Azernews.Az

Ulviyya Poladova

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Azerbaijan could become one of the fastest-growing international tourism destinations over the next decade, with overnight stays by foreign visitors expected to increase by 116% by 2036.

Romanian publications Afaceri.news and Mediafax have reported on the findings of a new international study examining the future of Europe’s tourism industry.

The report, titled "The Changing Face of Europe’s Tourism Map by 2036," was commissioned by hotel group Accor and is based on forecasts by Tourism Economics. It identifies Azerbaijan as one of the countries with particularly strong potential for growth in overnight stays by international tourists.

According to the study, overnight stays by foreign visitors are projected to increase by 116% in Azerbaijan between 2026 and 2036. Latvia is expected to record growth of 83%, Romania 82%, Hungary 80%, Cyprus 75%, Lithuania 72% and Croatia 68%.

The report states that Europe will remain a major global tourism hub over the next decade. Demand for tourist accommodation across the continent is expected to grow by 32%, adding 1.6 billion overnight stays annually.

Overnight stays by international tourists are projected to rise by 42%, while domestic tourism is expected to grow by 24%. Arrivals from the Middle East are forecast to increase by 93%, while the number of visitors from Asia is expected to rise by 88%.

The study notes that Europe welcomed 810 million international tourists in 2025, accounting for 53% of global international tourist arrivals. Tourism revenues exceeded €700 billion.

According to the forecasts, total spending by international visitors to Europe will increase from €825 billion in 2026 to more than €1.3 trillion by 2036.

Experts say improved transport links, investment in tourism infrastructure, growing interest in new destinations and wider access to international travel will bring significant changes to Europe’s tourism market.

The report covers tourism demand forecasts for 47 European countries over the 2026-2036 period. The figures are projections rather than actual results.