According to the Bavarian State Office for Statistics, Bavaria's 11,507 open accommodation establishments recorded approximately 4.7 million guest arrivals and nearly 12.5 million overnight stays in August 2024. This represents an increase of 14.1 percent in guest arrivals and 7.0 percent in overnight stays compared to the same month last year.
Major Events Lead to More Overnight Stays
From January to August 2024, Munich experienced strong tourism growth, with guest arrivals totaling just under 27.5 million and overnight stays reaching nearly 70.2 million. These figures represent significant growth compared to last year's period, with guest arrivals rising by 27.5 percent and overnight stays increasing by 18.5 percent, mainly due to numerous significant events in the city.
In August, a peak month for travel, the number of guests and overnight stays notably surpassed last year's results. The 11,507 accommodation establishments in Bavaria welcomed approximately 4.7 million guests, a 14.1 percent increase compared to August 2023. Additionally, overnight stays rose by 7.0 percent, totaling just under 12.5 million monthly.
Overall, from January to August 2024, the positive tourism growth continued, with guest arrivals increasing by 5.1 percent and overnight stays rising by 2.9 percent compared to the same period in 2023.
Munich Remains the Leader
All Bavarian administrative districts have reported positive increases in guest arrivals compared to August 2023. Upper Bavaria experienced the highest gains, with guest arrivals rising by 21.2 percent to nearly 2.3 million and overnight stays increasing by 13.0 percent to around 5.7 million.
A critical factor in this growth is likely the state capital of Munich, which is expected to host over 986,000 guests in August 2024. This represents a 27.5 percent increase in guest arrivals compared to the same month last year. Additionally, overnight stays have risen by 18.5 percent from the previous year, reaching just under 2.1 million. This growing trend is attributed to several significant events taking place. Compared to the same months last year, Munich has achieved a record high in overnight stays since 2021, with nearly 2.1 million recorded.
Most Travel and Hospitality Providers Benefit
Most establishments have seen an increase in guest arrivals and overnight stays when compared to the previous year. For instance, the hotel industry recorded a 14.5 percent rise in the number of guests, reaching nearly 3.6 million.
Among these, hotels experienced the most significant growth, with a 22.9 percent increase compared to August 2023, totaling around 0.85 million guests. However, inns have shown a slight decline in guest numbers, with a decrease of 0.1 percent.
Bavarian campsites remain popular during the holiday month of August, with approximately 610,000 guests spending around 1.9 million nights at these sites. This represents a 13.4 percent increase in guest arrivals and an 11.0 percent increase in overnight stays compared to the last year.
In contrast, preventive care and rehabilitation clinics have experienced a significant decline in guest arrivals, with a decrease of 10.0 percent compared to the same month last year. However, when looking at the overall data for the year-to-date period from January to August 2024, the change is modest, showing a slight decline of only 0.1 percent.