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According to a survey by Travel Off Path, the desire for "revenge" travel after Covid-19 is causing Europe to be overloaded. Therefore, the biggest reason cited is not due to crime or substandard services, but rather the overwhelming number of tourists flocking to the region.
Airfare prices are rising.
Airfares to Europe are currently high, due to airlines cutting schedules and canceling flights. The scarcity of intercontinental flights has driven prices to record highs. Data from Kayak shows that popular summer routes are now three times more expensive than a year ago. International routes between Europe and the US are similarly priced.
According to data from RadarBox, a company that tracks flights, European airlines experienced twice as many flight cancellations between April and June compared to the US. In June alone, a total of 7,870 flights were canceled in Germany, France, Italy, and the UK.
European tourism is overloaded due to a shortage of staff - Photo: CNN.
This number has tripled compared to the same period in 2019. The highest number of canceled flights occurred in June – the peak season for European tourism. This has made Europe a "nightmare" destination for summer travelers.
"At European airports, you're likely to encounter a familiar scenario: long lines waiting to board, slow airline operations, and constant flight cancellations," according to Travel Off Path.
Workers' strikes at the airport also make traveling there a hassle for tourists.
Staffing crisis
The recovery of air travel has happened much faster than experts predicted. This has led to an overwhelming influx of passengers, and staff are unable to handle it all.
The strike also complicated the situation. At Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam (Netherlands), a daily passenger limit was imposed due to a lack of security personnel.
According to the European Transport Federation (ETF), workers in the European aviation industry have been suffering from low wages for a long time. The labor shortage is causing headaches for airlines at every level, from check-in and security to flight attendants.
Protests across Europe are impacting tourism - Photo: CNN.
In Germany alone, the country is facing a shortage of more than 7,000 airport staff across the country. They plan to hire 1,000 seasonal workers during the peak summer tourist season because they are unable to recruit domestic staff.
"Things may not go back on track until the end of this year," said a representative of Germany's national airline, Lufthansa.
Tourist demand far exceeds the actual capacity of European airlines. Overcrowding is nothing new on the continent every summer. However, soaring inflation and staff shortages are causing Europe to experience a "summer crisis".
According to Travel Off Path, the only thing travelers can do right now is wait for airlines and airports across Europe to stabilize their staffing. Until then, they can choose to temporarily avoid the continent and find another travel destination.
