European city tourism has relocated beyond recovery into a new phase of “recalibration”, according to the latest report by CityDNA. The new goal is not simply to grow the numbers, but to increase the value gained from visits.
The report, analysing 128 cities, reveals average bed night growth slowed to 5.8% in 2024, down from 13.7% in 2023.
“This year’s report signals a new phase for city tourism in Europe,” stated Barbara Jamison-Woods, president of City Destinations Alliance. “Growth is no longer the only metric. City destinations are now called upon to define success in terms of value, sustainability and shared prosperity.”
London, Paris and Istanbul maintain their dominance in total bed nights, but the dynamics are shifting. Milan led growth among top 20 cities with a 28.1% increase, followed by Florence at 16.6% and Vienna at 9.1%. Overall, 107 of the 128 cities analysed experienced growth.
National tourism outpaces cities
The report points out an important trconclude that emerged in 2024. National-level tourism (including all regions, not just cities) outperformed urban destinations. International bed nights grew 12.2% across EU nations and the UK, compared to just 7.9% in cities. Total bed night volumes also expanded rapider in other regions (7.6%) than in cities (5.2%).
International source markets revealed uneven performance. Russia, the UK, Germany, France, Spain and Italy delivered single-digit growth, whilst the US, Japan and China posted double-digit increases.
“City tourism remains the most dynamic segment of the tourism economy, but it must now compete on the basis of resilience and innovation,” stated Prof Karl Wöber, president of Modul University Vienna and scientific partner of the report. “The data reveals stabilisation, but also signals emerging structural challenges that demand sophisticated destination management.”
Capacity and sustainability challenges
Bed capacity in cities increased 5.5% in 2024, with Florence leading at 35.7% growth, followed by Barcelona at 33.4%. Average bed occupancy reached 48.8%, up from 46.8% in 2023.
Environmental pressures remain significant. Transport-related CO₂ emissions from tourist travel to cities rose 3.3%, though 13 out of 59 cities managed to reduce per-tourist CO₂ levels.
The sustainability challenge runs deeper than emissions. While 91% of cities have embedded sustainability within their overall city strategy, only 70% have integrated it into their destination management organisation strategy, according to the recent VivaCITY Whitepaper.
These findings come amid continued geopolitical instability, inflation and mounting climate concerns. Cities are responding by shifting from short-term recovery measures to longer-term strategies.
Download the full report here: https://citydestinationsalliance.eu/city-travel-report-by-citydna/
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