Vacation in Germany: coastal favorites despite increasing prices!

Vacation in Germany: coastal favorites despite increasing prices!

Schleswig-Holstein, Deutschland - The desire to travel the Germans is also unbroken in 2025. Despite a forecast zero growth in the German economy, the desire for vacation remains very pronounced. According to the Hotelverband Germany (IHA), the providers expect an increase in bookings on German coasts and in the mountains. The changing travel trends, which significantly influenced by Corona pandemic, have rediscovered their homeland as a holiday region. Numerous campsites and apartments were able to benefit from this trend, which underlines the attractiveness of German travel destinations.

rising temperatures and record summer in Europe have also changed the travel behavior of the Germans. Many travelers prefer to visit cooler regions to escape the heat on the Mediterranean. An increasing awareness of the high costs of air travel and their CO₂ footprint means that over 75 percent of guests in German hotels are domestic. As part of a current survey, 40 percent of Germans stated that they had already booked their summer vacation, many more are undecided.

popular travel destinations in Germany

The most popular holiday regions in Germany are traditionally the North and Baltic Sea as well as Bavaria, the Lake Constance region and the Black Forest. Interest in the low mountain ranges is also growing, which is a trend thrust for local providers. Ultimately, many travelers are ready to accept price increases on trips abroad, especially in Turkey, while Mallorca expects record numbers, as it is still one of the most popular destinations.

The research community vacation and travel (for) has been analyzing the holiday travel behavior of Germans for 50 years. Recent studies show that 45 percent of the respondents plan to spend as much for vacation in 2024 as 2023. At the same time, 17 percent are willing to spend more, while only 5 percent are striving for savings. It becomes clear that vacation trips are in second place in the consumer priorities.

challenges and trends

A current report shows that 67 percent of those surveyed saved in other areas of life to enable travel. However, 43 percent of the participants expressed dissatisfaction in January 2024 about the high prices on vacation, which was an increase of 11 percentage points compared to the previous year. The most common holiday motifs for 2025 are summer, warmth, distance to everyday life, fun, relaxation, nature experience and time for each other.

Although travel abroad is preferred by the majority of Germans - 76 percent of vacation trips go to international realms - the number of domestic trips does not ignore. In 2024, a level that was still normal in 2019 was reached with 16.1 million domestic trips. Schleswig-Holstein is the most popular goal here, followed by Bavaria and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

whether it is about the popularity of package tours that are valued for their comfort and safety, or about the decline in camping trips, the tourism industry in Germany shows resilient. Over 50 percent of travelers spend the night in hotels, which indicates a trend towards more comfortable and safer holiday forms. Despite all the challenges, interest in travel remains strong, which opens up positive perspectives for both the industry and vacationers.

Overall, the developments show that German vacationers not only rethink their preferences, but also react to new framework conditions. The desire to travel is still there, and the mountains and the coasts are very popular with German travelers, while popular international destinations do not lose their attractiveness.

Merkur reports that campsites and holiday apartments have benefited from the new discovery of home. At the same time Süddeutsche emphasizes the challenges due to high prices that affect many travelers.