It reads like a parody, but this is a genuine taxpayer-funded report commissioned by the EU statistics agency Eurostat, released today:

The shock findings include the remarkable claim that:

“A clear seasonal pattern on tourism activity of residents of the European Union can be observed. The summer season (June-September) accounts for more than half (51.9%) of the total number of tourism nights spent by EU residents during the whole year”

People tend to go on holiday in the summer, you say? Surely not.

There’s more. The in-depth report reveals this incredible statistic:

“August is the leading month of departure for residents of a narrow majority of EU Member States, just ahead of July”

You mean most people go on holiday in the hottest month?

Guido would FoI how much money was spent on this dross but alas the EU’s fabled lack of openness and transparency means we will likely never know…

H/T @wallaceme, @Ashleyfoxmep

UPDATE:

I phoned Eurostat to ask how much this cost. V'mail: "Our office is closed for a public holiday, but will open on Wed 24th June" @WikiGuido

— Mark Wallace (@wallaceme) June 25, 2015

Holiday? Well it is between June and September…