Germany is strengthening its global tourism position despite geopolitical challenges Tourism and travel

The German National Tourism Authority confirmed that the country’s tourism sector continues to show a great deal of resilience and recovery, despite the escalating geopolitical tensions the world is witnessing, in an international press conference held on the sidelines of the German Travel Market (GTM 2026) activities in the city of Oberhausen today.

The authority said that the global tourism movement regained its momentum in 2025, with the number of international trips reaching about 1.52 billion trips, an increase of 4% compared to 2024, while Europe continued to lead the global tourism scene with a share of 52% of the total international travel movement.

Regarding performance within Germany, the country recorded about 83.6 million international overnight stays in 2025, while tourism revenues reached 78.5 billion euros (about 85 billion dollars). Despite a slight decline in the number of international nights by 2%, and a decrease in the number of visitors by 0.8% compared to 2024, initial indicators for 2026 reflect a positive start, with a growth of 1.5% in the number of arrivals last January and February.

Regarding external challenges, the authority indicated that geopolitical tensions, most notably the Iranian war, may cast a shadow on global travel, with estimates indicating that about 28 million tourist trips are threatened by potential risks, 60% of which are linked to European destinations. It is also expected that the rise in fuel prices and air transport costs will put further pressure on the sector.

However, the data showed that the impact of these developments on the German market remains relatively limited, given that the share of the Gulf countries does not exceed 2.2% of the total tourism arrivals to Europe.

The authority expects that the performance of the tourism sector in Germany in 2026 will remain linked to the path of global stability, and it is likely to achieve growth of 2.6% if international conditions improve, compared to a possible decline of 2.3% in the most pessimistic scenarios.

Despite this, Germany continues to consolidate its position as one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the world, as it ranked first in Europe and second in the world in the tourism destination image index, with high levels of satisfaction among visitors reaching 1.94, supported by the diversity of tourism products, the quality of infrastructure, and the richness of cultural and natural experiences.

The country also maintains clear competitiveness in prices compared to major European destinations, as the average price of a hotel room is about 98 euros (about 106 dollars), which is less than its counterpart in France, Italy and Switzerland, which enhances its attractiveness in light of global economic pressures.

The strength of the German tourism sector is also evident in the diversity of its offerings, as the country includes more than 7,000 museums, 341 Michelin-starred restaurants, in addition to more than 2,100 sustainable accommodation facilities. Natural spaces also constitute about 33% of the country’s total area, supported by an extensive network of walking and cycling paths.

The Authority confirmed that digital transformation, primarily the use of artificial intelligence technologies, represents one of the most prominent growth engines in the next stage, by improving access to international markets and providing more personalized and innovative tourism experiences.

According to the authority, this performance reflects Germany’s ability to maintain its position among the most prominent tourist destinations in the world, benefiting from a balance between economic strength, cultural diversity and technological progress, which supports the sustainability of the sector’s growth in the coming years.