After the years of the health crisis, the German tourism sector is on a clear path to recovery, with growing tourist flows that have nearly returned to pre-Covid standards. According to the 2023 Economic Impact Research (EIR) by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the Travel and Tourism sector in Germany has reached 95% of pre-pandemic levels.
Full recovery is thus approaching, both in terms of revenue and jobs. According to WTTC’s estimates, the sector’s contribution to the country’s economy will be €355 billion (9.3% of German GDP). This is a positive result, exceeding that of 2022 (€338 billion), but still below the peak of €374 billion reached in 2019.
Employment is growing too
As for employment, the research indicates that this year, the growth of the tourism sector will lead to the creation of more than 168,000 jobs (compared to 550,000 in 2022), recovering over half of the one million jobs lost during the pandemic. This means that one in eight workers finds employment in the German tourism industry.
Numbers are also on the rise for international travelers returning to visit Germany: in 2022, spending by foreigners grew by 61%, reaching almost €31 billion. The spending of domestic visitors is also increasing by 49%, reaching €304.4 billion, very close to the pre-pandemic level of €307.8 billion.
Forecasts for the next decade
A decade of growth awaits German tourism. Julia Simpson, President and CEO of WTTC, emphasized Germany’s strong appeal as a tourist destination, which will keep it in b over the next 10 years. Therefore, growth estimates are positive, and the sector will have an increasing impact on the national GDP: according to WTTC, the economic contribution will rise to over €440 billion by 2033, representing 10.3% of the overall economy, and will employ nearly 6.1 million people across the country, with one in seven Germans working in the sector.
