Last updated: March 14, 2022, by Grant Thomas
đź”–Cite this webpage (Thomas, Grant. “2020 – Europe Travel & Schengen Visa Statistics”. visasassociation.com, March 14, 2022, https://visasassociation.com/statistics/2020-schengen-visa-statistics)
Note: The latest data available about Schengen Visa and Europe travel is for 2020. We will update this page as soon as the Schengen Visa Application and Europe travel data for 2021 is available.
Highlights: 2020 Schengen Visa Data & EU Travel Statistics
- In 2020, Schengen consulates received 3,000,000 Schengen Visa Applications (82% or 14,000,000 fewer than in 2019).
- In 2020, international tourist arrivals in the European Union dropped by 70% over the previous year.
- In 2020, only 2,500,000 Schengen visas were issued (83% or 12,500,000 fewer than in 2019).
- Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Schengen consulates received anywhere between 15,000,000 – 17,000,000 Visa applications per year.
- Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia have the highest approval rates (over 97.0%).
- Portugal and Malta have the highest rejection rates (over 20%).
- France is the Schengen country with the highest number of Visa applications received (more than 20%).
- Russia is the third country with the highest number of Visa applications submitted (more than 20%).
- In 2020, the EU generated -306.4 billion EUR (-64%) less from tourism than in 2019.
Covid’s Impact on Schengen Visa Applications
In 2020, tourism was one of the industries most affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
The impressive decline in the number of Visa applications after the coronavirus pandemic outbreak can be attributed to the restrictions imposed on foreign travellers’ entry for non essential reasons and individual Schengen Member States internal restrictions.
The decline in the number of Visa applications and tourist arrivals in the Schengen Area can also be related to the suspension of non-essential Visa services of most Embassies and Consulates throughout 2020.
On top of that, in October 2020, the Schengen States restricted Visa free travel in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, making it more difficult for a Visa applicant to travel freely within the Schengen Area.
- The number of Schengen Visa applications declined by 83% (in comparison with 2019).
- In 2020, Schengen Consulates issued 83% or 12,500,000 fewer short stay Visas than in 2019.
- In 2020, 13.6% of Schengen Visa applicants were rejected (3.7% more than in 2019).
- African countries (e.g., Nigeria, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau) marked higher rejection rates (more than 50%).
- Portugal, Malta, and Belgium had higher rejection rates (more than 23%).
Covid’s Impact on EU Tourism
- International tourist arrivals in Europe dropped by 70% in comparison with 2019.
- The most significant decrease was recorded in April 2020, a month of complete lockdown in most EU countries (-95% in comparison with April 2019).
- In May and June 2020, EU tourism was down by -89% and -70%, respectively, in comparison with the same months in 2019.
- In July and August 2002, EU tourism was down by -40% and -30% respectively in comparison with the same months in 2019.
- Central/Eastern Europe recorded the highest reductions in international tourist arrivals in 2020 (74.9%).
- In 2020, tourists spent 1.4 billion fewer nights in EU tourist accommodation in comparison with 2019 (-61%).
- The countries where the number of nights spent (by international and domestic tourists) dropped the most were Cyprus, Greece and Malta – with drops of over 70%.
- The countries that recorded the lowest drops in the number of nights spent (by international and domestic tourists) were Denmark and the Netherlands – with drops of less than 35%.
- Nights spent by foreign travellers (non-residents) dropped by 68% in 2020 compared to 2019.
- Nights spent by domestic visitors dropped by 38% in 2020 compared to 2019.
- The countries where the number of nights spent by international tourists dropped the most were Cyprus and Romania – with drops of over 80%.
- The country where tourists spent the highest number of nights in accommodation establishments in 2020 was Germany (261,000,000 nights).
- The country where tourists spent the lowest number of nights in accommodation establishments in 2020 was Liechtenstein (128,000 nights).
Note: 2020 data not available for France
Note: 2020 data not available for France
- Hotels and similar accommodation recorded the highest drops in 2020 (-57.1%).
- Camping pitches were the least affected by the pandemic (with drops of -30%).
- International tourism receipts reached EUR 511.1 billion in 2019, while in 2020 they reached EUR 204.7 (- 64% or -306.4 billion compared with 2019).
- The average sum spent by each international tourist in 2020 was EUR 870.
- Western Europe generated tourism receipts of EUR 81.1 billion (-74.3 billion compared with 2019).
- Northern Europe generated tourism receipts of EUR 28.9 billion (-51.1 billion compared with 2019).
- Central/Eastern Europe generated tourism receipts of EUR 23.4 billion (-38 billion compared with 2019).
- Southern/Medit. Europe generated tourism receipts of EUR 66.4 billion (-142.9 billion compared with 2019).
- The contribution of travel and tourism to GDP in Europe amounted to 1.065 billion dollars in 2020 (-1.126 billion dollars compared with 2019).
Schengen Visa Applications 2015-2020: Trends
- The Schengen Visa approval rate varied between 93.8% and 86.4% in the period between 2015-2020.
- The Schengen Visa rejection rate increased in the period between 2015-2020.
- Between 2015-2020, Russia, China, India, Turkey, and Morocco remained some of the third countries with the highest number of Schengen Visa applications submitted.
- Since 2015, the Russian Federation has been the third country with the highest number of Schengen Visa applications submitted.
- Between 2015 and 2020, France, Germany, Spain, and Italy remained the Schengen Countries with the highest number of Visa applications received.
- Since 2015, France has been the Schengen country with the highest number of Schengen Visa applications received.
- In 2019 and 2020, Luxembourg was the Schengen country with the lowest number of Schengen Visa applications received (12,000 in 2019 and 2,470 in 2020).
- In 2019, Iceland had the highest approval rate (98.8%), and in 2020, Estonia had the highest approval rate (98.5.%).
- In 2019 and 2020, Portugal had the highest rejection rates (20.3% in 2019 and 30.0% in 2020).
Top 5 Countries That Submitted the Highest Number of Schengen Visa Applications in 2020
Top 5 Schengen Countries That Received the Highest Number of Schengen Visa Applications in 2020
Top 5 Third Countries With Lowest Schengen Visa Rejection Rates in 2020
Top 5 Third Countries With Highest Schengen Visa Rejection Rates in 2020
Top 5 Schengen Countries That Received the Lowest Number of Visa Applications in 2020
Top 6 Schengen Countries with the Highest Approval Rates in 2020
Top 5 Schengen Countries with the Highest Rejection Rates in 2020
Sources:
European Commission – Statistics on short-stay visas issued by the Schengen States
European Travel Commission – EUROPEAN TOURISM: TRENDS & PROSPECTS Quarterly report (Q2/2021)
European Parliament – Relaunching transport and tourism in the EU after COVID-19
UNWTO – World Tourism Organisation – World Tourism Barometer Statistical Annex May 2021
