Italy crowned as top summer destination for the Nordics

‘Coolcations’ to Switzerland see a significant rise for Nordic travelers and Albania enters the mix as a new summer favorite.

New Amadeus Travel Intelligence data reveals emerging trends in destination preferences among Nordic travelers. The Amadeus analysis tracks outbound international air travel each July from 2023 to 2026 across five Nordic origin markets, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Iceland.

Travelers from across the Nordics are branching out beyond traditional Mediterranean sun, with cooler Alpine holidays gaining ground and Albania emerging as a trending destination.

Italy wins growing share of Mediterranean travel

Italy solidifies its position as a Mediterranean favorite, with traveler volumes up sharply across the three largest Scandinavian markets. Danish travelers are leading the charge, with traveler volume to Italy up 50% since 2023.

Travel from Nordic markets to Italy

However, Mediterranean appetite varies across the Nordics, with sharp declines of Icelandic travelers visiting Greece (-70%), France (-60%) and Portugal (-42%) since 2023.

Switzerland rises across every Nordic market

Beyond the Mediterranean, appetite for cooler Alpine holidays is growing. Switzerland is the only major destination up in volume across all five Nordic markets between 2023 and 2026:

Travel from Nordic markets to Switzerland

Albania emerges as a surprise Nordic destination

Albania has gained significant traction as a new summer destination. Swedish traveler volume to Albania has more than quadrupled (+302%) since 2023, pushing it ahead of both the United States and Switzerland in Swedish outbound rankings. Travel to Albania has also grown from Denmark (+167%) and Norway (+39%), indicating a consistent trend yet to peak across the Nordics.

Per Scherdin, SVP Global Solutions Consulting and Bid Management, Hospitality, Amadeus adds:

– The flows of travel are constantly changing. This presents equal part opportunity and challenge for operators across the travel and hospitality industry. Beyond an overall trend of increased travel to Italy, this data highlights just how regionally specific and fast-paced travel trends are. As travelers from one market pull back, those from another often step in, sometimes visiting a destination for the very first time.

– Amadeus travel intelligence clarifies this landscape, enabling hoteliers and destinations to proactively build targeted campaigns for emerging source markets, refining distribution strategies and activating omni-channel media solutions where demand is actually headed.”

Data source: Amadeus Travel Intelligence, international tourist arrivals in July 2026; vs 2023.