Market Update - 17.09.2026

CURRENT MAJOR TOPICS WITHIN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY IN THE DACH REGION

Swiss Travel Industry Expects Lower Turnover in 2026: The Swiss travel industry expects turnover in 2026 to be 5 to 10 percent below the previous year, mainly due to the Middle East conflict, higher fuel prices and the hot summer. Despite these challenges, travel demand remains strong, with Spain, Greece, Turkey and the Maldives among the most popular summer destinations. The heat is also driving the Coolcation trend and increasing interest in the Balkans, while the season is shifting further into autumn. Greece, Cyprus and Egypt are particularly popular for autumn travel, while Egypt, the Canary Islands, Mauritius and Thailand lead winter demand. At the same time, digitalisation and AI are accelerating market consolidation, while growing demand for personalised advice creates opportunities for specialised travel products. Read more.

Late Bookings Gain Importance in Summer 2026: German travellers remained eager to travel despite geopolitical tensions and the hot European summer, but booking behaviour shifted towards later decisions. According to Dertour Group, the share of late bookings for travel between June and September 2026 increased by 2.5 percentage points to 28.5 percent, with around 60 percent of these bookings made within just 28 days of departure. Medium term and early bookings declined slightly, while overall demand did not reach the high level of the previous year. Turkey, Spain and Greece were the most popular short and medium haul destinations, while the Maldives, Mauritius and Seychelles led long haul demand. Despite growing interest in some northern destinations, Dertour found no broad shift towards cooler travel destinations, with traditional beach holidays in warm regions remaining the dominant choice. Read more.

Dertour Guests Maintain Their Holiday Preferences: Despite a summer marked by uncertainty and later booking decisions, Dertour guests largely maintained their established holiday preferences in 2026. All inclusive accounted for 57 percent of bookings, unchanged from the previous year, while five star hotels remained stable at 33 percent. Average trip duration also showed no change, at nine days for beach holidays and 12.5 days for long haul trips. Luxury travel demand remained almost constant despite lower overall guest numbers, with Greece, Spain, Germany, the Indian Ocean and Italy among the most popular destinations. Families accounted for 35 percent of summer bookings, with Turkey, Spain, Greece, Egypt and Italy leading demand. Their average trip duration remained unchanged at 7.5 days. Read more.

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CURRENT TOPICS WITHIN THE TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRY IN GERMANY & EUROPE

Emirates Set to Gain Fifth German Airport: Emirates is set to gain access to a fifth airport in Germany, with Berlin Brandenburg Airport expected to become the airline’s new destination after the German government approved additional traffic rights. The new flights will be limited to a maximum of seven per week and may only connect Germany with the United Arab Emirates, excluding onward services to third countries. Berlin and Brandenburg welcomed the decision, highlighting improved international connectivity and direct access to Dubai, while Lufthansa has opposed granting its competitor additional rights. Emirates has long sought permission to serve Berlin, which would strengthen the capital’s long haul connections. During the winter schedule, Condor and Eurowings will also offer direct flights from BER to Dubai. Read more.

Zurich Airport Records More Passengers in August: Zurich Airport handled 3.33 million passengers in August 2026, an increase of 1.8 percent compared with the same month last year. Local passengers accounted for around 2.30 million, while transfer passengers represented 30.6 percent of the total. Flight movements rose by 2.9 percent to 26,009 takeoffs and landings, although the average number of passengers per flight fell by 2.2 percent to 142.6. Seat occupancy also declined by 1.4 percentage points to 83.4 percent. At the same time, air freight volumes decreased slightly by 0.4 percent to 34,444 tonnes. Read more.

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DESTINATION NEWS

JAMAICA: Jamaica Tourism Slows Due to Capacity Constraints: Jamaica welcomed 2.34 million visitors and generated US$2.5 billion in tourism revenue by the end of August 2026, with arrivals down 17 percent and revenue 18 percent compared with the previous year. Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett attributes the decline mainly to the impact of Hurricane Melissa, which hit numerous tourism businesses in October 2025 and left around 30 percent of the island’s hotel rooms out of service. Much of the affected capacity, including highly sought after rooms, is not expected to return until the end of the year or early 2027. Flight capacity has also yet to fully recover, while airfares have risen in some cases. Read more.

THAILAND: Thailand Tightens Visa Free Stay for Long Term Visitors: Thailand is reducing the visa free stay for German travellers from 60 to 30 days from 15 September 2026, reversing part of the more liberal rules introduced in 2024. The government cites security concerns and misuse by foreigners using the scheme for illegal work or extended stays without appropriate visas. As most international visitors stay for around nine days, authorities argue that the longer period is unnecessary for typical tourists. The change is therefore expected to have limited impact on conventional holidaymakers, while affecting long stay travellers, winter visitors and digital nomads more significantly. Those wishing to stay longer can still apply for an extension or use an appropriate visa. Read more.

CROATIA: Croatia Surpasses Five Million August Arrivals for the First Time: Croatia recorded 17.5 million tourist arrivals and 90.5 million overnight stays in the first eight months of 2026, both one percent above the previous year. In August alone, arrivals exceeded five million for the first time, while overnight stays reached 31.4 million. Germany remained by far the country’s most important international source market, accounting for 16.9 million overnight stays through August, ahead of Slovenia, Austria and Poland. Istria led the regions with 25.4 million overnight stays, followed by Split Dalmatia and Kvarner. Tourism officials also highlighted shorter trips and greater budget awareness among travellers, with a continued focus on strengthening the shoulder and winter seasons. Read more.

SAUDI ARABIA: European Leisure Travel to Saudi Arabia Set to Grow Strongly: The number of European leisure travellers to Saudi Arabia is expected to increase by at least 130 percent between 2025 and 2030, according to a new Tourism Economics study. Germany and Italy are among the strongest European source markets, with leisure trips from both countries forecast to more than triple by the end of the decade. Europe was already the fastest growing long haul region for Saudi travellers between 2019 and 2025, with visits increasing by 61 percent. Saudi Arabia’s international overnight stays rose by 177 percent over the same period, while leisure overnight visitors reached 7.6 million in 2025. Destinations such as Riyadh, Jeddah and AlUla are gaining importance alongside the country’s traditional religious tourism. Read more.

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