European Tourism Trends and Forecasts - Reflections from Museum Connections Paris 2026

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to represent Malta at a key conference in Paris exploring the future of tourism in Europe. Held on January 13th and 14th as part of a wider tourism fair, the event brought together key voices to discuss the evolution of tourism in Europe and what this means for cultural institutions.

This theme resonates strongly with SEED’s ongoing work through Malta Rural Tours and Merill Rural Network, where we co-design experiences that strengthen local identity and foster meaningful visitor engagement. My participation in this international exchange reflects our commitment to staying at the forefront of responsible tourism practices.

Menno Van Ijssel, representing the European Travel Commission, presented insights from ongoing research that monitors tourism development and supports strategic planning across the sector. The ETC has recently published strategic recommendations toward 2030, highlighting the growing need for resilience and adaptation in an increasingly uncertain future.

A central point echoed by all speakers was clear: tourism is no longer about attracting more visitors - it is about managing impacts and supporting local communities. It has long been established that, while tourism continues to grow across Europe, the challenge lies in ensuring that this growth benefits destinations sustainably.

The ETC also reports that today’s travellers are changing in this regard. Consumers are becoming more purpose-driven and conscious, seeking meaningful experiences rather than passive sightseeing. Trip timing, expectations and contributions are shifting as many visitors now want to “leave places better than they found them”. In addition, tourism’s environmental responsibility was addressed, the industry accounts for roughly 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Rikke Holm Petersen (Wonderful Copenhagen) indicates the problem, here being the mobilities and tourism activities related to emissions, must also be part of the solution, calling for destinations and institutions to rethink their role in building a future-proof tourism model.

One inspiring example she shared was CopenPay, an initiative that rewards tourists for sustainable actions (such as choosing low-impact transport, participating in clean-ups, etc ) through discounts or local benefits. The idea is to encourage visitors to engage responsibly rather than simply consume experiences, potentially inspiring longer-term behaviour change. The discussion highlighted two priorities moving forward: collaboration at both institutional and destination levels, and creating experiences where visitors feel actively engaged in truthfully supporting heritage, communities, and sustainability.

Ultimately, I left with an optimistic takeaway: museums, cultural sites, and tourism organisations have a unique opportunity to help shape a more conscious, community-rooted future for tourism - not by driving numbers, but by deepening meaning and local relevance. At SEED, especially through our tourism entities and our wider cultural initiatives, we embrace this shift as a win-win - one that meets evolving traveller expectations while supporting the places and people at the heart of every experience.