In 2022, we can already see a significant recovery in international travel from Europe and the United States. We can also see an increase in domestic tourism. In the challenging year 2022, Germany remained the most popular destination in the ranking of the most popular destinations in Europe, after Spain.
Estimates for German inbound tourism in the first half of 2023 are optimistic. Of the approximately 250 managing directors and key accounts of the international tourism industry, 75% expect a positive development of the destination Germany in the six months. According to the Federal Statistical Office, the number of international overnight stays in Germany will increase by 120% from 31.0 in 2022 to 68.1 million. This means that overnight stays by foreigners reached 76% of the record level in 2019. Germany is again the Dutch’s most popular foreign destination, with 10.3 million overnight stays. Switzerland follows in second place with 5.8 million overnight stays, and Austria is in third place with 3.6 million overnight stays. Poland follows closely in fourth place and is the first TOP 10 source market to return to pre-crisis levels. The United States is the largest long-haul market, with 5.4 million overnight stays.
Post-pandemic, European travel is on the rise, and longer and online bookings are increasing. Around 80% of all German trips are from Europe. According to the latest IPK’s Europe data, leisure travel is recovering faster than business travel. Nevertheless, Germany can continue strengthening its position as a leader in European business travel. European travelers spend an average of 6.5 nights in Germany, an increase of 3%. Travel costs for trips from other European countries to Germany rise to an average of €693 per trip. Train and car gain market share. While 85% of travelers booked their services online in 2019, this percentage will rise to 90% in 2022.
According to a survey commissioned by the German National Tourist Board, travelers worldwide had already decided where they wanted to go at the beginning of the year in the next twelve months. Germany currently ranks third in the world as a travel destination, behind Italy and Spain and ahead of France and the United States. Germany’s strong brand image contributes to this position. In addition, the country has a competitive price level. According to MKG Consulting 2022 surveys, the average price of a hotel room was 100.80 euros per night, well below that of its European competitors.
According to IPK International’s analysis, international travel remains a top priority for consumers in 2023, ranking third after food and health. This is significantly higher than spending on housing, leisure, domestic holidays, and clothing. The trend is further confirmed by a survey conducted by ETC. This survey shows that nearly 60% of Europeans plan to allocate the same budget for travel in the first half of 2023. Additionally, 16% of respondents anticipate spending even more on travel than in the past.
Based on surveys from the Sinus Institute, over half of the respondents (54%) intend to combine a city trip with a nature/countryside stay, while 39% plan to combine a vacation in a tourist destination with a trip to the city.
Germany is considered a great place to travel if you’re interested in sustainability. Most international CEOs and Travel Industry Experts (62%) have noticed changes in how people purchase sustainable products. More than three-quarters of these experts already view Germany as a sustainable travel destination; nearly 60% prioritize this aspect when traveling. Additionally, around 71% of the experts predict that there will be a rise in bookings for sustainable travel options over the next three years. According to these experts, sustainability is becoming more integrated into value-based lifestyles.
