The European market potential for birdwatching tourism

Europeans like to watch birds and the United Kindom (UK) is the largest market. It has many specialist birding tour operators that serve the UK and the European market. The Netherlands and Germany are other important markets. The birder community is getting bigger as younger people are getting involved, attracted by nature and the outdoors. Technological advancements are helping to drive interest in the birdwatching market. There are also many birding forums and apps.

1. Product description: birdwatching tourism

Birdwatching is also known as birding and avi-tourism. It is defined as travel for the specific purpose of observing wild birds in their natural habitats for pleasure. Birdwatching can be done in a relaxed way or more methodically. Some enthusiastic birders travel to specific locations to see specific birds. Birdwatching tourism is also part of adventure tourism and nature tourism. Sometimes it is combined with wildlife watching.

Birdwatching holidays are common on the European market. There are many specialist tour operators that organise them, both European and local tour operators in the destination. Birdwatching day or part-day trips to popular spots are also available on the market. The table below shows some examples of holidays and day trips. 

Table 1: Examples of birdwatching tourism experiences

Source: Acorn Tourism Consulting, 2025

End-market segmentation and consumer behaviour

Birdwatchers from Europe are mostly aged 40-70, well-educated, have a lot of money and are interested in other wildlife too. There are many reports saying that birdwatching is gaining popularity among younger generations, especially those aged 35-44. 

The UK and the Netherlands are the largest markets for birding in Europe. Most European birdwatchers are usually members of their local birdwatching association. One example is the RSPB, the largest wildlife conservation charity in Europe. It has 1.2 million members. There are 3 basic profiles of birdwatchers, each with distinct characteristics and behaviours, as shown in the table below. 

Table 2: Profiles of European birdwatchers

Source: Acorn Tourism Consulting, 2025

There are some other names for birdwatchers too. For example, ‘listers’, who set themselves the target of seeing all the birds on their list. ‘Twitchers’ is a UK-based term that refers to people who travel long distances on short notice to see a rare bird. Of course, twitchers will probably also be listers. Ornithologists is another term that often means birdwatchers who have a more scientific role. They may be involved in conservation or research. Other smaller niches of birdwatchers include photographers, conservationists, families and retirees. 

The most important profiles for you to consider are the Enthusiastic and Casual birders. Hardcore birders have very specific needs and will often make their own arrangements. There may also be opportunities to reach tourists from other tourism niches. For example, a tourist on a sun-and-beach holiday may want to join an excursion to a bird sanctuary or wildlife park. An independent tourist staying in an ecotourism lodge may take an interest in specific birding activities if those are available at the property. 

Domestic tourists are another major group that may be interested in learning more about the native birds in their homeland if they get the opportunity.

Accessible tourism on the European market

Accessible tourism is the ongoing effort to make sure tourist destinations, products and services are accessible to all people, regardless of physical limitations, disabilities or age. It includes publicly and privately owned tourist locations. The improvements benefit not only people with permanent physical disabilities, but also parents with small children, elderly travellers, people with temporary injuries like a broken leg, and their travel companions. Disabled tourists may travel individually, in groups, with their family or with carers.

Accessibility and birdwatching tourism

The most important factor for the accessibility market is to provide full and truthful information. Honesty is important, so they can make the decisions that suit them best. Here are some tips for you to think about.

• To cater to people with disabilities, find out whether the places you visit are accessible. Birding sites that are accessible may have wheelchair-friendly paths, but boardwalks and viewing platforms are common requirements for the broader market of disabled people.
• Make sure you explain exactly what your tours involve. For example, if long hikes or walking over uneven terrain are required, check whether there are suitable facilities when you reach the birding destination.
• Look into offering equipment to rent or loan, like walking sticks or folding stools.
• For routes that are accessible, regularly check them to make sure that the planned stops and shade still meet needs and expectations.
• Make sure your guides deliver the experience in a way that is appropriate for the group, like not walking too fast between stops or fitting too much into the itinerary.

The Iguazu Falls in Argentina are a good example of a birdwatching destination that is accessible to wheelchair users. There are free wheelchair rentals, railings, ramps and walkways, accessible bathrooms and safe pavement and anti-slip surfaces. Research birdwatching destinations in your area to find out what can and cannot be done for this market.

Also, look at Birding for All, a voluntary association dedicated to helping improve access to birdwatching destinations for disabled people. The information they offer may help your business to start using relevant accessibility features for birders. Birding spots assessed as accessible can display this logo.

Figure 1: Accessibility Award Logo issued by Birding For All

Source: Birding For All, 2025

Tip:

• Read the CBI studies The European market potential for accessible tourism and Entering the European market for accessible tourism products for practical and useful advice on making your tours accessible.

