Many German tourists skipped vacations abroad over the past two years — but this changed in the summer of 2022. What does this mean for the domestic tourism industry?
Germans went abroad once again in the summer of 2022Image: Clara Margais/dpa/picture alliance
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Why traveling in summer 2022 was chaotic
From never-ending lines at airports to crowded trains, drought and wildfires in vacation areas, travel in the summer of 2022 was fraught with challenges. Here's a recap of the travel season.
Image: Frank bründel/rtn/picture alliance
Cheap train tickets come at a cost
To ease the burden on citizens and make train travel more attractive, the German government initiated the 9-Euro-Ticket. In June, July and August, anyone could use regional buses and trains throughout Germany for just €9 ($9) a month. Over 52 million tickets were sold and crowded trains with plenty of delays were the result. But there's a silver lining: The cheap ticket will be back!
Image: Frank bründel/rtn/picture alliance
Airport chaos
Anyone intent on having a vacation in Europe had to be stress-resistant this summer. Since most airlines and airports cut staff massively during the pandemic period, chaos broke out when the summer travel rush began. Travelers had to wait hours at check-in and security checkpoints, like here at Düsseldorf Airport. Many flights were also canceled.
Image: Kadir Ilboga/AA/picture alliance
Ready to relax on crowded beaches?
After two years with few tourists, many popular vacation spots were ill-prepared to deal with the onslaught of travelers. Plans to avoid overcrowding which were carefully prepared during the last two years fell to the wayside as even lesser-known vacation spots filled with travelers, like here on the beach of Cala Pi on the Spanish island of Mallorca.
Image: Clara Margais/dpa/picture alliance
The beach in front, a wildfire behind
Due to the very hot and dry weather this summer in many parts of Europe, large forest fires broke out all over the continent, including at southern French seaside resort of Pyla sur Mer (pictured). Although the sky is black with smoke, tourists continued to swim peacefully.
Image: Thibaud Moritz/AFP/dpa/picture alliance
More boats than water
In some parts of Europe, such as Lac de Sainte-Croix reservoir in southern France (pictured) water levels were extremely low. The sun, heat and lack of precipitation created a drought that the French Prime Minister called the worst ever recorded in France. Yet a vacation is still a vacation, and canoeists and standup paddlers made the most of it.
Image: Jan Woitas/dpa/picture alliance
Hello again, tourists
Crowded streets and squares, lots of noise, garbage and high rents — there were many reasons the inhabitants of Barcelona were fed up with mass tourism. With the onset of the pandemic, the city was able to recover, since only a fraction of the tourists came. This summer, however, the masses were back, and with them the problems. The city has now established some new rules for tourists.
Image: Marc Asensio/NurPhoto/picture alliance
New rules for tour groups
At the end of July 2022, Barcelona limited tour groups to a maximum of 30 people within the city and 15 people in the old town. In addition, groups of more than 15 people are no longer allowed to shop in certain markets. Also, tourist groups may now only stand in certain squares, and tour guides are prohibited from using megaphones.
Image: Marc Asensio/NurPhoto/picture alliance
Finding the balance
In recent years, the inhabitants of Venice suffered greatly from overtourism. 2020 and 2021 were the exception, as the COVID-19 pandemic meant fewer tourists, particularly those from outside of Europe with whom Venice is especially popular. But not everyone was happy with this extreme drop in tourists. Sales were down by 80% in some locations and many businesses had to close.
Image: Andrea Merola/IMAGO
A solution to overtourism in Venice
Although only 50,000 people live in the historical center of Venice, before the pandemic, up to 33 million tourists came each year — that's 90,000 per day. The overwhelmed city devised a plan which requires tourists visiting Venice for the day to pay an entry fee of €3-10 ($3-$10) per day, depending on the season. It comes into effect as of January 2023. Will it work?
Image: Andrea Merola/IMAGO
Travel at any cost
Yet paying a fee to enter a city may not stop tourists, since rising prices didn't seem to be an obstacle to traveling this summer. The cost of taking a vacation was especially high due to rising inflation, rising food prices, and the increasing cost of energy and gasoline. Fuel used for airplanes is also on the rise, yet nevertheless, vacation-hungry people eagerly booked flights and hotels.
Image: Micha Korb/picture alliance
The revenge of the pandemic
"Revenge travel" is a term that was coined to describe the fact that many people were eager to travel abroad after two difficult pandemic years, despite the flight chaos, high inflation, and other challenges. It was almost as if travel in the summer of 2022 was taking revenge on the coronavirus dampening travel plans in previous years. The Acropolis in Athens remained a popular destination.
