Market Update - 05.11.2026

CURRENT MAJOR TOPICS WITHIN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY IN THE DACH REGION

German Travellers Choose Regional Destinations for Autumn Holidays: Travel activity among German travellers increased by 13.9 percent in the first two weeks of October compared with the previous year, but long haul destinations lost ground. According to eSIM provider Airalo, travel to Japan declined by 15 percent, Sri Lanka by 20.4 percent and Thailand by 9.8 percent. Instead, demand shifted towards nearby destinations and spontaneous cross border trips in Europe and North Africa. The Balkans recorded particularly strong growth, with Montenegro up 76.5 percent, Kosovo 77.4 percent and North Macedonia 72.2 percent. Turkey also gained popularity, with a 35.8 percent increase, while Egypt and Morocco each saw growth of around 64 percent. The figures suggest that German travellers increasingly favour shorter journeys, flexible itineraries and opportunities to extend the summer without long travel times or jet lag. Read more.

Winter Holiday Bookings Decline as Cruises Continue to Grow: According to the latest Travel Data and Analytics (TDA) figures, bookings for the 2026/27 winter season were down by the end of September. Cumulative sales in travel agencies fell by 3 percent and online travel sales by 2 percent, with November and December particularly affected. January to March recorded slight increases, although from relatively low levels. Cruises remain a bright spot, with booked winter voyages up 4 percent and passenger numbers rising by 8 percent compared with the previous winter. For the first time, travel agencies booked more winter cruise passengers than long haul travellers. Excluding cruises, tour operator bookings for the winter season are 9 percent lower in passenger numbers and 5 percent lower in revenue year on year. By contrast, the summer season is heading for a positive result, with total revenue already 3 percent above the previous year's level one month before its end. Read more.

Summer Bookings 2026 Finish the Season in Positive Territory: According to TDA Travel Intelligence, summer bookings for 2026 moved into positive territory by the end of September, with total revenue already three percent above the previous year. The outlook for winter 2026/27 is less encouraging, as weak bookings in September pushed cumulative revenue down three percent year on year. The decline affects all sales channels, with travel agencies reporting a three percent drop and online sales down two percent. November and December are particularly weak, while January to March show slight growth from a low base. Cruises are the strongest performer among winter products, with revenue up four percent and passenger numbers increasing by eight percent. For the first time, more winter holidays were booked on cruises than on long haul trips. Excluding cruises, tour operator revenue would be down five percent and passenger numbers nine percent. Read more.

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CURRENT TOPICS WITHIN THE TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRY IN GERMANY & EUROPE

Eurowings Reports Strong Passenger Numbers and Expands Winter Network: Eurowings carried more than 18 million passengers on around 129,000 flights between January and September 2026. Despite a challenging economic environment, the airline achieved an average load factor of 88 percent in the third quarter. For the 2026/27 winter schedule, Eurowings is expanding its network from six German airports, adding destinations and services to Northern and Southern Europe, the Canary Islands and Egypt. Berlin is a particular focus, with two additional aircraft and new routes to Bologna, Rome, Nice, Kuusamo and Lisbon, bringing the winter programme to 38 destinations. From 1 December, the new Premium BIZ Seat will also be available on all flights to Dubai and selected services to London, Mallorca and Málaga. The Lufthansa Group's point to point business, including Eurowings and its stake in Sun Express, recorded adjusted EBIT of €214 million in the third quarter, but remained at minus €38 million for the first nine months, partly due to higher fuel costs, taxes and fees. Read more.

German Airports Face Stagnation Amid Airline Capacity Cuts: German airports handled 163.5 million passengers between January and September 2026, representing a slight decline of 0.4 percent compared with the previous year. According to the German Airports Association (ADV), ongoing route cancellations are limiting growth prospects, while the number of flights to and from German airports fell by 3.3 percent. The five largest airports recorded mixed results: Frankfurt, Berlin and Düsseldorf saw marginal declines, Munich was down 2.8 percent, while Hamburg grew by 1.3 percent. European traffic increased by 0.8 percent, whereas domestic and intercontinental passenger numbers fell by 2.6 and 3.2 percent respectively. Smaller airports also experienced contrasting developments, with Lübeck, Friedrichshafen and Weeze recording significant growth. Air freight provided a positive signal, exceeding 400,000 tonnes in seven of the first nine months. For the winter schedule, Dortmund, Weeze, Memmingen and Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden are expected to maintain above average growth. Read more.

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DESTINATION NEWS

CANADA: Canada Benefits from Growing Demand Among German Travellers: Canada welcomed 2.8 million overnight visitors in August 2026, an increase of 6.4 percent compared with the previous year. From January to August, arrivals reached 14.5 million, up 5.1 percent. Germany was the strongest performing European core market for Destination Canada, with almost 259,000 visitors, representing a 12 percent increase. Only Australia recorded similarly strong growth among Destination Canada's key overseas markets, while several others saw more moderate gains or declines. Tourism revenues also developed positively, reaching US$36.6 billion in the second quarter, up 8 percent year on year. International visitor spending rose by 11.2 percent, compared with 6.8 percent growth in domestic tourism expenditure. However, much of the revenue increase was driven by higher transport costs, particularly fuel, meaning tourism businesses may not benefit equally from the rise in visitor spending. Destination Canada and regional partners are offering roadshows, webinars and networking events in November to help German travel professionals make the most of the growing demand. Read more.

TURKEY: Turkey Reports Record Tourism Revenue and Visitor Numbers: Turkey generated US$51.3 billion in tourism revenue between January and September 2026, an increase of 2.4 percent compared with the same period last year and the highest figure ever recorded for the first nine months of a year. The country welcomed 49.1 million visitors, with Germany remaining its second largest source market at 5.17 million arrivals, behind Russia with 5.7 million. Visitors also stayed longer, averaging 10.34 nights, while spending per overnight stay rose by 4.6 percent to US$107.70. The third quarter was particularly strong, generating a record US$25.5 billion in revenue, up 5 percent year on year. Despite regional conflicts, airspace restrictions and rising energy and flight costs, Turkey plans to strengthen its position in established European markets while expanding its reach in the Americas, Canada, East Asia, Africa and Oceania. Read more.

SAINT LUCIA: New Condor and British Airways Agreement Simplifies Travel to Saint Lucia: A new interline agreement between Condor and British Airways makes travel from Germany to Saint Lucia more convenient, although no nonstop connection is currently available. Passengers can now fly daily from Frankfurt to London Gatwick with Condor and connect to a British Airways service to Saint Lucia, with both flights booked on a single ticket through Amadeus. The agreement allows checked baggage to be transferred through to the final destination and provides for onward travel in the event of missed connections, subject to applicable conditions. The transfer takes place at the same airport, avoiding the previous need to travel between Heathrow and Gatwick. The journey takes approximately 13.5 hours. Travellers should note that Gatwick does not offer airside transit, meaning they must pass UK border control and obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling. Read more.

BRAZIL: Brazil Increases Read more.

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