Eurostat published its latest estimations on the holiday trips made by the EU residents in 2010. According to this office, EU residents made one billion holiday trips, of which more than three-quarters were domestic trips, within the country of residence, and around one quarter were outbound trips outside the country of residence.

Almost one of four holiday trips was made out of the EU in 2010, according to the latest report on this issue published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. Along that year, half of all holiday trips made by EU residents that year were short domestic trips, while long domestic trips accounted for around one quarter. Almost one fifth of all holiday trips were long trips abroad, and 5% short trips abroad. The highest shares of domestic trips in 2010 were found in Romania (94% of all holiday trips), Spain (92%), Bulgaria and Greece (both 91%). In all Member States there was a higher share of short domestic trips than long trips, except for Greece. These date are published on the same day that the European Commission celebrate the 2011 edition of the European Tourism Day, last 27 September. On this occasion, the celebration focused on the industrial heritage.

On the other hand, in only five Member States were half or more of all holiday trips in 2010 outbound trips: Luxembourg (nearly 100% of all holiday trips), Belgium (76%), Slovenia (56%), the Netherlands (53%) and Austria (50%). In all Member States there was a higher share of long outbound trips than short trips, except for Finland.

The highest proportions of short outbound trips in 2010 were recorded in Luxembourg (38%), Slovenia (26%) and Belgium (22%), and of long outbound trips in Luxembourg (62%), Belgium (54%), the Netherlands (43%) and Cyprus (42%), whereas the highest proportions of short domestic trips were made by residents of Latvia (73%), Finland (70%), Denmark (67%), Spain (65%), Bulgaria and Portugal (both 64%), while the highest shares of long domestic trips were recorded in Greece (47%), France (39%), Italy and Poland (both 35%) and Romania (34%). Domestic holiday trips are mainly of short duration, lasting 1 to 3 nights, and outbound trips are more often long trips of 4 nights and more.