Coastal tourism

The methodology applied to estimate the proportion for coastal areas is reported on the EU Blue Economy Observatory.

Tourism has a dual effect on coastal regions. It brings significant economic and cultural benefits by supporting local economies, helping the preservation of cultural heritage, or contributing to environmental conservation efforts. However, it can exert major anthropogenic pressure on natural resources as well as marine and coastal ecosystems. For example, the European tourism sector, which contributes approximately 5% to total water abstraction in the public water supply, places additional pressure on water-scarce areas in southern Europe, as tourists consume an average of 300-2,000 litres of water per day compared to the 124 litres used by residents. However, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council, the water use in Europe has declined by 1% between 2010 and 2019 in spite of an increase of international tourist arrivals (+5%), highlighting effort and progress by businesses of these industries.

In this perspective, sustainable tourism has become a critical priority for coastal destinations in the EU, as the industry seeks to balance economic growth with environmental and social responsibility. It presents a dual opportunity: first, it enables the sector to contribute to the transition towards a greener economy, aligning with global efforts to mitigate environmental degradation. Second, embracing sustainable tourism practices can yield significant benefits for the industry itself, given its intrinsic dependence on the preservation of natural resources. 

Nevertheless, the demand for sustainable tourism is rising, as evidenced by numerous academic and industry surveys. A Eurobarometer survey on the attitudes of European tourists revealed that 43% of travelers consider the natural environment a key factor when choosing their destination, while 82% of respondents are willing to adopt more sustainable practices. This growing demand also highlights the need for robust and comparable data to better assess coastal tourism’s impacts. Following the SF-MST framework by UN Tourism (a significant step toward harmonising the measurement of tourism’s economic, environmental, and social dimension), Eurostat will release in Spring 2026 a first set of indicators to measure the sustainability of tourism by mainly relying on existing harmonised European statistics.

On the supply side, an increasing number of businesses, including small and medium-sized enterprises, recognises the importance of sustainability and seeks support to improve performances and formal recognition for their efforts. The Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) is an environmental management tool established by the European Commission to support organisations in evaluating, reporting, and enhancing their impact on the environment, with benefits such as energy savings and optimised resource use. The EU Ecolabel is instead a mark of environmental excellence awarded by the European Union which serves as instruments to support this transition.  A diverse range of other labels and schemes is available on the market (e.g. EN ISO 14024 Type I), however further harmonisation, clarity, and transparency are required to enhance the uptake and effectiveness of these tools.

The EU Tourism Dashboard reports that France, Austria, Spain, and Italy had the largest number of tourist accommodation services registered to EMAS, or which were awarded the EU Ecolabel, in 2024. On the demand side, in 2023, the EU Eurobarometer revealed that 52% of respondents wanted more EU Ecolabel-certified products in tourist accommodations, highlighting strong consumer demand for sustainable options. This growing alignment between demand and supply for sustainable tourism could be critical in improving the EU tourism industry’s competitiveness.

On the EU policy framework side, the European Agenda for Tourism 2030 also sets out a strategic vision for advancing the green transition of the tourism ecosystem, encompassing transport, attractions, and hospitality services. It encourages the creation of conditions and incentives to enhance the circularity of tourism services, including waste management, water quality and efficiency of use, and energy efficiency. The first implementation report on the European Agenda for Tourism 2030 was adopted in December 2025. The green transition of the industry passes through the decrease of air travel emission intensity, the overall tourism GHG and energy intensity as well, all indicators that the EC monitors through the EU Tourism Dashboard. To support the sustainable transition, the EU provides several funding schemes. For example, through the Interreg Euro-MED project, with a €294 million budget for the 2021–2027 period, the EU aims to support sustainable tourism and more broadly climate-neutral and resilient societies across the Mediterranean region. 

