As always, Americans are eager to get to Western Europe.
Countries that reopened first in 2021 and remained dependable options — such as Greece, Croatia and Iceland — will continue to be high priorities for travelers. Gabriella Horvath, a travel consultant for Now-or-Never-Travel, says the other draw of these European destinations is their outdoor appeal (vs. France and England, where indoor activities such as museum visits are major selling points).
If travelers want to wait until after the omicron wave to visit, classic stops such as France and Italy are still high priorities. The French and Italian Riviera are popular for summer plans, says Susan Sherren, owner of Couture Trips, although she encourages clients to limit their time in the most famous places — Cinque Terre, for example — to avoid crowds. “You can have a more authentic experience and engage with locals if you are open to trialing alternative spots,” Sherren said.
Elyssa Roberts, a senior travel adviser at Marchay, also includes Sicily as a trending destination, noting that a new United Airlines nonstop flight from Newark to Palermo has made it easier for Americans to get to the Italian island.
