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Tourism decline? Declining mood and new challenges in sight!
The 2025 survey on the mood in tourism shows falling values in the DACH region, despite stable sales and new trends.
Tourism decline? Declining mood and new challenges in sight!
The mood in the tourism sector has changed significantly in recent months. A survey by the tourism consultancy Kohl & Partner shows that seasonal occupancy and sales have remained largely stable in Austria, Germany, South Tyrol and Switzerland. Despite this positive stability, uncertainty among companies has grown. In the summer of 2025, the average mood barometer fell from 3.2 in the previous year to 2.8 on a scale of 1 to 5. The decline in mood is particularly noticeable in Germany and South Tyrol.
Current values show that Austria with 2.7 and Switzerland with 3.2 have the best sentiment values. A significant feature of this survey is the increase in neutral reviews, indicating increasing uncertainty within the industry. The challenges have changed: While occupancy was often the main problem in the past, short-term booking behavior is now the biggest concern. Over half of the companies surveyed in Germany and Austria cited capacity utilization as a key challenge.
Changing priorities in the industry
Another trend-setting trend is the rise in employee costs, which has replaced recruitment as the primary concern. Helmut List, Managing Director of Kohl & Partner, remains cautiously optimistic about the winter despite stable figures in the summer. He emphasizes that many companies are able to maintain or even exceed the previous year's utilization levels, with Switzerland being particularly positive here.
An interesting aspect is the satisfaction of companies with price enforcement, which is 76% in South Tyrol. At the same time, 68% of businesses in Austria and Germany are observing increasingly frugal consumer behavior among guests, particularly in the areas of gastronomy and length of stay. However, there are also positive expectations for the upcoming 2025/26 winter season, as 36% of those surveyed are optimistic.
Trends in the tourism sector
The new trends shaping the tourism industry cannot be ignored. Loud Statista Topics such as artificial intelligence, eco-tourism and individual travel are becoming increasingly important. Digitalization and a focus on sustainability are clear guidelines that will continue to be at the forefront until 2030.
The travel behavior of Germans has also changed: a decline in air travel and cruises can be observed; instead, individual travel and self-sufficient travel are on the rise. Over half of Germans want to switch off on vacation and are looking for ways to make their trips socially acceptable. Ecological aspects are important for almost half of those surveyed, which shows that there is a growing awareness of sustainability in the tourism sector.
Digital trends are also driving the industry forward. Travel booking is increasingly taking place online, and artificial intelligence is increasingly being used for recommendations. Around 30% of Germans can imagine using AI to help plan vacations, while 31% reject it. Social media such as Instagram and TikTok have also established themselves as an important source of inspiration.
The development of tourism in the coming years will be shaped by these trends. The industry is faced with the challenge of adapting to changing guest expectations while finding innovative and sustainable solutions to meet the needs of an increasingly demanding clientele. The outlook remains mixed, but a positive trend can be seen.