Dertour and its sister brands ITS and Meiers Weltreisen are on track for a record-breaking summer in 2023/24, with boom-like demand on the German market. Ingo Burmester, Head of Central Europe at DER Touristik Group, shared this optimistic outlook last Tuesday, attributing the momentum to a blend of robust catch-up effects and continued market strength despite inflation and higher interest rates.
Interestingly, Burmester pointed out that major airlines are increasingly hiking prices closer to the departure date. This trend adds to the wisdom of booking early, as early bird bookings often come with significant discounts and flexible rebooking/cancellation options.
The COVID-19 pandemic's impact on the industry is not entirely forgotten, as the revenue surge has also been fueled by price increases. Despite the surge, the number of travelers initially lagged behind pre-pandemic levels for several months. However, this gap seems to be closing, as Burmester announced that almost three times as many German guests have booked their summer vacation this year compared to the same period in 2018/19. Winter bookings aren't far behind, with an impressive 60% surge reported this season, just below the pre-pandemic figure.
Turkey, Spain, and Greece lead the short and medium-haul segments, with all-inclusive holiday packages still immensely popular among travelers looking to control costs. Dynamic packages, offering more flexibility, have also experienced growth in demand. This combination has driven high-quality beach vacations and more individualized travel experiences.
DER Touristik's (part of TUI Group) strong market performance can be attributed to several factors, such as increased average selling prices, a massive surge in dynamic package guests, and positive booking momentum in key markets like the UK. The travel industry as a whole has exhibited remarkable resilience and growth, surpassing pre-pandemic levels for summer vacations by 15%.
Sources: DPA TUI Group's Q1 2025 Interim financial report DEFA (German Aviation Association)
[1] TUI Group's Q1 2025 Interim financial report [2] DEFA (German Aviation Association)
