Tourists shift from summer to shoulder and off-season travel in major European cities

Tourists are increasingly avoiding summer in popular European cities such as Barcelona, Florence and Athens, shifting trips to spring, fall and even winter, a trend the report says shows no sign of slowing. Jamie Lane, chief economist and senior vice president of analytics at AirDNA, said Americans are looking to avoid peak season and that retirements and more flexible school and work calendars are accelerating the change: "Americans are looking to avoid peak season in Europe, and it’s going to be even more of a trend as more baby boomers are retiring and school calendars and work calendars aren’t as important as 'When can I go find a good deal?'" AirDNA data showed short-term-rental demand in Florence was up more than 40 percent in February 2025 and nearly 35 percent in March, compared with the 2018–19 average.

By contrast, July 2025 was up just 0.7 percent and August was down nearly 6 percent. "Demand has spread out more during the year and the market is absolutely less seasonal than it used to be," Mr. Lane said. The trend also appears in air-travel searches: Expedia said searches for fall flights to destinations across Italy, Greece, Portugal and the Canary Islands were up more than 50 percent in 2025 versus 2024.

Key Topics

Culture, Barcelona, Florence, Athens, Airdna, Expedia