bookingkit Leisure Market Index – Q3 2026

Record level held: Europe’s leisure market matches its all-time summer high, carried by higher prices rather than more visitors

Each month, bookingkit analyses aggregated booking and revenue data from thousands of leisure providers across Europe. The results for September and the full third quarter of 2026 show a summer that matched the record year 2025 financially, but with a different mix. Revenue landed exactly on last year’s all-time high, and August was the best single month the Index has ever recorded. At the same time, visitor numbers were 3.8% below last year in all three summer months. Prices made up the difference: the average ticket cost 3.9% more than in summer 2025.

Key Insight 1: Revenue matches last year’s record, August sets a new monthly high

Q3 2026 revenue came in exactly at last year’s level, and Q3 2025 was the strongest quarter in the history of the bookingkit Leisure Market Index. July and August landed precisely on prior-year values, with August setting a new monthly record. After a record Q2, growth has paused, but at the highest level yet. The biggest weeks of the year are now behind operators, which makes this the right moment to prepare for next season: open early-bird and season-pass sales while summer visitors still remember their visit, and invite them back for autumn and winter events.

Key Insight 2: Fewer visitors in all three summer months, volumes back at 2024 levels

Ticket sales were below the previous year in July, August and September, down 3.8% across the quarter. Summer 2026 therefore fell short of the 2025 peak and came in just above Q3 2024. The strong spring did not carry through into peak season. Year to date, visitor numbers are around 1% behind 2025. Volume is now the next growth lever. Operators should make it as easy as possible to book them: at the entrance, through partners and online. That means fresh reviews, visible availability on every channel and an entrance that is ready for walk-ups.

Key Insight 3: Prices carried the season, up 3.9% in the third quarter

The average ticket price in Q3 was 3.9% above last year, and in August alone it rose 5.5%. After a slight dip in Q1, price growth has now accelerated for the second quarter in a row. Higher prices are the reason revenue held at record level despite fewer visitors. Operators have shown they can raise prices, but that alone will not work every year. Rather than raising prices again, the key is to earn more per visitor: family and group tickets, add-ons, upgrades and bundles that are easy to pick in the booking flow.

Lukas C. C. Hempel, Founder & CEO of bookingkit: “Summer 2026 confirmed last year’s record revenue, but with fewer visitors paying more per ticket. Higher prices carried this season, and that will not work every year. The quieter months are now the opportunity to invest in next year’s volume: launch early-bird offers, be bookable everywhere and give every visitor a clear reason to come back.”

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About the bookingkit Leisure Market Index

The bookingkit Leisure Market Index aggregates anonymised booking and pricing data from thousands of attractions, activity providers and experience operators across Europe. It is released monthly to support operators, journalists and analysts with reliable, real-time sector insights. The Index tracks the following core metrics:

• Revenue: The gross value of ticket sales across all operators
• Tickets: The total number of admission tickets sold
• Price per ticket: How pricing evolves over time and how operators adjust their value propositions

Together, these indicators provide a clear, data-driven view of market dynamics, helping stakeholders identify emerging trends early and understand how consumer demand is shifting.

Disclaimer

The bookingkit Leisure Market Index is based on aggregated and normalised data from bookingkit customers as well as selected public and private sources. While bookingkit strives for accuracy, no guarantee is made regarding completeness or timeliness. The insights reflect bookingkit’s perspective at the time of publication and do not constitute legal, financial or investment advice. All analyses are intended for professional use only.