ANZ is forecasting a strong rebound in 'Euro Summer' travel this year, with customer spending expected to reach up to $280 million across June, July and August in Europe. This marks a projected 10% increase compared to last year, driven by early trends in hotel and airline bookings.
The expected rise follows a dip in 2024: while over 100,000 ANZ customers travelled to Europe during the summer months last year, total spend was down 19% compared to 2023. Average spend per customer also dropped 13%.
However, analysis of ANZ pre-travel spending data suggests the trend is reversing. Between January and May 2025, hotel and airline bookings rose 11% compared to the same period last year, suggesting more ANZ customers are seeking European adventures in 2025.
Yiken Yang, ANZ Managing Director of Everyday Banking, said the data reflects a shift in customer interests and destination preferences.
"Our data shows that customers are reigniting their passion for European travel. We're seeing strong growth in early planning activity and expect spending to climb 10% this season. While we may not hit the $313 million peak of 2023, 2025 is shaping up as a vibrant resurgence for the travel sector.
"Beyond Europe, we're also seeing growing interest in destinations across Asia and the Pacific, highlighting a broader appetite for international travel among our customers. Aussies continue to switch out their winter with new travel experiences, with places like Japan and Thailand climbing as holiday hot spots."
While European travel dipped in 2024, non-European destinations saw a 3% increase in spend for the same period. Indonesia, New Zealand, Thailand, and Japan experienced notable growth, with Japan climbing 32.4% year-on-year, and securing a spot in the top 10 travel destinations of ANZ customers.
Other emerging hotspots include Hong Kong, China, and Sri Lanka, all of which saw significant year-on-year growth in spend.
KEY EURO SUMMER INSIGHTS - ANZ CUSTOMER CREDIT CARD & DEBIT CARD DATA:
July remains the most popular month for ANZ customers to travel, while May is the peak month for travel planning.
ANZ customers typically spent 31 days in Europe over the 2024 summer months, with an average spend of $2,480 during their holiday. *
ANZ customers favour credit cards over debit cards, with credit card spending amounting to over two thirds of total spending since 2022.
In 2024 all states saw a decrease in spend, and Victorians spent the most per customer on their Euro Summer holiday ($2,629).
Gen X led the charge in Euro Summer spending for 2024, spending a total of $88.35 million. 57% of Euro Spend in 2024 was from males. Females saw a 20% decrease in YoY spend in 2024, a slightly greater reduction than males (18%).
Great Britain tops the list of destinations, with a total spend of $67 million in 2024, while the Netherlands saw a significant 50.9% decrease in year-on-year spend. Despite hosting the Paris Olympics, France experienced a 22.6% drop in spend in 2024.
*This has been identified through first and last transaction dates.
