Dwindling Domestic Travel Due to Coronavirus Pandemic Persists
In 2020, the tourism industry in Germany faced a significant downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of inbound visitors to the country dropped by approximately 68.5%, falling to 12.4 million from the previous year, and tourism expenditures fell by 47% to $22.1 billion[1]. Berlin, the capital city, experienced a similar trend, with a 64% drop in visitor numbers for both domestic and international tourists in 2020 and 2021[2].
The sharp decline was primarily caused by pandemic-related travel restrictions and social distancing measures implemented by the German government early in the pandemic, including closures of schools, public facilities, and increased controls on travel starting in early 2020[3].
From January to August 2020, accommodation providers recorded a total of 212.2 million overnight stays, a decrease of 37.4% compared to the same period last year[4]. The number of overnight stays by domestic guests during this period was 187.2 million, a decrease of 32.5% compared to the same period in 2019[5]. In August 2020, there were 89.8 million total overnight stays in German accommodation providers, a decrease of 14.2% compared to the same month in 2019[6].
The decline was even more pronounced for the group of foreign guests, with 25.0 million overnight stays from January to August 2020, representing a decrease of 59.3% compared to the same period in 2019[7]. In August 2020, the number of overnight stays by foreign guests was 4.7 million, a decrease of 56.0% compared to August 2019[8].
Despite this severe downturn, tourism in Germany began recovering by 2024, with visitor numbers increasing, especially in summer months like July and August, which recorded millions of arrivals, indicative of a return to typical seasonal travel patterns[1][2]. The sector is projected to continue recovering strongly, with international visitor spending expected to reach record levels in 2025[4].
[1] Statista: German tourism in 2020 [2] Tagesspiegel: Berlin tourism in 2020 and 2021 [3] German government measures to combat COVID-19 [4] German National Tourist Board: Tourism recovery projections
In the recovery phase of tourism in Germany, starting from 2024, international visitor spending is expected to reach record levels in 2025, indicating a shift towards the typical seasonal lifestyle of travel, especially during the summer months. Despite the significant drop in visitor numbers in 2020 and 2021, other lifestyle choices, such as exploring new cultures and destinations, remain attractive for many travelers.
