Greece remains in the top three destinations chosen by German vacationers—DERTOUR customers—for their summer 2026 vacations, according to the pre-booking picture of the second-largest tour operator in Europe.
According to pre-bookings for the travel period from May 1 to October 31, 2026, Greece is in third place as the favorite destination for short and medium-distance travel for German travelers in the summer of 2026, with Turkey maintaining its dominance for another year and Spain following in second place. While Egypt and Tunisia complete the top five.
The top destinations for long-distance travel are the Indian Ocean, Siam, North America, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, and the Caribbean.
“At this early stage of bookings, we are already seeing strong demand for summer holidays across all market segments. The love of Germans for traveling remains unabated, and their summer 2026 vacations are already in their plans as of November,” explains Boris Raoul, managing director of DERTOUR Germany and Austria.
According to him, the tour operator’s goal and mission is to offer the right suggestion for every occasion and every budget – from economical, family vacations to exceptional trips to distant destinations and exclusive, luxurious trips. “With our new program, we offer a variety of trips that are not only attractive in terms of price, but also meet specialized needs,” notes Mr. Raoul.
1,500 new hotels | One in Greece
DERTOUR and its subsidiaries ITS and Meiers Weltreisen present an unprecedented variety of vacations for the summer of 2026, with approximately 180,000 hotels in nearly 180 destinations worldwide. Among these are 1,500 new hotels and about 200 hotels for exclusive bookings by DERTOUR travel agents in popular destinations such as Turkey, Egypt, Greece, and Italy.
“One of the goals of our continuous expansion is new exclusives, meaning hotels that can only be booked in the German market through our travel agencies.”
The travel group also aims to expand the portfolio of the group’s proprietary hotel brands. “We will start the summer of 2026 with a total of seven new hotels from the ananea, Sentido, and Calimera brands,” explains Sven Schikarsky, Product Manager.
One of these new hotels is in Greece. This is the ananea Rocrita in Crete, which will open in the spring of 2026, after the completion of an ambitious renovation, expansion, and full modernization program, with an emphasis on modern design, which adds relaxing properties to the space.
The quality-to-price ratio takes center stage, with Turkey, Tunisia, and Bulgaria as the main players
The attractive quality-to-price ratio, combined with the high quality of the services provided and the variety of experiences, are becoming decisive criteria for choosing holidays in 2026, influencing both the choice of destination and the booking period and type of holiday.
“For the upcoming summer, travelers can choose from the largest portfolio in the German market, which promises a special variety of experiences at affordable prices,” notes Mr. Raoul.
Destinations with an attractive quality-price ratio will continue to be popular next summer, with Turkey again recording the highest demand among short and medium-distance destinations and a 11% increase compared to the previous year.
Greece is also on the rise (17%), while Tunisia (81%) and Bulgaria (57%) are among the rising destinations of the coming summer.
One in five summer vacation bookings involves long-distance travel
The popularity of long-distance travel continues to grow, with nearly one in five bookings being for long-distance travel. Thus, this sector has seen a 33% increase compared to the previous year. Among the top destinations for long-haul travel, Thailand is again improving its ranking and takes the second place with a 31% increase. Overall, East Africa (+89%), the Caribbean (+53%), the United Arab Emirates (+46%), and the Indian Ocean (+45%) currently have the highest growth rates.
All-in and luxury vacations are what Germans choose in 2026
Last summer, all-inclusive vacations reached record levels, with 57% of visitors choosing this type of vacation. Bookings for the 2026 summer season show that the trend continues, with 63% of visitors currently opting for all-inclusive vacations.
Additionally, 83% of bookings for summer vacations in 2026 are for four- and five-star hotels, confirming the preference of Germans for luxury vacations.
Luxury travel saw a 15% increase in the number of visitors in the summer of 2025, and this trend is expected to continue the following year, as current booking data indicates a 26% increase in visitors.
In the family vacation segment, there is also an increasing preference for all-inclusive packages, 4 and 5-star hotels, and long-distance travel.
Families still consider travel an integral part of family time and childhood experiences. Therefore, they prefer high-quality resorts that offer a wide variety of services exclusively for families. Meanwhile, families often take advantage of the high discounts offered for children.
Turkey, Spain, and Greece are particularly popular destinations for families, while Egypt and Bulgaria are gaining ground. On long-haul trips, the United Arab Emirates, Thailand, and Mauritius are currently experiencing significant growth.
Slow Travel in the spotlight
Today, one in five travelers considers sustainability an important factor when planning their vacation, which is why DERTOUR has expanded its sustainable travel offerings this year: in addition to approximately 2,050 hotels, it also includes more than 60 tour packages, including excursions outside of Europe. The travel programs are based on global standards for responsible tourism.
Many of the offers focus on the trend of Slow Travel – with double or multiple overnight stays in one place, as well as activities such as train travel, cycling or hiking. Additionally, the new active vacation program includes over 60 offers, specifically targeting travelers seeking relaxed vacations.
