As inflation gradually stabilises, the number of German travellers tends to increase. The German holiday booking market volume can be expected to grow in 2024, contributing to overall value growth.
Germany Holiday Booking Market – Current Landscape
While younger generations remain most engaged in travelling, Younger Millennial travellers are transitioning into parenthood, meaning that travel brands can explore new family travel trends like camping or wellness trips to appeal to them.
Slowing inflation gives affluent Germans more money to spend on luxurious trips and frequent holidays. Even less-affluent Germans are increasingly planning to travel despite limited holiday budgets due to the ongoing tough economic outlook, pushing travel brands to continue to engage them with affordable choices.
Younger generations, such as Gen Z, have adjusted to holiday price rises in recent years by focusing on their main holiday. With slower price hikes, they are shifting to multiple, cheaper trips. Brands in the Germany holiday booking market can benefit by encouraging frequent travel and exploration of various destinations.
With AI on the rise, travel brands need to prepare for a growing demand for personalised AI support, while maintaining diverse booking channels to cater to different traveller segments.
Germany Holiday Booking Behaviours – Statistics
- Germany holiday market opportunities: 95% of Younger Millennials plans to take a main holiday in the 12 months following June 2024
- German holiday market challenge: 28% of Gen Z and 34% of Younger Millennial travellers expect to spend less on their main holiday in the 12 months after June 2024.
- Germany holiday market opportunities: Generative AI adoption is rapidly increasing, with 24% of Germans using generative AI by May 2024.
Germany Holiday Planning and Booking Market Report – What’s Inside?
Key Topics Analysed in the Report
- The short-, medium- and long-term impact of inflation on holiday planning and booking.
- Participation in main holidays and main holiday spending, with a focus on most engaged demographics, such as younger generations and families.
- Traveller typology based on attitudes towards holiday planning and booking.
- Germans’ preferred main holiday destinations and main holiday types, exploring an increasing demand in domestic holidays.
- Planning and booking responsibilities, and how brands can help consumers plan holidays together.
- Preferred holiday booking methods and the influence of AI on holiday planning and booking.
Report Scope
For the holiday market, International tourism, departures + % of HHs earning > US$50,000 p.a. + Consumer expenditure: hotels & restaurants (€) + Consumer prices (% change pa; av) were used to produce the central forecast for the market value. International tourism, arrivals + International tourism, expenditure (€) were used to produce the central forecast for the market volume.
Meet the Expert Behind the Analysis
Silvia explores and writes about German consumer and market trends on the topics of Travel & Leisure. Before joining Mintel, she worked in sports administration and tourism consulting. With her academic background in the field of tourism management and sports and health sciences, she adds significant knowledge of scientific research to her reports.
With easing inflation, brands can benefit from rising traveller numbers by catering to different traveller segments. Traditionalists need human support, while Perfection Seekers are keen on using AI tools.
Silvia Hondt
Senior Research Analyst
Collapse All
-
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- The five-year outlook for holidays
- Market context
- Inflation dynamics influence German travel behaviours
- Sustainability as a driving force in the travel market
- AI as a game-changer
- Mintel predicts
- Market size & forecast
- Rising prices continue to fuel value growth
- Ongoing economic recovery is expected to contribute to volume growth
- Opportunities
- Unlock family travel potential among Younger Millennials
- Elevate younger generations’ interest in domestic holidays
- Foster volume growth
- Cater to different traveller segments to embrace the future of holiday booking
-
MARKET DRIVERS
- The German economy
- 2024 remains challenging
- Graph 1: key economic data, in real terms, 2019-25
- The inflation rate is bouncing back to more conventional levels
- Inflation is still the key factor affecting consumers’ finances…
- …confidence and expenditure
- Graph 2: financial confidence index, 2022-24
- The impact of the economy on the holiday market
- Increasing number of travellers
- Graph 3: holiday booked in the last three months, 2023-24
- Price rises for international travel  slowed down…
- Graph 4: consumer price index, by travel categories, 2023-24
- …but Germans still perceive rising holiday prices
- Graph 5: higher prices for holidays faced in the last two months, 2023-24
- The financial gap among Germans is reflected in planned holiday spending
- Graph 6: expected changes in holiday spending habits in 2024 compared to 2023, by financial situation, 2024
- FTI insolvency reflects market struggles in times of multiple crises
- Regulations
- Rapid growth of short-term rentals elicit stricter regulations
- Revised Package Travel Directive is challenging travel agents
- Socio-ecological issues
- Overtourism forces travel brands to promote alternatives to popular destinations
- Eco-friendliness is an ongoing market driver
- Artificial Intelligence
- AI is on the rise…
- Graph 7: generative AI use cases in the last three months, 2024
- …but a human touch is needed
-
WHAT CONSUMERS WANT AND WHY
- Holiday participation and spending
- Engage consumers with less-healthy finances
