Tourism in Europe in 2015 Spain and France leading in overnight stays

In 2015, Spain topped the list of European countries for tourist overnight stays in short-stay accommodation, followed by France. Spain had a longer summer season due to its climate and foreign tourists accounted for two overnight stays out of three. In France, campsites represented half of the offering, which explained a higher concentration of activity in July and August. One overnight stay out of three in France was by a non-resident. In the European Union, the South attracted tourists from the North, seeking beaches and sun and proportionally fewer tourists from outside Europe. Foreigners, especially those from outside Europe, also headed to regions with an important historical and cultural heritage, particularly in France and Italy. Overnight stays related to business travel benefitted the larger economies. The United Kingdom attracted the highest proportion of tourists from outside Europe, particularly Americans and Australians. Austria stood out for the importance of its winter season.