ITB '25 | Greece is the third destination for Germans in 2025 - what the data shows

• Dispatch from Berlin dispatch: Christina Lainopoulou

German demand for holidays remains strong in 2025, which is confirmed by the 12% increase in sales and 6% in the number of travelers so far, compared to the previous year.

This fact is highlighted by the processing, by Travel Data + Analytics (TDA), of booking data that existed at the end of January in travel agencies and online travel portals that sell tour operator products.

This analysis was carried out on behalf of the German Travel Association (DRV).

Speaking on Monday, March 3, at the opening of the world's leading travel fair, ITB Berlin, DRV President Norbert Fiebig emphasized that he began his speech with the good news, which is: "Travel remains at the top of the wish list of German consumers this year." He also emphasized that Germans are rushing to book their summer holidays even earlier than last year.

"Early booking is the new Last Minute," said Norbert Fiebig. He reported that holiday bookings through a travel agent increased by 6%.

Greece is the third destination for Germans in 2025

According to the presentation of TDA data, the trends for the 2025 summer travel are clear: Germans choose flights to the beaches of the Mediterranean.

The data show that greater demand than last year is recorded for organized flights to the countries of Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean, on cruises and long-distance travel.

The first destination this year is Turkey. Families in particular consider Turkey an ideal choice, due to the wide range of accommodations, which provide all-inclusive holidays

The top 10 most popular destinations for Germans for package holidays in the summer of 2025, according to turnover, are:

• Türkiye
• Spain
• Greece
• Egypt
• Portugal
• Italy
• Tunisia
• USA
• Maldives
• Bulgaria

The highest percentage increase in bookings at the end of January of the top 10 destinations is recorded for Egypt (+35%) and the Maldives (+27%).

For the traditionally cheaper destinations of Tunisia, Bulgaria, and Egypt, the higher demand is due to lower-than-average price increases. “In difficult economic times, money is no longer so easy to come by – and this is also reflected in the choice of travel destination,” said DRV President Norbert Fiebig.

Albania, the new star

Albania, this year’s ITB country of honor, is the new star among German destinations: it is recording the highest growth rate for the coming summer at 36%, but has a relatively low sales level compared to other Mediterranean destinations. But: More and more tour operators are including Albania in their summer programs. The destination is expected to attract even more vacationers during the year.

New record for travel spending by Germans in 2024

Germans’ spending on travel and holidays rose to a new record in 2024: A total of 83.4 billion euros were spent on travel bookings, an increase of 5.6% compared to the previous year. “Especially in these very difficult times, holidays play a very special role. Even though the overall trend for consumption is decreasing, people are fulfilling their travel wishes and prefer to limit other expenses,” emphasized Norbert Fiebig.

This figure is based on YouGov’s market research for the DRV on holidays and private trips with at least one overnight stay.

“Last year, Germans spent almost 14 billion euros more on their trips than before the pandemic. This clearly shows that there is a desire to travel and that travel and holidays are very important,” said the DRV president. In 2024, demand was particularly high for international and long-distance trips as well as cruises.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations, Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report

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