- Adapt to the changing travelling behaviour of Younger Millennials
- Tap into growing demand for family holidays
- Decrease in main holiday spending
- Younger generations are most likely to reduce main holiday spending…
- Graph 8: changes in main holiday spending, by generation, 2024
- …but travel brands can engage them more often
- Traveller typology
- German holiday planner and booker typology
- Group 1: Traditionalists
- Graph 9: types of holiday planners and bookers, by generations, 2024
- Offer support to Traditionalists
- Group 2: Convenience and Bargain Hunters
- Graph 10: types of holiday planners and bookers, by resident parent of children aged under 16, 2024
- Demonstrate value for money to Convenience and Bargain Hunters
- Group 3: The Explorers
- Graph 11: types of holiday planners and bookers, by generations, 2024
- Offer detailed information to Explorers
- Group 4: Perfection Seekers
- Graph 12: types of holiday planners and bookers, by generations, 2024
- Offer a shortcut to customised holidays for Perfection Seekers
- Main holiday destination and main holiday type
- Domestic tourism is gaining momentum
- Graph 13: main holiday destination in the next 12 months, by generation, 2024
- Leverage younger generations’ interest in domestic destinations…
- …by touching up your image…
- …and elevating event travel
- Target Gen Z with wellness holidays abroad
- Top choice: beach resort holidays and city breaks
- Graph 14: type of main holiday, 2022
- Graph 15: type of main holiday, 2024**
- Tap into group holiday offers…
- …inspired by G Adventure promoting group family holidays pre-pandemic
- Help Perfection Seekers combine holiday types
- Planning and booking responsibilities
- Support consumers to plan their holidays together
- Graph 16: holiday planning and booking responsibilities, 2024
- Help fathers include family members in the decision process
- Holiday booking method
- Leverage older generations’ flexibility…
- Graph 17: booked main holiday for the next 12 months, by generation, 2024
- …and display them in your campaigns
- Online booking is dominating the market
- Focus on improving smartphone booking…
- …and promote smartphone booking as a one-stop shop to Perfection Seekers
- Help Explorers dive into detailed holiday preparation online
- In-person agencies: position yourself as a helping hand in the holiday offer jungle…
- …and learn from retailers to turn in-person travel stores into experiential outlets
- Use of Artificial Intelligence for holiday planning and booking
- Tap into AI to target younger generations as early adopters
- Leverage AI to speed up the planning and booking process…
- …and be inspired by Neural Voice
- AI as a game-changer for holiday planning and booking
- Graph 18: use cases for AI in holiday planning and booking, 2024
- Show travellers how using AI can save money
- Help engaged travellers to plan travel routes…
- …and families to verify family-friendliness
- Attitudes towards holiday planning and booking
- Help travellers to consider factors beyond cost
- Graph 19: attitudes towards holiday planning and booking – NET, 2024
- Package versus independent holidays – provide the best of both worlds
- Broaden the scope of a destination
-
LAUNCH ACTIVITY AND INNOVATION
- AI as an aid to counteract labour shortage
- OpenAI’s latest launch provides a glimpse into the future of generative AI
- Airbnb takes holiday experiences to the next level…
- …by launching ‘Icons’
- Copenhagen rewards eco-friendly behaviour
- Advertising and marketing activity
- Check 24 emphasises cheap holiday deals
- Airbnb emphasises families’ needs
- Adventure as a key element in TUI’s promotion
- Booking.com becomes a one-stop-shop
- Lufthansa inspires: ‘every story starts with a yes’
-
MARKET SHARE
- Inflation and COVID-19 fuelled demand for affordable holidays abroad
- Graph 20: most popular holiday destinations, by volume share of longer trips, 2019-23*
- Southern Germany as number-one domestic destination
- Graph 21: most popular domestic destinations, by volume share of longer trips*, 2019-23
-
MARKET SIZE, SEgmentation AND FORECAST
- Market value growth is driven by rising prices
- Germans reduced their number of trips…
- …but took longer main holidays
- Graph 22: main holiday length, 1998-2023
- Record market value amid volume decline
- Germany fatigue: travellers focused on holidays abroad
- Rising prices continue to fuel value growth
- Ongoing economic recovery is expected to contribute to volume growth
- Increasing number of travellers and continous high prices will drive short-term growth
- Investments will contribute to value growth mid-term
- AI will change holiday planning and booking long term
-
APPENDIX
- Appendix – products covered, abbreviations, consumer research methodology and language usage
- Products covered in this Report
- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
- A note on language
- Appendix – market size and central forecast methodology
- Forecast methodology
- Forecast methodology – fan chart
- Market size – value
- Market size – volume
- Market forecast and prediction intervals – value
- Market forecast and prediction intervals – volume
Mintel: Market Intelligence Made Easier
The first Mintel Market Intelligence report was published over 50 years ago. Since then, we have provided our unique insights and understanding of consumers, innovation and global markets to thousands of customers worldwide. Here’s why our customers rely on Mintel:
- Gain a comprehensive, 360-degree view of the market: Mintel reports blend consumer research, market forecasts, product innovation tracking, and competitive analysis, allowing businesses to see every angle of their industry and identify new opportunities quickly.
