So ask yourself, why travel to Europe? Why not Asia, Africa, Australia or the Americas. Why then is Europe the first choice of places to visit for almost every American traveler, as well as travelers world wide.
The Reasons to Visit Europe…
Here are some very compelling reasons Why to Travel to Europe.
- The Greatest Condensed Area of Diversity – Europe is the densest concentration of diversity in the world. Europe is the smallest continent next to Australia with hundreds of indigenous ethic groups pack into smaller regional areas. Travel a few miles and one can find themselves in a whole different culture and traditions.
- The Cultures – the diversity of Europe has created this wide array of cultures with deep traditions.
- The Cuisines – Europe is a food lovers heaven with some of the world great cuisines. French, Italian, Greek, Spanish and more have long traditions but, also migrant cuisines as infused new cuisine
- The People – Over the centuries the indigenous peoples and those that came through migration over the centuries, have created a Potpourri of ethnic groups.
- The History – Europe’s long history is a measure of humankind’s evolution in civilization. From pre-historic to ancient, from medieval to the renaissance, from imperialism to modern it’s a remarkable history mark with best and worst of humankind.
- Easy to Get Around – Whether traveling from one country to another or within one of the large cities, you’ll be amazed how easily it is to travel.
- Famous Sights – People clamor just to get pictures taken or selfies with iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, Roman Colosseum, Big Ben or the Matterhorn.
- Festivals and Events – In America we celebrate 240+ years with traditional festivals and events. In Europe they have 3,000 years of baked in tradition and they love to celebrate with some of the most incredible events.
- The Architecture – Through the centuries designers, engineers and artisans have create amazing structures and places. Certain styles also signify the period of designed that marks architectures progress.
- Safest Place to Travel – One thing a traveler shouldn’t be is a victim of crime. European countries all rank with the lowest rates of serious crime anywhere in the world. Gun violence is almost non-existent and your main concerns will be pickpockets and street scams.
- The Education – Around every corner Europe offers the traveler new insight on so many levels. Learning about cultural customs, history and more will widen a persons perspective about the world we live in.
- Natural Scenic Sights – Europe is blessed with unbelievable beauty. The magnificent Alps, the majestic Norwegian Fjords and the gorgeous Mediterranean coastlines and islands are but a few examples.
- Heritage Identity – For a many Americans their family’s origins are grounded in Europe. To travel back to ones ancestral roots can be an emotional experience.
- The Birth of Western Civilization – The ancient civilizations of Egypt, India, China and others have faded with only traces still left in today’s society but, today’s modern world is heavily impacted by the ideas that have originated out of Europe. A traveler can experience where science made discoveries, music was composed, inventions where created, structural marvels where built, philosophy was imagined and more. The concepts of human rights, free press, justice under the law, economic capitalism, freedom of religion and forms of government have all influenced the modern world we known today.
Annual Tourists Arrivals in Europe…
International Tourists Arrivals by Region (in millions)
| region | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | share % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EUROPE | 677.2 | 716.6 | 745 | 238.5 | 286.8 | 595 | 62 % |
| Asia/Pacific | 324.4 | 346.3 | 360.1 | 59.1 | 20.7 | 101 | 10 % |
| Americas | 210.8 | 216 | 213.9 | 68.9 | 6.2 | 156 | 16 % |
| Africa | 62.9 | 66.9 | 68.1 | 18 | 18.4 | 47 | 5 % |
| Middle East | 65.5 | 68.7 | 73 | 19.8 | 18.5 | 66 | 7 % |
Source: UN World Tourism Organization
Now take into consideration that the rest of the world travels to Europe more than any continent. With the expansion of the middle classes in China and India, Asians now are annually visiting Europe in greater numbers than Americans. Europe has even impacted those two ancient cultures.
Total U.S. Tourists to Overseas…
| region country | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | change % | share % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico | 21,390,054 | 28,789,191 | 33,539,994 | 18.1% | 41.5% |
| EUROPE | 2,582,245 | 5,238,121 | 15,821,521 | 202.9% | 19.6% |
| Caribbean | 3,098,060 | 6,398,693 | 9,207,788 | 43.9% | 11.4% |
| Central America | 1,103.857 | 2,585,337 | 3,702,099 | 43.2% | 4.6% |
| Canada | 1,928,789 | 2,093,413 | 9,088,472 | 334.1% | 11.3% |
| Middle East | 736,993 | 1,515,991 | 3,119,507 | 105.8% | 3.9% |
| South America | 772,368 | 1,401,409 | 2,505,999 | 78.8% | 3.1% |
| Asia | 1,113,590 | 626,002 | 2,653,410 | 323.9% | 3.3% |
| Africa | 186,829 | 385,280 | 630,162 | 106.2% | 0.8% |
| Oceania | 247,480 | 63,454 | 460,761 | 626.1% | 0.6% |
| Totals | 33,160,265 | 49,096,891 | 80,729,713 | 65.7% | 100% |
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce – International Trade Administration
The many ways in which America is inextricably link to Europe is why millions of Americans flock to Europe, year after year.