During the peak summer season, Germany witnessed a continued increase in foreign guests. In July, the number of international overnight stays rose by 8.3 percent year-on-year, and in August, it rose by 6.3 percent, the German National Tourist Board (GNTB) reported.
From January to August, the Federal Statistical Office recorded 54.6 million international overnight stays in hotels and other accommodation establishments offering at least ten beds. This is a significant increase of 25.8 percent compared to the same period in 2020. Germany's inbound tourism industry has almost fully recovered from the Corona crisis, with international overnight stays reaching nearly 90 percent of the record level set in 2019.
European markets are the most significant contributors to the recovery
Petra Hedorfer, the Chairwoman of the Board of Directors at GNTB, has stated that the recovery strategy, which focuses on qualitative growth, is starting to have an impact. Germany is becoming an increasingly attractive holiday destination for international travelers, especially those from European markets. These are the main drivers behind the recovery.
Furthermore, business travel demand has increased, with demand from the US increasing by 91 percent in the first seven months of 2023. Inbound development from Asian markets to Germany is also picking up in the second half of the year, according to Hedorfer.
Representatives of the international travel industry have confirmed the upward trend in inbound tourism in Germany. Over 250 CEOs and key accounts of the international travel industry were surveyed in the GNTB Travel Industry Expert Panel. They rated their current business situation for Germany's business in Q3 2023 at +34 points on a scale of -100 to +100. This is a significant improvement from a year ago.