Germans’ desire to travel remained strong during the main holiday season of 2024. Turkey emerged as the most popular destination among German tourists, reflecting a significant shift in travel preferences.
According to major tour operators Tui and Dertour, Turkey claimed the top spot for German travelers this year. Dertour’s product chief Sven Schikarsky told the German Press Agency (dpa), “One in five chose this popular holiday destination.” For families, the proportion was even higher, with nearly one in three opting for Turkey.
Following Turkey, the most favored short and medium-haul destinations for Dertour customers were Spain (second place), Greece (third place), while Egypt and Italy shared the fifth position. Germany managed to hold onto fourth place despite a decrease in domestic tourism demand.
Schikarsky attributed the decline in domestic guests to poor weather conditions. “The heavy rainfall and relatively cold temperatures in early June led many guests to choose destinations with more reliable sunshine,” he explained.
Domestic travel trends
For those who chose to spend their summer holidays in Germany, Bavaria was the top destination. According to a representative survey conducted by YouGov’s Consumer Panel Service GfK for the German Retail Federation (HDE), one in six domestic holidaymakers stayed in this southern state.
Following Bavaria were Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (11 percent), Baden-Württemberg and North Rhine-Westphalia (10 percent each), and Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein (9 percent each). The survey revealed that nearly half of German consumers traveled this summer, with one-third of them holidaying within Germany.
Those vacationing in northern Germany preferred coastal areas, seas, or islands, while southern holidaymakers were drawn to the mountains. Family vacations were the most common type of trip (37 percent), followed by beach holidays (28 percent), city breaks (26 percent), and hiking holidays (21 percent). Multiple responses were allowed in this category.
Economic impact of domestic tourism
The HDE estimates that German domestic tourists spent around five billion euros in retail during their summer holidays. Most of this spending was on food and drinks, restaurant visits, leisure activities, and souvenirs. HDE’s chief executive Stefan Genth remarked, “Domestic tourism boosts retail sales. After all, holiday time is also shopping time.” He emphasized that summer holidays within Germany are an important economic factor.
Long-haul travel and “coolcation” trends
For those seeking destinations beyond their doorstep, long-haul travel saw a significant uptick. Dertour reported a 37 percent increase in guests for long-distance trips. “Destinations like the United Arab Emirates or the Indian Ocean are now firmly established among summer destinations,” said Schikarsky. The USA and Canada remained the most popular long-haul destinations.
A new trend called “coolcation” – a combination of “cool” and “vacation” – emerged in response to increasing heat. While most Germans still traveled south in summer, more tourists sought cooler regions. Dertour noted increased demand for Scandinavian countries in summer 2024, particularly Norway.
Tour operators benefit from FTI bankruptcy
Tour operators had a successful year. Dertour reported an 18 percent increase in guests from June to September compared to the previous summer, bringing guest numbers back to pre-COVID levels.
The bankruptcy of tour operator FTI in early June, previously Germany’s third-largest operator after Tui and Dertour, contributed to rising booking numbers for other companies. FTI had canceled all previously booked trips shortly after declaring insolvency.
Tui, the world’s largest travel group, also experienced booming business, reporting a record quarter. Following FTI’s bankruptcy, Tui created 75,000 additional holiday spots for the upcoming autumn holidays.
