Germans’ desire for travel and holidays this summer remains unsatisfied, with demand being stronger than ever and Greece being the third most popular destination in their choices, with a 30% market share. While, Turkey dominates the top rank, leaving Spain in second place, as revealed by the Holiday and Travel Research Association (FUR) in Germany.
According to FUR’s forecasts, bookings have returned to pre-pandemic levels and even higher in some regions, with the number of German travellers this year reaching 2019 levels of 70 million trips of at least 5 days, as neither higher travel prices nor geopolitical tensions and economic conditions are able to curb the German public’s desire for summer holidays and travel abroad.
In fact, according to the association’s findings, holiday travel is second only to food in terms of consumer priorities, but ahead of housing and health.
According to a travel analysis by Team Neusta, the most popular countries for package holidays this year for German holidaymakers include Turkey (30%), Spain (26%), Greece (15%) and Egypt (11%). Market shares have shifted little compared to last year. Only Egypt has increased its market share from 4% last year to 11% this year.
In terms of individual destinations there are few surprises this year. The top destinations include Sidi and Alanya (26%) in Turkey, Mallorca (15%) in Spain, Hurghada and Safada (11%) in Egypt, Crete (8%) and Antalya and Belek (6%) in Turkey.
The price increases recorded across almost the entire tourism value chain are generally accepted by German holidaymakers without complaint. Across all bookings, there has been a 4% increase in value compared to 2023. While, according to Team Neusta, families are even spending 7% more on their travel bookings compared to the previous year.
Good climate in the international tourism market
The positive mood in the German market is in line with the international climate in the tourism industry, which is also characterised by optimism and growth. According to the Global Travel Buyer Index survey conducted by Fried & Partner, the vast majority of international buyers in the ITB Buyer Circle expect this year to be characterised by growing demand. In May 2024, 73% of respondents expected inbound bookings to increase, 21% expected inbound bookings to remain flat and only 6% predicted weaker demand.
“2024 is proving to be an amazing year for international tourism. It is the first year since the pandemic in which there are no more restrictions for Covid. We expect the industry to generate around $1.6 trillion globally, which is more than the last year before the pandemic,” predicts Charuta Fadnis, vice president of Phocuswright.
The newly awakened desire to travel is not only motivating European consumers, but is also manifesting itself in other major tourism ‘source’- markets. The Chinese market, for example, is proving to be a global driving force, gaining momentum again with some delay after the lifting of the latest restrictions imposed on Covid.
“Outbound Chinese tourism is recovering at a pleasing pace. There is a significant increase in bookings for visa-free destinations such as Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia, as well as for destinations such as Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, the Maldives and Europe,” says Lydia Li, deputy general manager of Messe Berlin Shanghai.
According to her, tourism expectations are being shaped by the generation born in the 1990s. “Younger Chinese expect authentic experiences, personalised services and high-quality digital offerings when they travel,” Ms Li notes.
