Germany has touched almost 88% of its pre-pandemic travel and tourism levels in 2023. As per data, the number of overnight stays in the country by international tourists in 2023 was 80.9 million. This is a significant surge in the sector for Germany, especially seeing how the number of visitors in 2022 was around 68.1 million. So, what is fuelling this tourism growth in Germany? Well, there are several reasons and you can scroll on to know more about it!
Germany’s New Visa-Free Policy For 26 Schengen Countries
To begin with, Germany’s growth in the tourism sector can be attributed to its new visa-free policy for 26 Schengen countries. As per a report in Travel And Tour World, in 2023, Germany emerged as the second most popular European destination in the world. Their data shows that with 5,38,00,000 trips, the surge of tourism in the nation is quite noticeable.
They further went on to reveal that overnight stays from international visitors in 2023 were around 80.9 million in Germany. This is quite a substantial increase from the 68.1 million that the country saw in 2022. With these numbers, Germany has been able to reach 88% of its pre-pandemic travel and tourism levels in 2023. Confirming this resurgence, another data from ForwardKeys shows Frankfurt Airport saw about 55,00,000 travellers in May 2024. This meant that Germany reached 88% of the 2019 passenger levels.
As per Travel And Tour World’s report, business travel is the biggest contributor to Germany’s tourism recovery. In 2023, the country saw a 21% surge in business trips and a 59% increase in holiday trips by Europeans. Data further suggests that Germany hosted around 183.3 million tourist arrivals in travel accommodations in 2023!
The 26 Schengen countries that can travel to Germany without a visa are Hungary, Denmark, Sweden, Latvia, Austria, Belgium, Spain, Luxembourg, Estonia, Norway, Lithuania, Portugal, Croatia, Czech Republic, Finland, Greece, Poland, Malta, Switzerland, Slovenia, France, Liechtenstein, Slovakia, Iceland, the Netherlands, and Italy.
Also Read: With Indian Travellers Flocking To Germany, 7 Unforgettable Experiences Waiting To Be Discovered!
How Lufthansa Helped In Germany’s Tourism Resurgence
Another reason for Germany’s tourism growth is Lufthansa. Yes, it turns out that Germany’s flagship airline’s extensive network of regional and international flights has helped the country revive its tourism sector. As per data shared by Travel And Tour World, Lufthansa transported almost 122.5 million passengers in 2023. This was a massive surge from the 101.8 million tourists it transported in 2022. The airline is further expanding its fleet and has acquired 24 new aircraft. This includes three Boeing 787-9s, two Airbus A350-900s, seven Airbus A321neos, eleven A320neos, and one Boeing 777F.
The revival of its tourism sector has also helped Germany’s overall economic recovery. As per reports, there has also been a 32.6% increase in overnight stays from Indian tourists in Germany in 2023. There were about 826,703 trips by Indians there last year.
It is great to see how Germany is working to increase tourism and travel in the country. Let us know your two cents on this in the comments.
Cover Image Courtesy: Canva (representative image)
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