The German travel market continues to thrive, as evidenced by the latest statistics from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), shared by the German Travel Association (DRV). In June 2024, approximately 18.8 million passengers either departed from or arrived at Germany’s main airports. Of them, 2.9 million of had Spain as destination.
This number represents a 6.2% increase compared to June 2023, when 17.7 million passengers were recorded. Despite this growth, the total number of passengers is still 12.7% lower than the pre-pandemic level in 2019, which saw 21.6 million travellers.
Growth in the first half of the year
Over the first half of 2024, the total number of passengers from or to Germany reached 90.8 million, marking a 10.5% increase. However, this figure remains 14.6% below the 2019 levels, highlighting the ongoing recovery in the travel industry.
Spain extends lead over rivals
In June 2024, Spain emerged as the most popular destination for German travellers, welcoming 2.9 million passengers. This positions Spain ahead of Turkey, which saw 2 million passengers, and Italy, with 1.3 million. Compared to the previous year, Spain experienced a 9.5% increase in passengers, while Turkey saw a 2.9% rise and Italy enjoyed an 11.9% boost.
Despite these increases, the number of travellers to Spain in June 2024 was still 4.3% lower than in June 2019. Italy experienced a more significant decline, with a 13.8% drop in the number of travellers compared to June 2019. In contrast, Turkey saw a substantial increase of 20.1% in passenger numbers compared to the same period in 2019.
Continued popularity of Spanish destinations
Among German tourists the most popular destinatons in Spain are Mallorca, the Canary Islands and the Costa Brava. like pain’s appeal among German tourists remains strong, driven by its diverse attractions, from vibrant cities and cultural landmarks to beautiful beaches and scenic landscapes.