Auto Rental News
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Weaker Euro Leads to Higher European Travel

According to Sojern’s Q1 Global Travel Insights Report, the weaker euro is attracting a greater number of travelers to European countries this summer and Cuba continues to rise on U.S. travelers’ list.

by Staff
April 30, 2015
Weaker Euro Leads to Higher European Travel

Courtesy of Sojern.

3 min to read


Courtesy of Sojern.

Sojern, a performance marketing platform for travel brands, today released its Q1 Global Travel Insights Report based on the analysis of more than 800 million traveler intent data points across the globe.

From a currency perspective, the report reveals that the weaker euro is attracting larger numbers of global tourists to European countries this summer, while the stronger dollar has yet to have a negative effect on worldwide search and booking to the U.S. Looking at Q1 2015 compared to Q4 2014, there was an increase of 52% in searches to Europe from U.S. travelers and an increase of 38% in searches to Europe worldwide, says the report.

Ad Loading...

In February, Japan benefited from an increase in inbound travelers from countries celebrating the Lunar New Year. Week-on-week travel searches in Asia-Pacific saw a 313% increase for the holiday, according to the report.

In March, Tunisia and Egypt suffered the ill effects of a recent terror attack and the announcement of tighter visa rules, respectively. According to the report, searches to Tunisia dropped as much as 28% in March.

Throughout the quarter, searches to Cuba were on the rise from the U.S., as well as from other countries around the world (184% rise for Cuba searches from the U.S. and 45% worldwide), according to the report.

“Sojern’s first quarter report analyzes new patterns in travel around the globe, including seasonal events like Easter and Lunar New Year,” said Mark Rabe, Sojern’s CEO. “But it also serves as a crystal ball into summer 2015, as we distill millions of traveler intent data points into actionable insights for travel brands that want to reach consumers as they research summer holidays.”

Here are some other travel trends of the quarter, according to Sojern’s report:

Ad Loading...

- Top 10 global destinations: United States, Spain, United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, France, Mexico, Turkey, Greece and Thailand. Compared to last quarter, Russia and India exit the list (the former in spite of its current affordability), while Thailand joins as the only Asia-Pacific destination in the top 10. Greece re-enters the list after a quarter break.

- Europe is the top international destination in three of the four other markets: Middle East and Africa (45%), Asia-Pacific (33%) and North America (22%). And 71% of Europeans plan to explore their own continent this summer.

- The top summer travel months: North American travelers favor June, Europeans prefer August, Latin American and Asia-Pacific travelers are split between June and July and Middle East travelers prefer July.

- Top 10 cities for summer travel: Los Angeles, New York, Paris, London, Barcelona and Bangkok.

- Traveling in groups of three or more: 27% of Europeans, 20% of travelers from the Middle East & Africa, 19% of Americans, 14% of Latin Americans and 12% of travelers from Asia-Pacific.

Ad Loading...

- Traveling solo: Asia-Pacific tops the list at 71% for travelers searching for solo travel this summer.

For the full Sojern report, visit http://www.sojern.com/q1-2015-global-travel-insights.html.





More Rental Operations

map of europe and summer car rental rates
Rental OperationsSeptember 11, 2026

European Booked Car Rental Rates Fell 5%, Results Varied by Country

Ireland, Cyprus, and the United Kingdom saw steep declines, while booked rates rose in Poland and Hungary.

Read More →
thumbnail of Chris Brown and Mike DeLorenzo with title Time to Rethink Rental Categories?
Rental Operationsby Chris BrownSeptember 8, 2026

Is It Time to Rethink Rental Categories?

As traditional economy and compact cars disappear from the market, longtime rental operator Mike DeLorenzo asks whether the industry’s familiar vehicle categories still make sense — and what operators need to rethink along with them.

Read More →
Woman receiving car rental rates on computer from AI agent
Rental OperationsSeptember 1, 2026

Who Owns the Rate? AI Is Creating a New Distribution Problem for Car Rental

Generative Engine Optimization asks whether AI can find a rental company, but operators also need to know whether the agent inspected enough of the market, compared equivalent offers, and presented a rate the traveler can actually book. (Part 1 of 2)

Read More →
Ad Loading...
map of globe with regional corporate car rental rates
Rental Operationsby StaffAugust 25, 2026

U.S. Business Travel Car Rental Rates Forecast to Rise Up to 2%

Improved fleet supply should limit pricing gains in 2026-27, while insurance, repair costs, and softer residual values continue to pressure rental operations, according to Amex GBT.

Read More →
Sixt H1 financial results
Rental Operationsby StaffAugust 14, 2026

Sixt Revenue Tops $2.4 Billion in First Half of 2026

Sixt’s first-half revenue surpassed $2.4 billion for the first time as demand outpaced fleet growth, lifting utilization and earnings despite weaker consumer sentiment in North America.

Read More →
Bobby Klyce in memoriam image
Rental Operationsby Chris BrownAugust 13, 2026

In Memoriam: Bobby Klyce, Avis Licensee Legend

The longtime Birmingham Avis operator and 2018 Auto Rental News Impact Award recipient was remembered as an advocate for independent licensees and the broader car rental industry.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Vibe coding webinar promo image
Rental Operationsby StaffAugust 12, 2026

How to Build Custom Fleet Tools With AI and Vibe Coding [Webinar]

A new Automotive Fleet webinar explores how fleet managers are using AI and vibe coding to automate routine work and create simple operational tools without traditional programming skills.

Read More →
Globe image with Text: GBTA Business Travel Forecast

Car Rental Rates Forecast to Rise 3.6% in 2026 Before Easing in 2027

Car rental rates are projected to rise less than airfares and hotel rates in 2026, then become the only major travel category forecast to decline in 2027, according to projections from GBTA and ALTOUR.

Read More →
Car rental sign with financial graph in background
Rental Operationsby Chris BrownAugust 2, 2026

Avis Cuts Fleet as Summer Demand Trails Expectations

Avis Budget Group increased second-quarter earnings despite lower Americas revenue and softer-than-expected summer demand. The company also expanded Avis First and advanced its autonomous fleet operations with Waymo.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
car rental booking engine on computer screen with text: Bookings aren't the whole story
Rental OperationsAugust 1, 2026

Why Bookings Are Only the Start of the Rental Day

A reservation captures demand. The operating test is whether the business can keep the customer, vehicle, commercial terms, and next action aligned until the rental is closed.

Read More →
Ad Loading...