there earlier this year in which a truck drove into a crowd on a major pedestrian street outside a department store. The city is expected to beat its summer travel numbers for 2015, as well.
Additionally, the analysis showed that the top 20 destinations in Europe for 2017 summer travel ranked by percentage of travelers are:
- London, United Kingdom (15.3 percent)
- Paris, France (9.6 percent)
- Rome, Italy (8.2 percent)
- Athens, Greece (4.7 percent)
- Barcelona, Spain (4.6 percent)
- Dublin, Ireland (4.6 percent)
- Amsterdam, Netherlands (4.5 percent)
- Madrid, Spain (3.0 percent)
- Frankfurt, Germany (2.9 percent)
- Venice, Italy (2.6 percent)
- Zurich, Switzerland (2.6 percent)
- Munich, Germany (2.2 percent)
- Milan, Italy (2.0 percent)
- Copenhagen, Denmark (1.9 percent)
- Lisbon, Portugal (1.9 percent)
- Edinburgh, United Kingdom (1.8 percent)
- Reykjavik, Iceland (1.5 percent)
- Shannon, Ireland (1.2 percent)
- Stockholm, Sweden (1.1 percent)
- Prague, Czech Republic (1.1 percent)
Europe is currently under a travel alert from the U.S. State Department warning American citizens that terrorist continue to target tourist attractions, transit hubs, markets and shopping areas, and other “soft targets.” The alert is set to continue through the summer travel season, expiring September 1.
Source: Allianz Global Assistance
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