In addition, nature-based solutions are increasingly seen as a way to complement efforts to reduce anthropogenic pressures on coastal ecosystems. Tourism can therefore fund territories’ green transition but also their adaptation. It can also benefit from nature-based solutions that both mitigate climate change effects and contribute to the attractivity of such areas. It is for instance the case of France where the coastal salt marshes restoration in Hyères has brought many co-benefits including tourism or the reduction of disaster recovery costs.

Finally, more than 50 pledges by stakeholders towards the green transition can be found in relation to coastal and maritime tourism on the EU Tourism Platform. 

Digitalisation remains a key driver of competitiveness and sustainability in the EU's coastal tourism sector. Experimental data on short-stay accommodation offered via collaborative economy platforms - namely Booking, Airbnb and Expedia – reveal that guests spent a total of 951.6 million nights in short-stay accommodations booked online between October and December 2025, a 11.4% increase compared with 2024 and a 32.4% jump from 2023.^{[1 ]}Analysing the percentage of nights spent booked via online platforms to the total amount of nights spent for the past four years during the summer months (e.g. from May to September), the trend is clearly increasing (Figure 4).  

Several European initiatives have emerged to support destinations in harnessing digital tools and data-driven approaches to tourism management. The Transition Pathway for Tourism identifies the EU Tourism Data Space and investments in Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality and/or Augmented Reality as major growth opportunities. The Tourism Data Space provides the infrastructure for data sharing and interoperability, while AI enhances decision-making, personalization, and operational efficiency. At the same time, VR and AR technologies transform both pre-trip planning and on-site experiences, while contributing to better visitor flow management and the protection of fragile destinations. Together, these technologies create a tourism system capable of anticipating demand, adapting in real time, and improving both competitiveness and sustainability. In addition, recent initiatives like SMART TOUR (Interreg Europe 2025-2029), comprising 5 EU coastal destinations, accelerate this transition by addressing multiple policy areas aligned with the EU Transition Pathway for Tourism, including digitalization or data-driven tourism management. 

While such initiatives contribute to accelerating digital transformation, recent reports underline significant disparities in the capacity of tourism stakeholders to adopt and leverage these technologies. The recent report on “Support and Design Skills Development in the Blue Economy” highlights a mismatch between demand and supply. Indeed, 84% of coastal tourists rely on mobile apps for planning, booking and real-time interaction, driving a paradigm shift toward data-driven, personalized experiences. However, coastal medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face a digital divide – only 37% use AI/data analytics vs 62% in urban tourism – underscoring the urgent need for targeted upskilling: the European Commission aims to digitally equip 250,000 coastal SMEs by 2030. 

Finally, this transformation will redefine business models around online reviews, targeted advertising and real-time customer engagement, positioning digital adoption as essential for coastal destinations' competitiveness.

^[1]Note that this increase may be the result of an increase of digitalization from the supply side (i.e. more accommodations offer bookings on these three platforms), but also of the concentration of the market (i.e. over the years, more and more users prefer these three platforms over others).

Climate change is projected to have a profound impact on the coastal tourism sector, posing significant challenges to the industry's sustainability and resilience. Rising global temperatures, sea-level rise, and increased frequency of periods of water scarcity and droughts as well extreme weather events will alter the physical environment, ecosystems, and amenities that underpin coastal tourism. 

The erosion of beaches and coastal infrastructure is a major concern. By the end of the century, global mean sea level is expected to rise 0.28-0.55m under a very low emissions scenario, and from 0.63-1.02m (relative to the period 1995-2014) under a very high emissions scenario (Figure 5). Projected sea‑level change along most European coasts is expected to be broadly comparable to the global average. Main exceptions are the northern Baltic Sea and northern Norwegian coasts, for which sea levels will continue to rise more slowly than elsewhere or may even decrease.

