Why Are Tourists Skipping Berlin? Numbers Drop Again
Berlin has recorded fewer overnight stays than last year, failing to reach the 30 million mark and falling short of pre-pandemic peaks. In 2024, the city logged 29.4 million overnight stays from 12.4 million visitors, down from 30.6 million overnight stays by 12.7 million guests in 2023. The high point remains 2019, when nearly 14 million tourists generated over 34 million overnight stays.
Visit Berlin CEO Burkhard Kieker and Senator for Economic Affairs Franziska Giffey are encouraging optimism despite the decline. Giffey highlights that Berlin remains among Europe’s top five destinations and emphasizes the potential of trade fairs, congresses, and events to attract more visitors. Plans for the city’s 800th anniversary in 2037 are already being considered to create a strong tourism program.
Most visitors still come from within Germany, accounting for 58.9 percent of overnight stays. The United States and Great Britain follow with around 1.28 million and 1.27 million stays, respectively, while the Netherlands recorded a significant drop of over 15 percent. Conversely, Berlin saw growth from Turkey, China, and Israel, with increases ranging from 8.5 to 14.4 percent in overnight stays.
Kieker points to Lufthansa’s flight network as a key issue. While the airline brings many tourists to Munich, long-haul flights from Berlin are limited, leaving the city at a disadvantage compared to West Germany. Only four or five long-haul departures operate daily from Berlin Brandenburg Airport, compared to hundreds in western hubs.
Giffey also calls for improvements in air traffic infrastructure to better serve the Berlin-Brandenburg metropolitan region, eastern Germany, and western Poland. Despite Berlin’s strong domestic tourism and event offerings, international connectivity and airline accessibility remain critical factors influencing visitor numbers and the city’s ability to compete with other European capitals.