The travel industry, hit hard by the pandemic, has steadily been making gains over the past year, and optimism for 2022 is high; however, the war in Ukraine is making some in the industry nervous about Europe’s tourism recovery. This week MMGY Travel Intelligence, MMGY Global’s research and insights division, surveyed hundreds of U.S. travelers planning to visit Europe about the war to understand its impact on traveler sentiment and behavior. The following are key findings from that survey.

  • 62% of U.S. travelers cited concerns about the war in Ukraine spreading to nearby countries as a factor impacting plans to travel to Europe, which is twice the number (31%) who cited COVID-19 health and safety concerns as a factor.
  • 47% of travelers want to wait and see how the situation in Ukraine evolves before making plans to visit Europe this year.
  • 50% of respondents said they were concerned about possible delays and cancellations of flights, trains and cruises, as well as the potential for border closures.
  • Of those surveyed, the most popular destinations they wish to visit are Italy, followed by France, the United Kingdom and Germany.
— Source: MMGY Global— Source: MMGY Global
— Source: MMGY Global

During the progression of COVID-19, travel sentiment turned positive much more quickly than was originally suggested by survey instruments in the midst of the crisis, according to MMGY Global CEO Clayton Reid. There is a possibility that this reaction could repeat itself with the current situation based on today’s results.

Reid went on to remark, “Now is the time for travel providers to address this hesitancy around European travel by reminding consumers of flexible cancellation and rebooking policies. Much like at the height of the Omicron variant, we can’t predict how the situation may escalate; but travelers should feel confident in booking because of the flexible policies most airlines, hotels and OTAs introduced in response to COVID-19. It is also my belief that this hesitancy is short-lived and that prior to the peak travel season to Europe, sentiment will return to much more positive levels.”

For information and other travel industry research, visit MMGY Travel Intelligence online at mmgyintel.com.

About MMGY Travel Intelligence

MMGY Travel Intelligence is MMGY Global’s industry research and insights division, offering proprietary data and research including MMGY Global’s Portrait of American Travelers® as well as DK Shifflet’s TRAVEL PERFORMANCE/MonitorSM, which is comprised of the largest continuous consumer travel database in the industry. The organization’s services are designed to power travel industry decision-makers through consumer insights, travel performance data, and audience modeling and segmentation. To learn more about the extensive collection of research, analytics and strategy services, visit mmgyintel.com or email us at [email protected].

About MMGY Global

MMGY Global is the world's leading integrated marketing firm specializing in the travel, hospitality and lifestyle industries. With operating brands across the world, the award-winning organization maintains a global communications practice in all marketing channels, serving many of the world's premier travel and tourism brands. As a company dedicated to the travel industry, MMGY Global strives to create a connected, inclusive and peaceful world by promoting travel as a cultural bridge of understanding. For more information, visit mmgyglobal.com.