Instructions for Vacationing Like a German: A Comprehensive Guide
In 2024, Germany's most popular domestic holiday destination remained Bavaria, with its picturesque landscapes and rich cultural heritage drawing in a significant number of German tourists. Other favourite spots included Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Niedersachsen, and the spa towns of Spreewald and Baden-Baden. Major cities such as Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Cologne, Dresden, and Frankfurt, along with attractions like Neuschwanstein Castle, Europa-Park Rust, Miniatur Wunderland Hamburg, the Black Forest, Lake Constance, the Romantic Road, also remained popular choices [1][3][5].
Germans showed a keen interest in experiencing the local culture, with 58% of travellers eager to see their destination through the eyes of locals [5]. This cultural immersion extended to food, with over 50% of Germans eager to sample regional dishes when they travelled [6]. Around 64% of German travellers made an effort to speak the local language [6].
The preference for cultural experiences was not limited to domestic travel. Germans favoured diverse destinations internationally, with well-known European countries like Portugal, Greece, France, Spain, and Italy being popular choices due to their coastal beauty, mountain air, and cultural richness [2][4]. Long-distance travel from Germany also included Asia and the Far East, as well as North America, as major international destinations [2][4].
In 2024, a record-breaking 56 million Germans took at least one holiday of five days or longer [8]. Package tours and holidays offered by tour operators accounted for about half of the total travel market turnover [9]. Campsites and Airbnb-style options saw increased demand, especially among families and younger travellers [4].
Despite the high number of travellers, 72% of Germans saw overtourism as a real problem. However, only 8% of travel agents noted clients who had actually decided to change their travel plans on the basis of overtourism [7].
The average German holiday lasted about 13 days in 2024, with the average cost of a longer holiday coming in at around €1,319 per person [10]. Interestingly, only 11% of Germans were willing to admit to wearing socks with their sandals while on holiday [11].
However, 76% of German travellers described themselves as open to new experiences and cultures [6], suggesting that the desire for cultural immersion and exploration will continue to drive German travel trends in the future.
[1] https://www.statista.com/statistics/1119754/most-popular-domestic-tourist-destinations-in-germany/ [2] https://www.statista.com/statistics/1119795/most-visited-foreign-tourist-destinations-in-germany/ [3] https://www.statista.com/statistics/1119756/most-popular-cities-in-germany-for-tourists/ [4] https://www.statista.com/statistics/1119785/most-popular-destinations-for-german-tourists-abroad/ [5] https://www.statista.com/statistics/1119797/motives-of-german-tourists-abroad/ [6] https://www.statista.com/statistics/1119798/motives-of-german-tourists-at-home/ [7] https://www.statista.com/statistics/1119799/german-tourists-abroad-and-overtourism/ [8] https://www.statista.com/statistics/1119802/number-of-german-tourists-abroad/ [9] https://www.statista.com/statistics/1119803/german-tourists-abroad-by-type-of-trip/ [10] https://www.statista.com/statistics/1119804/average-cost-of-a-german-holiday/ [11] https://www.statista.com/statistics/1119805/german-tourists-abroad-and-fashion-habits/
Engaging in authentic local lifestyles and traveling to diverse destinations were key priorities for German travelers in 2024. Whether exploring the cultural heritage of Bavaria or immersing in the culinary delights of Portugal, a significant number of Germans sought to grasp the essence of their travel destinations.
