DER Touristik expects record summer

DER Touristik Predicts Banner Year for 2023/24 Summer Season

In the business world of travel, DER Touristik Group is forecasting a stunning comeback in 2023/24. Fueled by an impressive surge in demand on the German market, they're eyeing their best summer yet.

"With Dertour and its siblings, ITS, and Meiers Weltreisen, we're on track for our most successful summer ever in terms of guests," Ingo Burmester, Head of Central Europe at DER Touristik, announced on Tuesday. "Beyond the current winter booking boom, we're experiencing a strength in summer bookings that's simply unparalleled."

Despite the impact of inflation and higher interest rates, Burmester isn't losing faith in the power of travel. He credits some of its resurgence to catch-up effects, with price hikes for the current year expected to hit mid-single digits. "Airline prices are climbing as the departure date approaches, making it all the more crucial to book early," Burmester emphasized.

Following the coronavirus pandemic, the industry suffered a significant dip in turnover, but it's now on the rise, thanks to high demand and price increases.

The German market is already seeing nearly three times as many summer vacation bookings as it did in the same period last year, and that number's up 15% compared to the summer of 2018/19. Meanwhile, winter season bookings for 2023/24 are up 60% over the 2022 equivalent and only a tick below pre-pandemic levels. Long-haul travel is leading the charge.

Early bird discounts and flexible booking options are playing a key role in Dertour and its sister brands' strong sales, allowing guests to lock in lower rates while maintaining flexibility.

Since closing the 2022/23 tourism year, the group has recorded year-over-year sales growth, including price increases, exceeding 20%. They've also noticed a rising trend towards higher-class travel, with the number of guests booking 4- and 5-star accommodations up 10% from 2022.

"Expect top-tier beach holidays and an increasing emphasis on tailored travel to persist in 2023/24," Burmester predicted. "Turkey, Spain, and Greece are leading the pack in the short-to-medium-haul segment, with all-inclusive still the preferred style for those looking to keep costs under control."

DER Touristik's optimistic outlook for a banner summer season is supported by several key trends. Current German booking interest for the 2025 summer season is already 18% higher than the previous year, with 62% of monthly sales already attributed to bookings for the upcoming summer holiday season, a 7-point increase from the same period in 2023.

Mediterranean destinations and cruises are proving particularly popular, while the trend towards long-haul travel is also on the rise. Spain, Turkey, Egypt, and Bulgaria are currently the top picks for summer getaways.

Globally, international tourism has nearly fully recovered, with 1.4 billion international tourists estimated for 2024, a 12% increase over 2023.

Sources:

Enrichment Data:

• The current trends and factors contributing to the expected record summer in 2025 for the DER Touristik group in terms of travel demand and bookings on the German market are primarily driven by several key factors:
  • Strong Booking Interest in Summer 2025
    • As of the end of December 2024, there has been an 18% increase in sales for the 2025 summer season compared to the previous year. This indicates a strong focus on summer bookings, with 62% of monthly sales already attributed to bookings for summer holidays in 2025, a 7 percentage point increase from the same month last year[2].
  • Mediterranean Destinations and Cruises
    • The main focus of holidaymakers' interest for the summer holidays will be on Mediterranean destinations, with the eastern region continuing to enjoy above-average growth (+21%). Cruises are also gaining favor among holidaymakers, with sales increasing by 22% and bookings by 27%[2].
  • Popular Summer Destinations
    • Spain and Turkey are neck-and-neck for first place among the most popular summer destinations. Egypt and Bulgaria are also experiencing high growth rates, indicating stable or favorable price levels in these countries, which is fueling demand[2].
  • Cumulative Sales Growth
    • The cumulative seasonal balances show a 12% increase for the current winter season 2024/2025, but the coming summer season is down 7 percentage points from the previous month. Despite this, the overall trend indicates a strong booking curve, with the booking volume in January showing a steep rise[2].
  • Global Tourism Recovery
    • International tourism has virtually recovered (99%) to pre-pandemic levels in 2024, with an estimated 1.4 billion international tourists recorded, an increase of 11% over 2023. This recovery is driven by strong post-pandemic demand and robust performance from large source markets globally[3][5].
  • Regional Insights
    • The Middle East remains the strongest-performing region, with international arrivals climbing 32% above pre-pandemic levels in 2024. Europe welcomed 1% more arrivals than in 2019 and 5% over 2023, while Africa saw a 7% increase in arrivals compared to 2019 and 12% more than in 2023[3][5]. These factors collectively contribute to the expected record summer in 2025 for the DER Touristik group, driven by a strong focus on summer bookings, favorable trends in Mediterranean destinations, and the overall recovery of international tourism.