Although German cities lack the tourist crowds of Barcelona and Venice, plenty of tourists still came to Germany this summer. Not only was it the sunniest summer ever, with 817 hours of sunshine, the €9 ($9) train ticket available in June, July and August was another draw. Tourists took advantage of both and headed to popular spots like the Bastei Bridge in Saxon Switzerland (pictured).
Image: Robert Michael/dpa/picture alliance
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The island of Usedom in northern Germany was not quite as popular this summer as it was the two previous years. Nevertheless, those working on the Baltic Sea island were not altogether displeased by the number of bookings this season. The number of reservations was only about 20% below those of the previous two years, says Michael Raffelt, founder of the Hotel Hanse-Kogge in the municipality of Koserow and chairman of the Usedom Island Hotel Association. "It hasn't been a bad summer either," he says. Due to the pandemic, the previous two summer seasons saw an unusually large number of Germans spending their vacations on the Baltic Sea instead of traveling abroad. "Now we have to get used to fighting for every guest again," says Raffelt.
The number of tourists on Usedom approached pre-pandemic levels in 2022Image: Stefan Sauer/picture alliance/dpa
Traveling outside Germany again
Traditionally, about two thirds of Germans spend their vacations outside of Germany. Yet the pandemic changed this, as COVID-19 health and safety measures made international trips more difficult. This summer, however, many German holidaymakers eagerly headed abroad. Package trips to destinations in the Mediterranean were especially popular, according to the German Travel Association. The island of Mallorca, Spain, along with Greece and Turkey were in particularly high demand. Bookings even surpassed those of 2019, before the pandemic.
The Spanish island of Mallorca was one of the most sought-after destinations for German tourists this summerImage: Clara Margais/picture alliance/dpa
Tour operator Dertour observed a similar trends. After two years without vacations abroad, many German travelers seemed willing to spend a bit more than in pre-pandemic years. According to Dertour's recently published figures, spending on hotels outside of Germany rose by some 51%. Many travelers booked high-end hotels and stayed one day longer, on average, according to the operator.
The situation in Germany is somewhat different. On Usedom, for example, Michael Raffelt has noticed a great deal of uncertainty among his guests this summer. Many bookings were made short-term, often only 14 days in advance. He feels it is partly due to rising prices in Europe. Guests want to wait to see how they develop and only then "decide if they go on vacation at all." And once they decide to take a trip, they are spending less than usual. "Many guests no longer go to the restaurant every day," he says.
Usedom – A Summer Holiday Favorite
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Hotels in crisis mode
Sales figures in the German hospitality industry remain below pre-pandemic levels, according to the German Hotel and Restaurant Association (DEHOGA). The situation is "extremely challenging" because the industry is simultaneously "confronted with exponential costs in the areas of energy, food and personnel," says DEHOGA head Guido Zöllick.
Additionally, more than 60% of hospitality businesses were still looking for staff at the start of the season in June. "Because there is a shortage of staff, companies are reducing their opening hours and scrapping events," says Zöllick. Yet despite the challenges, business picked up once COVID-related regulations were dropped in May.
Staff shortages remain one of the major problems in the hospitality industryImage: Stefan Sauer/picture alliance/dpa
This positive trend is also confirmed by the Ministry of Tourism of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The region in Germany's northeast had a successful summer tourism season. The utilization of all tourist capacities was 87% in July and 80% in August. Schleswig-Holstein, in turn, reported a 4.4% increase in overnight stays in the first half of the year compared to the same period in 2019. The North Sea Tourism Association, meanwhile, expects summer numbers to be about the same as before the pandemic. However, guests have recently become "more price-sensitive" and have shown more restraint when it comes to paying for leisure activities and gastronomy, says the organization.
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Low water levels and camping success
Daniel Thiriet of IG RiverCruise, an industry group, also saw numerous challenges to his sector this summer. A prolonged drought led to low water levels in many places and made river cruising more difficult. Although there were only a few cancellations and complete route closures, companies had to go to great lengths to maintain operations. On Germany's Rhine river, for example, ships could no longer operate in some places, so passengers had to be transported by bus in certain sections.
Low water levels made it difficult for boat cruises on the Rhine to take place this summerImage: Goldmann/picture alliance
One of Germany's travel sectors that grew during the pandemic is camping. In the first half of the year, Germany's campsites set a new record. According to the Federal Association of the Camping Economy in Germany (BVCD), the number of overnight stays rose by 11% to 14.2 million, compared to the same period in 2019. Yet, the joy may be short-lived. "In view of the uncertain forecasts and current burdens on consumers, we are looking ahead to the fall with subdued expectations," says BVCD head Christian Günther.