- Make decisions with confidence, grounded in robust data: Each report draws on up-to-date, reliable information from trusted sources and industry experts, ensuring your strategies are based on solid evidence rather than speculation.
- Benefit from expert analysis and practical recommendations: Mintel’s reports are written by experienced analysts who interpret complex data and provide clear, actionable insights you can trust to guide your next moves.
- Stay ahead with actionable intelligence on market trends and consumer behaviour: By combining fresh research with long-term market monitoring, our reports help businesses anticipate changes and adapt strategically. So you’re prepared to make informed decisions and drive growth.
What goes into a Mintel Market Intelligence Report?
Curious about how a Market Intelligence report comes together? We like to think of it as building a detailed puzzle. We start with individual pieces: data from consumers, market statistics, industry trends, and online conversations. Then our expert analysts add world-class human insight and industry knowledge. The pieces are assembled to reveal a clear, comprehensive picture of a market.
The Four Pillars of Our Research
We use a combination of four main research methods when creating our reports, each adding a valuable perspective:
- Consumer Research: Direct surveys with real people, giving us clear, current insights into what people think and do.
- Desk Research: In-depth review of trusted data sources. We use this rich database, plus powerful internal tools that track new products and market sizes, to detect trends and guide forecasts.
- Trade Research: Insights from conversations with industry experts. Their real-world experience helps us understand what’s happening behind the scenes.
- Brand and Social Media Research: Analysis of online opinions and trends. This lets us spot trends, measure brand sentiment, and capture feedback in real time, adding further depth to our research.
For further information about our research and analysis methods, visit our helpdesk.
Bringing It All Together
Each of these four pillars provides a different piece of the puzzle. Consumer research tells us what customers think, desk research provides the factual framework, trade research offers an insider’s view, and social media analysis reveals public sentiment.
Our expert analysts are skilled in weaving these diverse data streams together. They apply a range of quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques to uncover the deeper story, connecting the dots to deliver clear, actionable insights. This comprehensive, multi-layered process is how we transform raw data into a market intelligence report you can trust to inform your most important business decisions.
For a closer look at a Mintel Market Intelligence Report, take a look at the sample PDF report below:
Please Note: All of the figures, graphs, and tables in this sample report have been redacted.
£ 2,195 (Excl.Tax)
-
Download today with instant access
Pay via credit card or purchase order
-
Multiple formats provided
We send a PDF, Powerpoint and Excel Databook straight to your inbox. An interactive version of the report is also available on our online platform
-
Interactive databook included
Focus on the data that matters most to you with a customisable databook avaliable on our platform
-
Save 10% on all orders with the code INSIGHTS2026
Offer available until the end of December only
Next Starts Here
Whatever your business needs, we have the solution. From market intelligence reports to customised growth strategies.
Learn moreTrusted by global industry leaders
We’ve found it so useful working more closely with Mintel. They helped support our recent flagship event for our top suppliers by providing a really unique viewpoint on the future of online retailing.
Nick Carroll from their Retail Team was also an excellent panelist, sharing useful and actionable consumer insights. We definitely look forward to working with Mintel again on future projects.
Zac Steele, E-Commerce Trading Development Manager, Waitrose & Partners
Mintel is really good for getting a handle on a particular category quickly. If we are working on a new business pitch in an area we don’t have much experience in, it’s a brilliant way to get up to speed with what’s going on, what’s changing and what the key trends are in any category.
It’s very rare now that anyone will plough through a 200-page report – that’s why the summaries are really useful. We know they are backed up by a lot of detail, so if you need to go into something in more depth you know the information will be all there for you.
Pauline Robson, Managing Partner, Mediacom
Working in a customer-obsessed organization means that data and insights have to be at our fingertips. Mintel’s reports help us support anecdotes with real quantifiable insights. The summary sections (which I really like) helps save time by giving a birds eye view of the content before spending time combing through the pages.
Our business review discussions are strengthened by the relevancy of the reports to help us better understand our customers. In addition, the customer service received from the team (especially in crunch periods) makes the process of understanding customer behavior even better.
Ngozi Ngonadi-Nkwoji, Senior Marketing Manager, Amazon
We utilize Mintel Reports, Trends and Comperemedia to mine for insights across the numerous business verticals that Epsilon serves, such as CPG, automotive, telecom, healthcare/pharma, retail and financial services.
By integrating Mintel insight into new business opportunities, we have been able to gain the competitive edge necessary to advance partnerships with global brands and key business players.
For our organization, it’s about depth and breadth. Having one without the other doesn’t enable success in our business.
Virginia Harvey, Secondary Research Manager, Epsilon
One of the biggest challenges we face is the need to get smart on a business or category real quick.
We are talking to clients who live and breathe their category every day and the expectation is that we will be able to get caught up very quickly, and bring the thinking that can help them.
We need to do that often in a matter of days, so it’s not a small ask. Mintel gives us a very articulate view of category conditions and does so at the speed we need it.
Jeff White, Business Development Director, Deutsch
Next Starts Here
Whatever your business needs, we have the solution. From market intelligence reports to customised growth strategies.
Learn more
