Mallorca, Antalya, Thailand: The Germans are again in the travel fever. The organizers report booking numbers as high as before the pandemic. And Germans like to book sophisticated and therefore more expensive products.
There is euphoria in the travel industry. The organizers report a good start to the early bird phase. At TUI they even assume that things could be even better than last year.
“Certain destinations such as Thailand are only now fully accessible again after Corona. We are still seeing a catch-up effect. Early bird bookings are now coming back strongly for almost all destinations for the summer, in some cases by a quarter more compared to the previous summer,” reports TUI -Company spokesman Aage Dünhaupt. Mallorca got off to an excellent start and tops the list of favorite medium-haul destinations, followed by Antalya. TUI is expecting more than a million guests in Turkey this year for the first time.
DER Touristik is also expecting a good year. The number of guests for the summer of 2024 is currently significantly higher than last year at the same time and at the level of the pre-Corona summer of 2019. “At this point, almost three times as many guests as in the previous year have already booked their summer vacation – and even 15 percent more guests compared to summer 2018/19,” said the managing director responsible for Europe, Ingo Burmester.
Many people book early Cancellation option
When it comes to summer vacations, more than 40 percent of travelers currently combine early bird tariffs with a flex option that allows short-term rebookings or cancellations. More and more holidaymakers are relying on personal advice when booking their trip. “Currently, over 60 percent of all summer vacations for 2024 are booked through travel agencies,” says Burmester.
The travel group FTI is particularly interested in the entire Mediterranean region, with the Turkish Riviera, Greece and the Balearic Islands at the forefront. Destinations with a certain price stability such as Egypt are also popular. “No longer quite an insider tip, but with a big jump in bookings, Cyprus could cause a little surprise in 2024. Holiday destinations in southeastern Europe such as Bulgaria with wide beaches and a good price-performance ratio are particularly popular with families. For nature-loving holidaymakers “Albania in particular is worth considering on short-haul routes,” says Jan Mayer, product manager at FTI.
Nordic countries are also in demand
At TUI, Albania is currently experiencing triple-digit growth rates. “This is of course at a very low level, just like Montenegro. But many new hotels are opening there, the flight connections are good and compared to the neighboring countries Croatia and Greece it is also cheaper,” says Aage Dünhaupt.
Dertour is currently registering an increase in guests of almost 150 percent in the Nordic countries for the summer of 2024 compared to the previous year; Bookings for Scandinavia have even quadrupled. “Even if Scandinavia will not replace Mallorca, we see growing interest in this region for summer holidays. Here, travelers are looking for experiences that promise deceleration and unique nature and outdoor activities,” says product manager Sven Schikarsky.
Prices normalize
According to Dertour, on the long-haul route, beach paradises in the Indian Ocean with Mauritius, the Maldives and Seychelles will be in the top position in the booking ranking next summer, followed by North America with the USA and Canada and the Caribbean with the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Cuba in third place. This is followed by the United Arab Emirates and Thailand in fourth and fifth place.
The prices have now normalized. “They will certainly not fall back to the level of 2019, but they will continue to rise less on average than inflation. So if you don’t want to spend more than last year, you will definitely find something,” says Dünhaupt from TUI. However, there are very big differences between the holiday destinations. “Prices in Mallorca, for example, have remained stable compared to last year because Spanish inflation is below the European average. In Turkey, on the other hand, inflation is higher, but the price-performance ratio is still good,” says Dünhaupt.
Germans want more demanding vacations
Overall, the providers note that Germans choose much more sophisticated products. “The suites or sea view rooms are always the first to be fully booked, the guests simply want more. With all the crises, vacation has become such an important time that everyone wants to make sure that they really have a good vacation,” says Aage Dünhaupt.
At Dertour last summer, 80 percent of guests chose a four- or five-star hotel and 45 percent of travelers booked “all inclusive”. “The need for high-quality holidays with extra service, comfort and enjoyment will continue to grow in 2024,” says product manager Schikarsky. Services such as wellness and massages are also trendy – and in the luxury segment even your own butler.
Save money with flexible travel dates
If you are flexible with your travel date, you can save a lot of money, especially if you can travel outside of holiday periods. Changing your departure location can also help by choosing an airport in a state where there are no holidays.
FTI also recommends booking early. “Thanks to a large number of offers for early bookers with discounts of up to 40 percent, you can book a trip in advance at a good price,” says Jan Mayer. Booking early definitely has one advantage: you can look forward to your vacation for longer.