Home leave is booming: Germany's coasts and mountains in travel focus!

Home leave is booming: Germany's coasts and mountains in travel focus!

Schleswig-Holstein, Deutschland - The German travelers show a strong interest in vacation at home. The Hotelverband Germany (IHA) has found that the bookings on German coasts and the mountains increase. IHA Managing Director Tobias Warnecke confirms that the pandemic has contributed to the fact that many Germans rediscovered their homeland. Campsites and apartments have benefited especially during this time and are still very popular.

In addition, it is drawn to the trend that rising temperatures and record summer in Europe tempt vacationers to avoid the overcrowded Mediterranean into cooler regions. Warnecke predicts a significant shift in the travel destinations towards the coastal regions of Germany, the Netherlands and Poland. More and more people are opting for vacation in their own country, partly in response to the high costs for air travel and the decline in CO₂ footprint when traveling.

popular travel destinations and planning

A look at the statistical data shows that over 75% of guests in German hotels are domestic. Despite a forecast zero growth of the German economy, the tourism industry is optimistic for the coming summer season. According to IHA, 40% of Germans have already booked their summer vacation, while many are still undecided. Organizers also offer more load-minute offers for package tours.

The increasing prices for trips abroad, especially in Turkey, and the expected record numbers for Mallorca also make a decision to go on vacation in Germany. The most popular travel destinations in Germany are still the North and Baltic Sea, Bavaria, the Lake Constance region and the Black Forest. The low mountain range is also increasingly becoming popular.

vacation behavior in change

A deeper analysis of the German holiday behavior through the research community Vacation and Travel (for) shows that holiday trips are the second most important consumer priority of Germans, only according to the expenditure on food. The majority of the respondents plan to spend as much for vacation in 2024 as in the previous year, while 17% are willing to spend more. Tragically, 43% of the respondents expressed dissatisfaction with the high prices on vacation.

Important holiday motifs for 2025 are especially summer and warmth, distance to everyday life, fun, relaxation and nature experiences. A significant part of Germans are still making travel abroad; 76% of vacation trips in 2023 were abroad, with Spain the most popular travel destination.

The decline in air travel in 2023 shows that many travelers are increasingly using the car or motorhomes. Nevertheless, hotels remain the preferred accommodation, while only every four of them stay in a holiday home or a holiday apartment. Package tours are still in great demand because they offer travelers comfort and security.

Overall, the developments in the German tourism landscape show that the industry continues to look optimistically into the future, despite the challenges associated with increasing prices and changing travel behavior. The focus on sustainability and the search for inexpensive offers will be of great importance for many travelers in the coming years.