Despite protests against overtourism, millions of tourists continue to flock to Europe's traditional vacation spots. New data reveals the most visited countries and popular destinations, with Turkey ranking third.

Europe continues to lead the global tourism industry, hosting hundreds of millions of international visitors each year and maintaining its status as the world's most visited region.

From the Mediterranean resort towns to cities renowned for cultural tourism, Europe's many points attract tourist influxes. New data sheds light on which countries hosted the most international visitors across the continent.

According to data from the European Commission, Spain, Italy, Turkey, France, and the United Kingdom are among Europe's top five tourism destinations. Six European countries are among the world's top 10 most visited countries.

Data from Eurostat, the UK National Statistics Office, and VisitBritain reveal the regions most favored by tourists across the continent.

According to Visual Capitalist, Europe recorded over 1.5 billion overnight stays in 2025.

Travel platform Smarter Travel reports that this number was only 25 million in 1950.

This growth underscores the ongoing expansion of the global travel sector, despite economic uncertainties worldwide. The tourism sector continues to grow, with the World Travel and Tourism Council projecting a 3.2% global growth rate for the sector in 2026, surpassing the projected 2.4% growth rate for the global economy.

The travel and tourism sector is expected to provide employment for 376 million people worldwide in 2026, accounting for one in every nine jobs globally.

Spain Tops the List Despite Protests

Spain continues to be the most popular tourism destination in Europe and the world. According to Eurostat data, the country recorded approximately 330 million overnight stays in 2025. Italy, in second place, hosted approximately 265 million overnight stays from international visitors.

Turkey and France also surpassed 150 million international overnight stays last year. Despite leaving the European Union, the UK remains a significant center of European tourism, hosting approximately 150 million visitors in 2024. VisitBritain's 2025 data suggests this number will rise further.

Greece, Austria, Croatia, Germany, and the Netherlands make the top 10, highlighting the largely seasonal nature of European tourism. Spain, Italy, Greece, and Croatia, in particular, see intense interest during summer months due to their warm climates, resort towns, restaurants, and tourist attractions.

Despite protests against overtourism in Spain and Italy, tourists continue to visit historical areas and coastal towns. In France, not only Paris but also the French Riviera and Provence attract heavy tourist traffic during summer, while ski enthusiasts head to the Alps during winter.

List of Europe's Most Visited Countries:

Spain: 329,661,068 overnight stays

Italy: 264,741,414 overnight stays

Turkey: 154,799,879 overnight stays