^{Reference data:  ©EuroGeographics ©FAO(UN) ©TurkStat Source: European Commission-EUROSTAT GISCO}

^{Source: European Environment Agency}

In addition to these physical changes, coastal tourism destinations will also face a heightened risk of extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, storms, and floods. These events can damage infrastructure, disrupt tourism activities, and pose a threat to visitors’ safety, ultimately affecting the reputation and attractiveness of these destinations. Severe storms that result in winds, waves, rain and storm surges can disrupt the transport, power and water supplies that are critical to the coastal tourism industry. As the frequency and severity of such events increase, insurance costs are expected to rise in response to higher and more frequent claims. Beyond certain risk thresholds, insurers may even withdraw coverage or set premiums at prohibitively high levels, creating significant financial challenges for tourism operators, especially in coastal regions. 

In 2023, a technical report published by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) on the regional impact of climate change on European tourism demand shed light on the potential effects of a warmer climate on tourist flows. The study, which simulates future impacts up to the year 2100, reveals that climate change affects EU regions unevenly and may lead to a redistribution of tourism flows across the continent. While Mediterranean and Southern European destinations are expected to experience a decline in visitor numbers, Northern regions could benefit from extended peak seasons and increased demand. Specifically, under a 1.5°C warming scenario, most regions would still face relatively limited variations, with around 80% experiencing changes in tourist numbers within a narrow range of –1% to +1%. However, more pronounced regional differences emerge at the margins, with the sharpest decline projected in Cyprus (–1.86%), while certain Northern coastal areas, such as parts of Finland, could see increases of up to +3.25%. However, under a high-emission scenario, the consequences are more pronounced. Certain coastal regions will be particularly hit hard, with the Greek Ionian Islands expected to experience a 9.12% decline in tourist numbers and others, such as West Wales, will highly benefit from it with a 16% increase. 

The consequences of climate change will be far-reaching and will not only affect the tourism industry but also the livelihoods of communities that depend on coastal tourism. The economic losses resulting from damage to infrastructure, loss of revenue, and decreased visitor numbers will be significant, and the job losses and community disruption that follow will have a lasting impact on the social fabric of these communities. This growing vulnerability is further amplified by long-term demographic trends, as the population living in European coastal areas has more than doubled over the past 50 years, increasing exposure to coastal flooding risks. In the context of climate change, these risks are expected to intensify considerably, with annual economic losses potentially reaching up to EUR 239 billion under a high-emission scenario without adaptation measures. 

After a hiatus of more than four months in 2020 due to COVID-19, European cruise tourism has not only fully recovered but is experiencing sustained growth: in 2024, more than 16 million passengers were recorded in European ports (Figure 6), while the European market generated $16.8 billion in revenue, with an estimated economic value added of €64.1 billion and 445,000 direct/indirect jobs. Italy and Spain continue to dominate, accounting together for more than 8 million passengers (50% of the European total), benefiting from reductions in port taxes (e.g., in Italy: Law 84/1994 (Art. 17) – 20–30% reductions on cruise taxes; in Spain: Royal Decree 413/2014—tax incentives for ports in the Canary Islands and Balearic Islands). 

From a social perspective, the sector creates seasonal and other longer-term jobs but working conditions on board can be challenging. This sustained growth is often met with local tensions in communities linked to unbalanced tourism caused by daily tourists. To curb this phenomenon, some municipalities have introduced daily taxes for passengers disembarking. It is the case, for example, in Venice where a EUR 5 entry tax has been established in 2025 or on many Greek islands, where the tax for disembarking passenger can reach up to EUR 20 from June to September. For 2025, CLIA forecasted a compound annual growth rate of 6.1% passengers through 2035 in Europe. This prompts the European Commission to strengthen environmental standards and its sustainable Blue Growth strategy. Recently, the FuelEU Maritime Regulation mandates a gradual reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (-2% by 2025, -80% by 2050), promoting LNG (MSC World Europa: SOx -99%, NOx -85%) and shore-side electricity (EU Directive 2017/352, mandatory for new ships starting in 2026). These measures could transform the operational model of European cruises.