Europe’s Peak Season Is Losing Ground With Affluent Travelers
New data from Enchanting Travels shows a clear shift toward shoulder-season travel among U.S. luxury travelers.
Photo: Lindy Baker / Unsplash
Affluent U.S. travelers are still going to Europe—but they’re increasingly avoiding its busiest months.
According to Enchanting Travels’ newly released State of Luxury Experiential Travel report, peak-season European travel among its U.S.-based guests dropped sharply over the past two years, falling from 47 percent of trips in 2023 to just 40 percent in 2025. The data suggests a deliberate shift away from summer congestion toward shoulder-season travel that prioritizes space, access, and ease.
That shift stands out because it runs counter to broader leisure travel patterns, where peak summer demand in Europe remains high. At the upper end of the market, however, travelers appear increasingly willing to trade textbook weather for calmer cities, better access, and fewer logistical choke points.
“We are seeing a clear shift toward ‘intentional seasonality,’” said Parik Laxminarayan, CEO and co-founder of Enchanting Travels. “While the pull of iconic moments like Japan’s cherry blossoms remains non-negotiable for many, there is a growing sophisticated traveler who views Europe’s shoulder season not as a compromise, but as a strategic choice for deeper, crowd-free connection.”
The report draws on proprietary booking and travel data from more than 10,000 Enchanting Travels guests, most of whom fall into a demographic where time, rather than budget, is the primary constraint. For these travelers, avoiding peak season is less about saving money and more about control: shorter lines, easier transfers, and a greater ability to move through cities without dodging crowds at every turn.
Italy and France remain among the most visited destinations in Enchanting Travels’ portfolio, but the timing of those trips is changing. Shoulder-season bookings now account for a growing share of itineraries, particularly in destinations where overtourism is affecting access to cultural sites, restaurants, and transportation.
The timing variation is especially pronounced when paired with how trips are being structured. While the average length of a luxury custom journey has held steady at roughly 10 to 16 days, travelers are fitting slightly more stops into those same timeframes. The result is itineraries that are tighter, more deliberately sequenced, and less forgiving of disruption—another factor pushing demand away from Europe’s most crowded months.
For hotels, guides, and operators, the data points to a subtle but meaningful recalibration of demand. High-value travelers aren’t abandoning Europe, but they’re absolutely redefining when it’s worth being there.
