The high inflation rate in Germany causes a divide between those who can and cannot afford a vacation. While some people cannot afford a holiday, others spend significantly more on it, which has resulted in the travel industry recording a record turnover.
Despite the coronavirus crisis, the travel industry in Germany is expected to achieve remarkable tourism revenue this year. According to data from analysis firm TDA, revenue from tour operator trips for the 2022/23 tourism year, which ends on 31 October, has already surpassed the record end level of the 2018/2019 travel year by 7 percent at the end of August.
This increase can mainly be attributed to the summer season, which saw an 11 percent increase in sales so far. The previous winter travel season experienced a 4 percent decline due to the pandemic.
The German Travel Association (DRV) president, Norbert Fiebig, recently announced that the travel industry has seen a positive sales balance this year, marking the first travel season since the pandemic outbreak. The data reveal that vacation spending and prices have increased by 27 percent for the upcoming winter season than the winter of 2018/19.
However, the increase in tourism revenue is mainly due to higher prices, more vacation spending, and fewer German travelers. So far, 16 percent fewer vacationers have booked their trips compared to the pre-Corona year of 2018/19. Fiebig attributes this trend to high inflation, making it difficult for many people to afford an organized tour operator trip.
This summer, classic Mediterranean destinations for German travelers were highly sought after despite heat waves and devastating forest fires in some places like Greece. Spain, Turkey, and Greece secured the top three spots as German travelers’ most popular air package travel destinations.
Long-distance travel, almost impossible during the pandemic, also regained popularity, although it still fell short of pre-Corona levels. According to the data, cruises reached the summer 2019 sales level. Long-haul tours and cruises on the world's oceans are in high demand for the upcoming winter, according to DRV.