Europe's two biggest long-haul markets are moving in opposite directions, and the numbers tell a striking story.
Americans took close to 24 million trips to Europe in 2025 — a record. Since then, the pace has slowed noticeably. Monthly growth slipped from around 6% last summer to just 2% by May 2026, and then outright declined: departures fell 2.1% in June and 1.2% in July. The reading among industry watchers is that US travellers are simply catching their breath after an extraordinary year of transatlantic travel, rather than abandoning the continent.
Canadians, meanwhile, have redrawn their travel map. In 2025 they made 23.5% fewer visits to the United States — a sharp break with a neighbour that used to be their default long-haul destination — and boosted trips to Europe by 13.6%. The intent is holding too: some 45% of Canadians plan a European trip this year, compared with 34% of Americans. In practical terms, Canada is now punching close to the weight of the US in visitor volume, with far better growth momentum.
The commercial response has been uneven. Europe's heavyweight tourism boards — France, Britain, Ireland, Spain, Switzerland and Portugal — all keep dedicated teams on the ground in Canada, in Toronto or Montreal. Smaller destinations often can't justify a standalone Canadian office and run their entire North American operation from one base, usually New York, which risks treating two very different markets as one.
Why should a traveller care? If you're Canadian, expect European destinations to court you harder — potentially meaning more direct routes, targeted deals and competitive shoulder-season offers as boards shift budget toward your market. If you're American, the slight cool-off after the 2025 record could ease some of the crowding that made summer hotspots feel oversubscribed, though demand remains near historic highs. And for anyone booking either way, the direction of travel matters: Canadian demand is pushing up bookings on Atlantic routes, so early booking for peak summer dates makes sense, while Americans may find better value and availability in late spring or early autumn as the post-record lull settles in.
The wider takeaway for 2026 planning: Europe remains the world's most in-demand long-haul destination from North America, but the growth engine has moved north of the US border.
