Germans are spending their holidays locally amid a decline in foreign visitors.
Germany has set a new record in the number of tourist overnight stays, despite a noticeable decline in the number of visitors coming from abroad. According to data from the Federal Statistical Office, hotels and other large accommodations recorded 223.3 million overnight stays in the first half of the year, an increase of 0.1 percent compared to the previous record set in 2024. This growth is mainly attributed to the strength of domestic tourism, which was boosted by the late Whitsun holiday.
The number of foreign guests declined significantly in June, dropping by 12.7 percent compared to the same month last year. Statisticians attribute this to the exceptionally high numbers in 2024, when Germany hosted the UEFA European Championship, attracting fans from around the world.
However, domestic travel compensated more than the gap caused by the decline in foreign visitors. The number of overnight stays by residents of Germany increased by 7.4 percent in June, largely driven by the extended Pentecost holiday, which encouraged many to spend their vacations within the country.
In total, guests spent 50.5 million nights in June in hotels, guesthouses, holiday homes, campsites, and other tourist accommodations that have at least ten beds or ten parking spaces. This represents an increase of 3.8 percent compared to June 2024, confirming the continued strong demand for leisure and business trips within Germany.
These figures reflect a continuous shift towards domestic tourism, as German travelers prefer to explore destinations within the country rather than traveling abroad, which helps sustain the hospitality sector even with fluctuations in the number of international visitors.