From major changes to a world-famous museum and potential bans on cruises at an A-list destination to the launch of a new river cruise line, the year has started with a bang on the European travel news front. Read on to get up to speed on the big stories of the first month of 2025, and be sure to register for the TravelPulse newsletter to keep up to date with the latest travel industry news all year long.
UK Drops Fee for Transit Passengers
After much fanfare, the United Kingdom's new electronic travel authorization (ETA) program launched on January 8, immediately undergoing a major change. Originally, the ETA (a digital pre-approval to enter the UK that Americans and many other nationalities must acquire at the price of £10, which is approximately $12.40), was even required of passengers passing through the UK en route to other countries, but that was reversed this month. This news was much to the delight of the British aviation industry, who saw the fee on transit passengers as a potential drawback for travelers considering flying with a British airline to a non-UK destination.
Celebrity Cruises unveils Celebrity River Cruises. (Photo Credit: Celebrity Cruises)
Celebrity River Cruises Will Debut in Europe
Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty announced this month that the company will enter the river cruise market through the launch of Celebrity River Cruises. The offshoot of Celebrity Cruises has signed an initial order for 10 ships and its first excursions will take place on the rivers of Europe in 2027, where it plans to take passengers to historically and culturally important cities, where they will be able to engage with local food & drink and take part in unique shore experiences.
Croatia, Spain and Vienna Post Record 2024s
During January, we got the first indications that 2024 was indeed a banner year in European travel as Croatia, Spain and the city of Vienna all announced that they had seen record arrivals. Croatia welcomed upwards of 21 million visitors and over 108 million overnight stays, while also seeing a shift to more year-round travel. Spain saw a record 94 million international visitors last year, despite multiple notable demonstrations by local populations against the perceived negative side effects of tourism. Lastly, the Austrian capital Vienna welcomed 8.9 million overnight stays, which was up nine percent from 2023 and was the most successful year since records have been kept.
Nice, France cruise port (Photo Credit: Eric Bowman)
Nice Looks To Ban Big Cruises
It was reported this month that Mayor Christian Estrosi of Nice, France, has proposed a ban on all cruise ships with more than 900 passengers and longer than 620 feet from docking in the city on the French Riviera. If approved by the regional authority, the ban could affect such cruise lines as Royal Caribbean, Holland America, Celebrity Cruises, Norwegian and Cunard cruise lines.
AmaWaterways Launches France Course
Earlier this month, AmaWaterways announced that it is launching a new educational course for travel advisors to learn all about the brand's line of French river cruises. During the course, travel advisors will discover the Rhône, Saône, and Seine rivers in addition to their tributaries and have the chance to earn potential discounts on FAM trips and other benefits.
Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom. (Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/bnoragitt)
Edinburgh Enacts UK's Tourism Tax
This month, the Scottish capital of Edinburgh became the first city in the UK to enact a tourist tax, a levy that will come into effect in mid-2026. Visitors will pay a fee equivalent to five percent of the cost of their accommodation per night, with the money being earmarked for reinvestment into the infrastructure of the city and the quality of life of its residents.
European Waterways Adds Lux Irish Barge
European Waterways—the premier luxury barge cruise company in Europe—has added the Shannon Princess to its fleet. The Shannon Princess has plied the waters of the River Shannon since 2003 and will now be brought into the fold of European Waterways, which operates 18 vessels on European rivers, focusing on slow travel and immersive local experiences along the way.
The marina in Alicante, Spain. (Photo Credit: Leonid Andronov / AdobeStock)
Alicante Curbs Short-Term Rentals
Earlier this month, the coastal Spanish city of Alicante banned new vacation short-term rentals for a period of two years, a time period that the city will use to attempt to tackle its issues around local housing. The local council hopes to eventually find and set a sustainable amount of short-term rentals allowed to operate in the city.
Big Changes Coming to The Louvre
It was announced this month that The Louvre will undergo a massive renovation, which will include moving the Mona Lisa in an effort to reimagine how the famous painting can be properly displayed and best appreciated by visitors. The project is called "New Renaissance" and it was announced by French president Emmanuel Macron in response to leaders at The Louvre speaking out on the museum's inability to cope with the crush of daily crowds. In addition, it was announced that starting in January 2026, non-EU visitors will pay more to enter The Louvre than non-EU visitors.
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