This summer to Europe? You are not alone.

Sicily is not the only European destination bustling with tourists in the run-up to the July and August peak season. After three years of pandemic restrictions, travelers are pouring into Europe in record numbers despite high airfares, limited accommodations, sweltering heat and crowded locations.

According to American travelers, Europe is the most popular destination this year Hopper’s “Summer Trip to Europe” Report. According to the report, demand is already higher than in 2019, despite rising hotel prices and the highest air fares in five years. London, Paris, Rome, Lisbon and Athens are among the most booked cities in the Hopper travel app, and the Sicilian city of Palermo, also featured in ‘The White Lotus’, is among the most popular destinations.

“We need to make up for lost time,” said Elizabeth Hughes, 44, a Chicago occupational therapist who made a scrapbook of places she wanted to visit in Europe during the height of the pandemic. She is currently in London, embarking on a four-week journey across eight countries, including France, Italy and Greece. “I had to sell my car to get this done, but when I travel that far, I’m going to look everywhere,” she said.

The demand is so high that many travel consultants have had to turn away clients seeking holidays in popular European destinations in July and August due to lack of availability.

“Two weeks ago I had a last minute request for Greece and I contacted my suppliers to see if there was a way to accommodate them. But there was nothing, so unfortunately I had to decline cases,” said Abby Lagman, the founder of the Blessed travel organization, a US-based travel agency.