Germany's most beautiful campsites
Rising temperatures and longer days make for ideal camping conditions. Here are our 10 favorite German campsites, from north to south.
Image: Marc Gilsdorf
Baltic coast
Summer, sun, sand and sea ― what more could you want? Well, ideally, a place to stay near the coast. Campingpark Kühlungsborn offers just that and is located on a 12-hectare (30-acre) nature reserve by the Baltic Sea. Here you'll find sunny and shaded sites, some only 50 meters (55 yards) from the beach. Plus, the seaside resort of Kühlungsborn is nearby.
Image: (c) Campingpark Kühlungsborn GmbH
Fehmarn Island
Wulfener Hals is also located close to the sea, on the island of Fehmarn, between Burger Binnensee and the Baltic Sea. It's a paradise for surfers and water sports enthusiasts. You'll find campsites, holiday apartments, hotels and restaurants here. Fehmarn is Germany's third-largest island, with sandy beaches, small villages and an average 2,000 hours of sunshine per year.
Image: Andreas Sewald
Mecklenburg Lake District
Let's continue south, to the Mecklenburg Lake District. Here you'll find the Havelberge campsite on Woblitzsee lake, featuring a beach and large lawn for sunbathing. This place is perfect for a relaxed holiday. You can chill out by the lake, or rent canoes, kayaks, motorboats and even dragon boats.
Image: H. Blossey/blickwinkel/picture alliance
Saxon Switzerland
You'll find the impressive LuxOase campsite in Saxon Switzerland, western Germany, making it ideal for exploring the region's stunning rock formations. If you fancy staying on-site, you won't get bored, either, as LuxOase offers sports and spa facilities, including a sauna. Children can enjoy the campsite playgrounds. There is also a golf course nearby.
Image: Soeren Stache/dpa/picture-alliance
Lüneburg Heath
You will find Südsee-Camp in the middle of spacious Lüneburg Heath, much of which is a nature reserve. The campsite is near Wietzendorf, on a lake with a sandy beach, making it perfect for long and short stays alike. Amusement parks like Heide-Park Soltau or Serengeti-Park are also easy to reach from here.
Image: Liane Matrisch/Zoonar/picture alliance
Mosel River
The Mosel River flows through a picturesque part of western Germany, passing vineyards, quaint villages and numerous castles. You’ll find Sonnenwerth campsite right here, on an island in the middle of the river, near the village of Hatzenport. The views are nothing short of sensational.
Image: Jochen Tack /picture alliance
Black Forest
Five-star Münstertal campground nestles amid the meadows of southern Germany's Black Forest. It boasts a swimming pool, sauna facilities and sports grounds. The Black Forest itself is a popular spot for skiing and summer hiking. If you just feel like chilling out, the mountain panorama from Münstertal campground is quite spectacular, too.
Image: Rolasnd Krieg Fotodesign
Bavaria
Moving on, we reach Strandcamping Waging am See in Bavaria. There are plenty of things to do here. You can swim, play sports, enjoy the spa facilities and even catch a movie at the open-air cinema. In the surrounding area, Herrenchiemsee Castle, Salzburg and other destinations make for fantastic day trips.
Image: Wolfgang Weinhäupl/Imagebroker/picture alliance
Allgäu region
Bannwaldsee campsite, in southern Germany's mountainous Allgäu region, sits on a gorgeous lake. That means it's ideal for nature lovers who get a kick out of hiking, swimming and the like. What's more, the campsite is just a few kilometers from the famous Neuschwanstein Castle.
Image: ARW Design, Alexander Rauch
The Alps
The camping resort Zugspitze is located in the very south of Germany. You'll find it at the foot of Zugspitze, which, at 2,962 meters (9,717.8 feet), is the country's tallest mountain. Here you can go hiking, mountaineering and cycling. If you come without a tent or caravan, you can also spend a night in Bavarian mountain huts.
Image: Marc Gilsdorf
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What's in store with the energy crisis
Back on the island of Usedom, Michael Raffelt is also concerned about the future. "We have so many overlapping problems at the moment, it's scary," he says. He is especially worried about the projected high energy costs — some hotels on Usedom have already had their energy contracts terminated by suppliers. It remains to be seen what new conditions — and energy prices — will be. Raffelt does not expect anything positive. "After all, we are not an industry that can pass on all costs to customers," he says. Otherwise, this would be directly reflected in booking figures.
