The hotel market in Europe by 2030
Growth potential, attractiveness of markets and competitive dynamics
The latest market and competition figures
Our 2030 forecasts and detailed country-by-country data
Top 30 hotel groups in Europe
Financial data for Europe's top 200 companies
Numerous case studies to illustrate the challenges facing the sector
An operational format with 28 slides of insights and a detailed 220-page report
Access to the complete study database
4500 €
In this report :
Analysis of the market and its outlook to 2030
This study provides a comprehensive overview of trends in the European hotel sector, based on figures. With heightened geopolitical tensions and international uncertainty, what is the real outlook for growth until 2030? How might prices evolve in the face of competition from Airbnb rentals and the rise of digital giants such as Booking?
Targeting markets with high growth potential
Using an exclusive scoring system, Xerfi's experts have identified the most promising European markets. Based on a dozen or so key competitiveness indicators, the study highlights the areas to be prioritised for strategic development. Which markets offer the greatest opportunities? How attractive is the industry in each different country?
Deciphering the competition and its evolution
The report provides a detailed cartography of the competition: positioning, locations, identity cards for the leaders, and a ranking of the top 200 European companies. Who are the most successful groups and what are their business models?
Detailed plan
Report scope and market overview
Europe's hotel sector generated around €200 billion in revenue in 2024. The market is highly concentrated, with Germany leading in number of hotels and accounting for 19% of total value, followed by Spain, Italy, and France. Alongside these mature markets, fast-growing destinations like Portugal and Poland are attracting increased interest, especially from global investors seeking high-potential holiday accommodation assets.
While independent hotels still operate the majority of rooms in Europe, international hotel groups such as Accor (the largest hotel company in Europe), IHG Hotels & Resorts, and Marriott International are steadily expanding their footprint. Their strategies increasingly rely on asset-light models like management contracts and franchising, allowing faster development with reduced financial exposure.
After years of post-Covid recovery, the sector returned to near-normal activity in 2024. Spain, a core travel destination, posted one of the strongest performances, with hotel occupancy rates up 5%. However, competition remains intense. Hotel operators face pressure from short-term rental platforms like Airbnb, the premiumisation of camping, and the rapid rise of coliving in urban centres. They also operate in an ecosystem dominated by online booking platforms such as Booking Holdings, Expedia, and HRS.
The European hotel market is undergoing a consolidation phase, driven by limited land availability and high development costs. Growth is occurring through acquisitions, soft branding, and repositioning strategies. Many hotel groups are now targeting "bleisure" travellers—those combining business and leisure during the same trip—by offering hybrid experiences that blend accommodation, coworking, cultural events, and lifestyle services.
In some thirty slides, the executive summary gives access to the conclusions of the study on the market outlook to 2030, competition dynamics and strategic challenges.
Market drivers and demand indicators : tourist flows, economic situation by country, tourists on holidays' budgets, competition from other accommodation, importance of platforms in bookings, business travel, etc.
The latest market figures for Europe : size and structure of the hotel market by country, market dynamics in Europe and in 4 key countries (Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Greece)
Performance indicators for European hoteliers : hotel occupancy by residents and foreign tourists, occupancy rates, price of overnight stays, revenue, RevPAR and the financial performance of hotel groups.
Xerfi's 2030 forecasts for hotel occupancy and revenues
Developing direct bookings in the face of the rise of OTAs | Case study: how Accor plans to make the most of its proprietary channels with the redesign of ALL-Accor Live Limitless
Adapting the offer to bleisure travelers | Case studies: Zoku's hybrid hotels | Accor's initiatives to strengthen its Lifestyle business
Preserving market share in the face of the emergence of campsite chains in southern Europe | Case studies: PHA Group becomes the leading campsite operator in Spain| How Sandaya plans to help consolidate the Italian campsite sector
Franchising independent hotels through a soft-brand strategy | Launch of the Handwritten collection brand by Accor
Contributing to the goal of carbon neutrality within an evolving regulatory framework
Exclusive ranking of the most attractive hotel markets
Comparative mapping of European countries using more than ten economic and sectoral criteria
- Potential of the local hotel industry: market size and dynamics, outlook to 2030
- Performance of hotel assets: occupancy rate, average size, productivity and labour costs
- Competitive environment: intra-sector competition, competition from other tourist accommodation, degree of intermediation of bookings, etc.
The 15 most attractive countries : Germany, Spain, Italy, France, Austria, Greece, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, Poland, Norway, Belgium, Croatia, Bulgaria and Lithuania.
The forces at work : rankings, number of hotels, financial performance, positioning by hotel range and location of leading groups
Key groups : Accor, B&B Hotels, BWH Hotels, Choice Hotels, Hilton Worldwide, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Jin Jiang, Marriott International, Meliá Hotels, WhitBread, Wyndham Hotel Group
Top 200 companies in Europe : location, revenue, Ebitda, net profit
Companies covered
Tables and charts
Related reports
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