“The bottom line is that one can hardly speak of a boom in tourism in Germany this year. The losses during the lockdown were too great for that, ”said Norbert Kunz, managing director of the German Tourism Association (DTV). At the moment, vacationers in particularly popular regions have to dig deeper into their pockets for overnight stays. Kunz speaks of price increases of up to a maximum of 10 percent.
Summer holidays in Germany are booming: these regions are particularly popular right now
According to his information, the North and Baltic Seas and the foothills of the Alps are particularly in demand. On the coast in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, around 80 percent of the accommodations are fully booked in July and August. "But even boom regions will not be able to match the results of 2019 this year," said Kunz of the German press agency. This is also due to the fact that hotels, guesthouses or campsites, but especially the catering trade, cannot fully utilize their capacities due to the corona-related distance rules.
Vacationers are drawn to Bavaria and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania …
In addition, in many regions there are almost no foreign guests. This will not be compensated by vacationers from within Germany, said Kunz. According to a survey by the Society for Consumer Research (GfK), 29 percent of people in Germany are no longer planning a vacation this year.
The majority of those willing to vacation are drawn to German destinations with Bavaria and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania at the top. 17 percent of all respondents wanted to set off for other European countries.
… but regions such as the Thuringian Forest, Sauerland, Eifel, Taunus, Brandenburg Lake District and Harz also benefit
According to Kunz, regions such as the Thuringian Forest, the Sauerland, the Eifel, the Taunus, the Brandenburg Lake District and the Harz also benefit from the holiday trend in Germany. For example, accommodations in the Harz region report a sharp increase in booking numbers in June and July. "There is a strong trend towards nature," said Kunz, describing the development.
"One fifth of all tourist businesses are fighting for survival and are still dependent on state aid"
From the point of view of the association, there can be no talk of relaxation for the industry, which has been hard hit by the Corona crisis. "A fifth of all tourism businesses are fighting for survival, they are still dependent on state aid," reported the managing director of the tourism association. The short-time work allowance must be extended.
It is currently available for up to 12 months. In addition, the obligation to file for insolvency should remain suspended beyond the end of September.
Since mid-March, there has been an overnight stay ban for private travelers in Germany due to the corona pandemic. The ban was lifted between mid and late May, depending on the federal state.
Read here: Live ticker on the corona pandemic