2. What makes Europe an interesting market for birdwatching tourism?

Europe is an attractive market for birdwatching tourism. The activity is well-established and there is a large population of birdwatching enthusiasts in Europe – especially in the UK, the Netherlands and Germany. There is also growing evidence that birdwatching is becoming more popular with younger people. Since the pandemic, interest has grown in outdoor and nature activities, such as birdwatching. 

The European birdwatching tourism market was estimated at US$23.1 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow  at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 5.8% in 2025-2030. The global birdwatching tourism market size was estimated at US$62.73 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach US$95.22 billion by 2030. Europe makes up 29% of the global birdwatching tourism market, behind North America (35%) and ahead of Asia-Pacific (23%).

Source: Archive Market Research, 2024

The European market of tour operators that either specialise in birdwatching trips or offer them alongside other itineraries is strong. It is reported that almost 2 in 5 tour operators (37.3%) are active in the birdwatching niche.

Growth in birdwatching is being driven by many things. More young people are getting involved. They are driven towards more mindful activities like birdwatching following the pandemic. There is also more interest in nature conservation. More and more women are taking part, which leads to the development of products and services that appeal to new markets. 

Technology is also playing a role in growing the appeal of birdwatching. There are many birding apps on the market, like Merlin Bird ID. This is a free bird identification app from Cornell Lab of Ornithology, which makes birdwatching more accessible and interactive. The Merlin app has over 7 million users of worldwide. Awareness is also rising because people are getting more worried about biodiversity loss. This has led to more support for conservation programmes. 

You can check out the section below, Which trends offer opportunities or pose threats in the European market?, for more details about these market trends. 

3. Which European countries offer the most opportunities for birdwatching tourism?

The European countries that offer the most opportunities for birdwatching tourism as top and developing destinations are the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Italy and Spain. France is also worth considering as an interesting and growing birdwatching tourism market.

Consumer research done by CBI in 2024 found that birdwatching was a popular activity while on a trip overseas in 2024. It is also likely to be popular in 2025 in the key source markets. 

Source: CBI, Acorn Tourism Consulting, 2025

There are no official statistics about birdwatching participation by the leading markets. But the table below shows participation rates based on different sources, including national groups and domestic surveys. A high participation rate signals a good level of interest in birds. This is highly likely to lead to taking part in birdwatching activities while on a trip abroad.

Table 3: Birdwatching participation rates in key European countries

Source: Acorn Tourism Consulting, 2025

The United Kingdom

The UK is the largest European market for birdwatching tourism and has a birdwatching participation rate of around 9%. British birders like to travel to see birds, and the market for birdwatching tourism is growing. It generated an estimated US$5.6 billion in 2024. It is predicted to rise to US$8.2 billion in 2023 – a CAGR of 6.7% for 2025-2030. By segment, enthusiastic birders were the traveller type that created the largest revenue in 2024. Casual birders registered the fastest growth. This makes them a valuable segment.

According to CBI research, 17.5% of respondents who had travelled abroad in 2024 stated birdwatching as an activity. For 2025, this figure will probably rise to 17.7%. 

British people like birds. There are around 1.2 million members of the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds), the UK’s largest nature conservation charity. British nationals are often proactive about birdwatching in their home country as well. In 2024, the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch recorded 600,000 households taking part in the count. The RSPB is also a partner to the global conservation organisation BirdLife International, which has 123 partners across the world. 

Other important organisations in the UK include the British Trust for Ornithology, The Wildlife Trusts and the Wildlife Conservation Society. The UK is also home to the world’s largest trade fair, Global BirdFair, held every year in July. 

Public opinion in the UK is very favourable towards birdwatching, at 52%. It is more popular than trekking and hiking (51%), playing sports (51%) and cycling (45%). 

Figure 4: Public opinion of birdwatching in the UK, Q2 2025

Source: YouGov, 2025

The UK has many tour operators that specialise in birdwatching holidays, like Birdfinders, Birdquest and Oriole Birding. Birding is often combined with wildlife watching and nature holidays. This is why it is also well-represented through other nature and adventure tour operators like Wildlife Worldwide and Naturetrek.

Netherlands

Reports state that 5-8% of the Dutch population are birdwatching participants. In 2024, birdwatching on a trip overseas was more popular as an activity amongst Dutch travellers (18.2%) than in other source markets. But in 2025 this will probably go down by 1 percentage point, to 17.2%.

Vogelbescherming is the Dutch partner of BirdLife International. With 155,000 members, it is one of the largest nature non-governmental organisations in the Netherlands. Just like in the UK, Dutch nationals are proactive birdwatchers. Tuinvogeltelling, an annual bird count operation similar to the British one, attracted 105,000 people in 2024. But participant numbers have fallen from a record-breaking 200,000 in 2022. Sovon Vogelonderzoek Nederland (Dutch Centre for Field Ornithology) works with thousands of volunteers to coordinate bird monitoring and long-term population studies. 

