Germany’s travel and tourism industry is experiencing a much slower rebound than other key European destinations, according to newly released data from the World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) 2024 Economic Impact Research (EIR). Domestic tourism is currently “propping up” the sector, while international travel spend remains below pre-pandemic levels.
The WTTC data indicates that the sector’s contribution to Germany’s GDP in 2023 amounted to slightly more than €453 billion ($491 billion), which is €13.5 billion (about $14.6 billion) below 2019 levels. Employment in travel and tourism grew by about 5% to reach 6.18 million. However, this figure is nearly 250,000 less than the 2019 employment levels.
International visitor spending in 2023 remained more than 25% behind 2019, with €14 billion ($15 billion) less being spent. In contrast, domestic tourism has shown significant growth. Domestic visitor spending fully recovered in 2023, exceeding the 2019 level by €2.9 billion ($3.15 billion). The WTTC highlighted this trend as evidence that domestic visitors have led the sector’s path toward post-pandemic recovery.
Julia Simpson, WTTC president & CEO, told Travel Pulse, “While Germany’s travel and tourism sector has shown signs of resilience, there is a long way to go, and the recent increase of airline passenger taxes will undoubtedly hamper the recovery.” She emphasized the importance of the German government collaborating with travel and tourism businesses to stimulate the return of international visitors, which she identified as an important driver of the economy.
The current year presents a mixed outlook for Germany’s travel and tourism industry. Although the sector’s overall GDP contribution is projected to recover in 2024, the recovery will not be uniform across the industry. Jobs and international visitor spending are expected to remain below 2019 levels.
The WTTC forecasts that Germany’s travel and tourism industry will contribute almost €469 billion ($508 billion) to the German economy in 2024, marking a modest increase of just 0.5% from 2019. Employment levels are expected to increase by 160,000 this year, but this is still 80,000 below pre-pandemic highs.
International visitor spending in Germany will continue to lag substantially this year. The WTTC predicts it will remain almost 10% behind 2019 levels, with a deficit of €5.1 billion ($5.5 billion). However, domestic visitor spending is projected to continue growing modestly, with a 1.2% increase to reach almost €411 billion ($445 billion).
