Holiday insights: Fun and surprising trends across the
Engaging facts through open data: a reading for the winter break
Winter holidays in Europe offer a unique glimpse into the diverse traditions, activities and customs that make this season memorable across different countries in the region. Public holidays during this period reflect Europe’s rich cultural, religious and national diversity, balancing shared holiday traditions with unique regional customs.
This data story explores some enjoyable and light-hearted trends to celebrate the upcoming Christmas holiday season. Specifically, it uses open data to identify (1) the travel destination preferences of members of different Member States, (2) the reading habits of Europeans and (3) ice cream import and export trends across the .
Section 1 - Travel trends and destinations through open data
The Christmas holiday season is a time when many Europeans embrace the opportunity to travel, whether to visit loved ones, explore festive destinations or take a winter getaway. Throughout 2022, nearly 230 million Europeans engaged in tourism, reflecting the sector’s vital role in the economy as it accounts for approximately . On average, across the , 24.5 % of all trips were made to a foreign country. More than of those foreign trips had as the main destination another Member State.
ܰ 1 reveals notable patterns in tourism destinations. The top three foreign destinations for the residents of each Member State indicate that proximity often plays a significant role in travel choices, but the strength of this effect varies. For example, Slovenia’s residents overwhelmingly favour Croatia (54.5 %), a dominance not matched in most other country-to-country relationships. Along with proximity, historical and linguistic ties possibly also play a role, as evidenced by the preference of Cypriots for Greece, Belgians for France and the Netherlands, and Austrians for Germany. Overall, , accounting for 11.3 % of all foreign trips they made, followed by Spain at 11.0 %. Italy also appears most frequently on the list of destinations, ranking among the top three destinations for 19 out of the 26 Member States featured.
Figure 1: Trips of residents of Member States (Sources: / data.europa.eu)
Section 2 - Using open data to explore reading habits across Europe
Reading is a popular winter pastime, and open data provides interesting insight into how Europeans engage with books. In 2022, reading habits varied significantly across age groups, genders and countries. Younger individuals (aged 16–29) were the most active readers, with 60.1 % having read at least one book in the past year. Engagement consistently decreased with age, with 47.2 % of people aged 65 or older reporting having read at least one book.
With regard to differences among genders, 60.5 % of women reported having read at least one book in the past 12 months, compared to 44.5 % of men. Women are also more likely to read extensively, with 17.4 % reading 10 or more books annually, compared to just 9.9 % of men.
As shown in Figure 2, there are also notable differences across countries. Switzerland leads with 80.6 % of its population reading at least one book annually. Among Member States, Luxembourg ranks highest at 75.2 %, followed by Denmark (72.1 %) and Estonia (70.7 %). Overall, Nordic countries consistently demonstrate high reading rates, with a large proportion of individuals reading 10 or more books. This suggests a culture of avid reading in the region. In contrast, countries like Italy (35.4 %), Cyprus (33.1 %) and Romania (29.5 %) report significantly lower rates of reading. You can explore more reading patterns here.
Figure 2: Book readers in the last 12 months (Sources: / data.europa.eu)
Section 3 - Using open data to uncover insights on ice cream production and trading
Ice cream might seem like an unexpected winter treat, yet it remains a cherished dessert across the , even during the colder months, enjoyed at holiday gatherings and during cozy nights in. According to , the produced 3.3 billion litres of ice cream in 2022, marking a . Production to 3.2 billion litres. suggest that Finland leads in ice cream consumption, with an average of 14.2 litres per person, followed by Sweden at 12 litres, a perhaps surprising fact to some, showcasing the popularity of ice cream even in northern climates.
With regard to trade, in 2023, the exported 261 million kg of ice cream to non- countries, a 5 % increase compared to 2022. As shown in Figure 3, France was the dominant exporter, shipping 52 million kg (20 % of exports), followed by the Netherlands (35 million kg, 14 %), Germany (29 million kg, 11 %) and Italy (28 million kg, 11 %). Interestingly, a smaller Member State such as Belgium also contributes significantly to exports, highlighting the diverse production landscape within the .
On the other hand, fell by 8 % in 2023 to 56 million kg. Ireland emerged as the largest importer, accounting for 10 million kg (20 % of imports). Germany followed with 8 million kg (14 %), and Bulgaria imported 7 million kg (13 %), reflecting the varying reliance on external ice cream suppliers among Member States.
Overall, the ’s ice cream trade reflects a dynamic interplay of regional preferences, production capabilities and global market demand, making it a fascinating aspect of the bloc’s food economy. You can discover more insights about the ice cream trade in the here.
Figure 3: Ice cream imports and exports by Member State (Sources: / data.europa.eu)
Conclusion
Open data offers a valuable lens through which we can uncover fascinating insights, from reading habits and ice cream trading to travel trends across Europe. While some of these findings may seem light-hearted and trivial, they lay the groundwork for meaningful analysis, providing a deeper understanding of both daily behaviours and broader economic and social patterns. This data story reveals key trends, such as the popularity of certain holiday destinations among people in the , higher reading rates among younger individuals and women, and France’s position as the ’s largest ice cream exporter.
Interested in exploring these topics further? You can explore the datasets available at data.europa.eu and subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. We wish everyone a happy and joyful holiday season!
data.europa.eu's datasets used in the data story
Section 1 - Travel trends and destinations through open data
Section 2 - Using open data to explore reading habits across Europe
Section 3 - Using open data to uncover insights on ice cream production and trading