Nature is a popular theme with Dutch tour operators. SNP Naturreizen specialises in outdoor activity tourism, including birdwatching trips. Unico Travel offers birdwatching trips to Latin America, and BirdingBreaks offers birding and nature trips worldwide.   

Germany

At 5-8%, German birdwatching participation rate is similar to the Dutch. Like in the UK, the German birdwatching tourism market is growing. It was estimated to be worth US$3.7 billion in 2024 and is predicted to rise to US$5.3 billion in 2030 – a CAGR of 6.2% for 2024-2030. Enthusiastic birders are the largest segment, and casual birders are the fastest-growing segment. 

Like other European nations, there are bird count programmes, such as Stunde de Gartenvögel (Hour of Garden Birds) and Stunde der Wintervögel (Hour of Winter Birds). Both are 1-hour annual events. Tens of thousands of German nationals take part every year. 

There is a strong network of bird and wildlife organisations in Germany. NABU (Naturschutzbund Deutschland) is Germany’s oldest and largest environmental association. It has around 960,000 members and 70,000 active volunteers. The DDA (Dachverband Deutscher Avifaunisten) is the umbrella organisation of 16 ornithological associations in Germany. BUND (Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland) is the German affiliate organisation of Friends of the Earth. It has a broad focus on environmental issues, including biodiversity and wildlife. 

Birding holidays are well-represented in the German tour operator market. Examples are Colibri Travel, a tour operator that offers a range of themed holidays, and IC Naturreisen, which specialises in ornithological, natural history and botanical holidays. 

Sweden

At 5-8%, Sweden has a participation rate similar to Germany’s. Swedish birders are often more interested in the academic factors of birdwatching. They are a major outbound birding market from Europe, driven by a strong domestic birding culture. The nation is very interested in nature and outdoor activities. It is also worth looking at other Nordic countries – Denmark, Norway and Finland – as relevant markets for outbound birding. They have smaller populations but share similar characteristics around overseas travel. 

BirdLife Sverige is the national bird conservation organisation, with more than 16,000 members. The Swedish Bird Survey attracts hundreds of thousands of bird counters every year. The initiative is supported by Birdlife Sverige and the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. 

AviFauna Naturresor is Sweden’s largest and oldest specialist bird tour operator. It offers fully guided trips in small groups. 

Figure 5: High biodiversity in Costa Rica makes it a popular birding destination

Source: Zdeněk Macháček at Unsplash, 2020

Italy

Roughly 2-4% of the Italian population participates in birdwatching. The birdwatching tourism sector in Italy is estimated to generate US$2.8 billion in revenue in 2024. This is predicted to rise to US$3.8 billion in 2030 – a CAGR of 5.5% for 2024-2030. Like other source markets, growth is driven by the two major birding types. These are enthusiastic birders, the birder type that generates the largest revenue, and casual birders, the fastest-growing type. Italians are showing a rising interest in travelling internationally to watch birds, especially in Africa and the Americas.

Italians prefer tours in their own language. So, if you want to target them, you should find a guide who can speak Italian. Italians are more likely to do birdwatching abroad as part of a broader wildlife or ecotourism package with a tour operator. In 2024, 14.9% of respondents to a CBI survey said they took part in birdwatching activities while on a trip abroad. In 2025, intent to take part in birdwatching will probably rise to 16.8%. This is a greater rise than all other source markets. It shows growing interest in the Italian market. 

LIPU is the association for the conservation of nature, the protection of biodiversity and the promotion of ecological culture in Italy. It has more than 30,000 supporters. Ornitour is one of Italy’s largest specialist birdwatching tour operators. It offers domestic and international tours that combine birding and culture. 

Spain

Around 2-4% of the Spanish population take part in birdwatching. The Spanish birdwatching tourism sector was worth close to US$1.8 billion in 2024. This is predicted to rise to US$2.4 billion in 2030 – a CAGR of 4.8%. The growth rate is slower than other source markets. But growth happens for similar reasons as other markets. Enthusiastic birders generated the most revenue, and casual birders are growing faster. 

Spanish outbound travellers are becoming more interested in combining nature/birding with culture on trips overseas. There is also a trend towards going on holiday out of season. Türkiye, North Africa (Morocco) and Spanish-speaking South America are key destinations for birding trips. Like Italian birders, Spanish birders prefer to take tours in their own language. Hire a guide who speaks their language and promote your tour as ‘Spanish-speaking tours available’ or something similar. 

