Half-year results: Positive international demand strengthens Germany as a tourism destination in a volatile market environment

Frankfurt am Main, 11 August 2026 – Germany’s inbound tourism sector recorded gains in the first six months of 2026 despite challenging market conditions. According to provisional figures from the Federal Statistical Office, the number of international overnight stays in Germany rose by 1.6 per cent in June compared with June 2025. Cumulatively, 36.4 million international overnight stays were recorded in the first half of 2026, an increase of 0.5 per cent year on year. According to analyses by MKG International, hotel occupancy in Germany also improved by 1.2 per cent to 65.5 per cent in the first half of the year. The German National Tourist Board (GNTB) believes that further growth is possible in the second half of the year.

Petra Hedorfer, CEO of the GNTB, comments: “Robust demand from international markets largely offset the economic impact of the conflict in the Middle East in the first half of 2026 – including higher aviation fuel and petrol prices as well as a three per cent year-on-year decline in air capacity to Germany (Jan.–June 2025/26). According to the Federal Statistical Office, international arrivals up to the end of May were even 1.8 per cent above the previous year’s level. At the same time, the findings of our GNTB Travel Industry Expert Panel confirm a trend towards more safety-conscious, shorter-term booking decisions and destinations closer to home. Germany can benefit from this during the current summer season thanks to its central location, attractive value for money and perception as a safe travel destination.”

Outlook for the second half of 2026

According to a preliminary evaluation of the latest GNTB Travel Industry Expert Panel, the travel industry is showing an optimistic outlook for the third quarter. Accordingly, 46 per cent of decision-makers in the international travel industry currently rate their Germany business positively – an increase of 21 per cent compared with the previous quarter. Looking ahead, 53 per cent have a positive assessment of how their business situation will develop over the next six months.

This is also confirmed by the latest ETC Monitoring Sentiment for Intra-European Travel (May 2026): the proportion of Europeans planning to travel between June and November has risen by four percentage points year on year to 81 per cent.