Market Update - 08.10.2026

CURRENT MAJOR TOPICS WITHIN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY IN THE DACH REGION

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Travel Demand Remains Strong Despite Growing Price Pressure: German consumers remain highly willing to travel, but rising prices are increasingly influencing holiday decisions, according to a representative survey by the Nuremberg Institute for Market Decisions. Around 80 percent of Germans have already travelled this year or still plan to take a holiday, with an average of 15 holiday days and spending of around €3,500. Price is the most important factor when choosing a destination for 59 percent of respondents, followed by relaxation and tranquillity and landscape and nature. Germany remains the most popular destination at 55 percent, ahead of Italy and Spain at 16 percent each. The car remains the main mode of transport at 63 percent, while 44 percent travel by air. Search engines and booking platforms are the main sources for trip planning, but 14 percent already use AI chatbots, particularly younger travellers. Read more.

Culture Plays an Increasingly Important Role in Travel: Cultural experiences are an important part of travel for many Germans, with 53 percent considering cultural offerings important or very important while on holiday, compared with 46 percent in everyday life, according to a study by the Bavarian Center for Tourism. Traditional and regional culture is particularly popular, followed by art, history and education, while more than half of travellers are also interested in local cuisine and culinary traditions. Culture rarely determines the destination itself, with only 11 percent saying it strongly influences their choice, but many travellers use cultural attractions spontaneously or regularly during their stay. Younger travellers show particularly strong interest, with 20 percent of those aged 18 to 29 citing culture as a main travel motivation. Authenticity is also key, as 54 percent associate meaningful cultural experiences with encounters with local life and people. Read more.

Summer Destinations Gain Popularity in November: November is increasingly becoming a popular travel month for short haul sunshine destinations, with demand for traditional summer destinations such as Greece, Italy, Portugal and the Canary Islands rising significantly. Edelweiss reports that demand for Heraklion has more than doubled and Faro has tripled compared with three years ago, while overall short haul demand has grown by more than 30 percent. Tour operators are also seeing strong growth, with Bentour reporting November bookings around 15 percent above last year and Dertour Suisse and TUI Suisse recording high single digit growth overall and low double digit growth on short haul routes. Airlines are responding by extending seasonal services to destinations including Crete, Rhodes, Corfu, Bari, Mallorca and the Algarve, while adding capacity to the Canary Islands. Attractive prices, mild weather and fewer crowds make November particularly appealing to retirees and flexible travelers, as well as for wellness and city trips. Read more.

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CURRENT TOPICS WITHIN THE TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRY IN GERMANY & EUROPE

Eurowings Expands Winter Network from Berlin: Eurowings is expanding its winter 2026/27 schedule from Berlin, offering flights to 38 destinations and introducing its premium Biz seats on selected routes. From December, the premium seats will be available on all flights to Dubai as well as selected services to London Heathrow, Mallorca and Málaga, offering more space and comfort in the first two rows of the Airbus A320neo. New destinations from Berlin include Rome, Bologna and Kuusamo, while Bilbao, Porto, Lisbon, Sarajevo and Jerez de la Frontera are among seasonal routes receiving winter services. Eurowings is also expanding its Middle East network, with new twice weekly flights from Berlin and Düsseldorf to Baghdad from December. Dubai will be served daily from Berlin, while Jeddah and Erbil are also connected to the German capital. Read more.

German Hubs Lose International Transfer Traffic to Foreign Airports: Germany’s aviation sector is losing ground in international competition, with many German airports still below 2019 levels in terms of destinations and frequencies. Frankfurt has nearly recovered its pre pandemic number of direct destinations, while other major airports remain up to 18 percent below 2019 levels. The shift is particularly visible on long haul routes: the share of connections between Germany and East or Southeast Asia via non EU hubs rose from 34 percent in 2010 to 54 percent in 2024, with hubs in Turkey and the Gulf benefiting most. In contrast, Frankfurt and Munich’s share fell from around 56 percent to 36 percent. The DLR and BDL attribute this partly to higher German location costs and differing climate regulations, while average ticket prices have doubled since 2010. Read more.

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DESTINATION NEWS

HAWAII: Hawaii Extends European Tourism Marketing Strategy Through 2029: The Hawaii Tourism Authority will continue working with Hawaii Tourism Europe and New Age Marketing in Germany through the end of 2029, with a stronger focus on trade, PR and brand management. The strategy for 2026 to 2030 aims to shift tourism success from visitor numbers toward economic value, encouraging longer stays, higher spending and greater benefits for local communities. A key priority in Europe will be promoting multi island trips, with travelers encouraged to explore the distinct characteristics of Oahu, Maui, Hawaii Island and Kauai. In 2025, 43.7 percent of European visitors combined Oahu with at least one neighboring island. The new contract period will also feature the global “Hawaii Stays With You” campaign, supported by digital content and materials for travel agencies and tour operators. Read more.

GRAN CANARIA: Gran Canaria Warns of Potential Winter Booking Slump: Gran Canaria is entering the 2026/27 winter season with solid bookings through December, but tourism officials are increasingly concerned about weaker demand from January onward. The main issue is rising aviation fuel costs, which are prompting airlines to reduce capacity and potentially increase fares. Around 25,000 seats are expected to be cut, including 20,000 from the UK and 5,000 from Germany, two of the island’s most important markets. Germany is particularly significant, with around 919,000 German visitors in 2025 generating roughly 20 percent of Gran Canaria’s tourism revenue. At the same time, capacity from markets such as Sweden and France is increasing substantially, while some hotel groups report stable bookings for early 2027. The situation therefore remains mixed, with flight capacity and bookings for the key January to March period likely to determine the strength of the winter season. Read more.

SPAIN: Spain’s Tourism Sector Grows More Strongly Than Expected: Spain’s tourism sector performed better than expected during the summer, with tourism GDP rising 3.5 percent in the third quarter and company revenues increasing 4.1 percent. Growth was driven mainly by international demand, with Spain benefiting from its image as a safe destination and from additional visitors who had originally considered other countries. The North American market was particularly strong, growing 14.6 percent, while Spanish travelers also increased their spending both domestically and abroad. At the same time, tourism companies faced significantly higher costs, which rose seven percent and limited the impact on profits. The sector created more than 105,000 jobs and productivity has increased by 12.4 percent since 2023. Exceltur expects growth to slow toward the end of the year, but still forecasts tourism GDP to rise 2.7 percent in 2026, reaching almost €227 billion. Read more.

EGYPT: Egypt Shifts Tourism Strategy Towards Higher Value: Egypt is reshaping its tourism strategy to focus less on visitor numbers and more on economic value, higher quality experiences and sustainable benefits for local communities. While the country still targets around 30 million visitors annually by 2030, tourism revenues are expected to nearly double from currently around US$18.6 billion to US$36 to 40 billion. The strategy aims to achieve this through higher quality offers, longer stays and stronger lifestyle and luxury products, while maintaining Egypt’s appeal for price conscious travellers and families seeking all inclusive holidays. Key priorities include investment, diversification, skills, guest experience, sustainability and marketing. Cairo is also being positioned as a standalone city break destination, supported by the Grand Egyptian Museum, new hotels and a growing gastronomy, art and wellness scene. Read more.

GREECE: Greece Maintains  Read more.

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