16.5% of Spanish respondents to the CBI survey said they did birdwatching while on a trip abroad in 2024. This will probably fall by 1 percentage point in 2025, to 15.5%.

SEO BirdLife (Sociedad Española de Ornitología) is Spain’s national BirdLife partner and has 5,000 members. 

Spainbirds is a specialist birding operator and was the first tour operator accredited by the Spanish Tourism Board. Spanish birders, along with most other European markets, also use global birding specialist tour operators. This is especially true for hardcore birders who are looking for particular species. These include Rockjumper and Tropical Birding. 

4. Which trends offer opportunities or pose threats in the European birdwatching market?

Birdwatching is attracting new groups of birders. This includes younger people who are getting more inspired by the outdoors and nature, and who like to combine different activities on one trip. Technological developments in the birdwatching market are being made all the time, and this is driving interest. Successful birdwatching destinations must be sustainably managed to protect and save resident bird populations and their habitats.

Birder demographics are shifting

The usual age of birdwatchers has been between 40 and 70 for decades, but there are signs that the average age is shifting. Younger people, especially millennials (or Gen Y, aged 30-45 today), who are interested in nature, outdoor life and more mindful experiences, are more often taking part in birding. Even young children and teenagers are reported to have their 'eyes on the skies', stimulated by the outdoors, fresh air and exercise. There are also more women taking part in birdwatching, although most surveys still show that there are more male participants.

Younger birdwatchers will are travellers who know what they want. They are more likely to combine birdwatching with other activities while on a trip overseas, to satisfy their need for authenticity and personal development. This could be an adventure or culture, so they will look for birding experiences that offer a broader experience.

This offers good opportunities for operators to market their tours to new markets. Birding continues to attract younger participants. So, tour operators should focus on the environmental and ecological motivations of taking part in birdwatching. They should also see how they can create a mix of activities on a tour. Getting involved in local activities with locals and/or communities would be appealing to both enthusiastic and casual birders. 

Homestays in rural areas are a good way to combine birdwatching with community-based tourism. Have a look at the Bardiya Community Homestay in Nepal and a birdwatching and community experience in Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula, staying in a local ecolodge.

Advances in technology drive interest in birdwatching

Birding has always had a strong presence online. There are many forums and apps that serve the market, with many hundreds of thousands of users. Top forums include BirdForum, Fatbirder and Birdingpal. Top apps include Merlin Bird ID, eBird, iNaturalist and Observation.org. They offer users lots of useful information and networking opportunities with other birders. 

Developments in specialist equipment for birders and people interested in birds also help drive enthusiasm in the activity. Recent developments include smart bird feeders that use AI to recognise species, AI-supported binoculars and camera lenses with extra features. 

New platforms and social tools are especially appealing to younger generations. Examples are the Birda platform, a social networking and birding app for sharing sightings, joining challenges and following leaderboards like European Big Year 2025. 

Figure 6: Birda social networking platform

Source: Birda, 2025

Sustainability is essential for birdwatching destinations

Successful birdwatching destinations must be sustainably managed to protect and conserve resident bird populations and their habitats. If they are managed in this way, they will attract European birders who are very keen on nature, conservation, sustainability and protecting bird life. Sustainable birdwatching is very much the norm these days, and the niche is recognised for long-term conservation efforts and economic benefits to local communities. 

Sustainable actions for birdwatching tour operators include designing low-impact itineraries to minimise the disturbance for birds. They partner with local communities to deliver birdwatching, and educating birders on how to behave. For example: 

• Doña Dora in Colombia is a local bird conservationist who set up a simple birdwatching lodge in an area of extreme bird diversity, as she fed local birds while running a restaurant. The Doña Dora land is now a reserve that protects birds, insects and flowers from the Anchicayá forest. They only accommodate 8 overnight visitors to make sure that conservation efforts are protected. 
• Sam Veasna Conservation Tours in Cambodia is a good example of a local tour operator that promotes sustainable birding tours. Their mission is to sustain Cambodia’s wildlife and communities through ecotourism. To find out more about Sam Veasna Conservation Tours, read the CBI study Best practice for successful sustainable tour operators. You can scroll to the profile about the operator.   

With strong long-term sustainable actions in place, birdwatching is becoming a leading sustainable tourism niche. It helps promote community empowerment, supporting economic self-sufficiency and stimulating best practice. At the same time, protecting birds and saving the biodiversity and birdlife habitat makes sure that sustainable birdwatching continues into the long term. 

Acorn Tourism Consulting Limited carried out this study on behalf of CBI.

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Disclaimer: The statistics quoted throughout this study come from a range of sources. Because of variations in data collection and presentation methods, figures may not always be directly comparable.