The US confirmed as a high-potential growth market for German inbound tourism

Frankfurt am Main, 22 September 2026 – The USA continues to offer considerable potential for German inbound tourism, according to a recent exclusive study by the market research institute Appinio, commissioned by the German National Tourist Board (GNTB). The study shows that Germany is among the preferred destinations for US travellers: 58 percent of travel-minded respondents have already visited Germany at least once, and 38 percent can imagine visiting Germany in the future, even though they have not yet been there.

Petra Hedorfer, CEO of the GNTB, explains: “Demand amongst US travellers to visit Germany remains high: whilst our market study clearly shows that travellers from the US have become more cost-conscious due to the economic circumstances. Nevertheless, tourist arrivals from the US remained stable at the previous year’s level from January to July. The US clearly maintains its position as the most important overseas market for German inbound tourism. This result reflects the success of our ongoing market development efforts and demonstrates the appeal of the Travel Destination Germany brand.

An AI-powered forecast by the GNTB predicts that tourist arrivals from the US to Germany could rise by 0.5 percent to 3.17 million this year.

Germany’s excellent reputation as a tourist destination in the USA

Around 83 percent of US travellers rate Germany as an attractive destination, 82 percent say the country offers a wide variety of tourist attractions, and 81 percent perceive Germany as a safe destination and as a hospitable country with a high level of warmth and welcoming culture. Furthermore, 77 percent of those surveyed consider Germany to be easily accessible, and 75 percent say the destination offers good value for money.

Generally speaking, for travellers to the US, cuisine, architecture, regional traditions and cultural heritage – each mentioned by over 90 percent of respondents – are among the most important factors influencing their choice of destination. There is a significant overlap with perceptions of Germany: almost half of those surveyed associate Germany with these tourist attractions.

USA leads visitor spending in Germany

For tourism businesses in Germany, the US market – set to become the second-largest source market for Germany as a travel destination by 2025, with almost seven million overnight stays – promises high added value. More than 60 percent of Americans travelling to Germany fall into the ‘Upscale Comfort’ or ‘Premium Luxury’ segments. These travellers spend above average on high-quality accommodation and special travel experiences. According to estimates based on analyses of Visa credit card data (VisaVue® Travel) from June 2026, visitors from the USA generate the highest levels of consumer spending in Germany as a destination.

Exchange with leading figures from the US travel industry at the GNTB-Industry Day in Lindau

Organised specifically for leading representatives of the US travel industry, the GNTB is hosting the US Advisory Board’s Industry Day on 29 September – this year in Lindau on Lake Constance. Together with its partners, the GNTB will provide decision-makers from international tour operators, travel agencies and travel platforms with information on the latest offerings in German tourism. At the same time, the GNTB event offers participants the opportunity to exchange views with senior management from the US travel industry on trends and developments in the US market. The keynote speaker is Brennen Bliss, CEO of the digital marketing agency Propellic, who will speak on the topic ‘The New Playbook for Travel Marketing in an AI World’. The rest of the programme includes market insights, presentations and panel discussions featuring the US travel association USTOA, various tour operators and travel agency owners – including Tauck, Exeter International, Globus Family of Brands and Kuoni Tumlare – the travel platform TripAdvisor, and mobility experts Lufthansa Group and Rail Europe.