The Germans′ favorite travel destinations | All media content | DW | 13.02.2019

Visit the new DW website

Take a look at the beta version of dw.com. We're not done yet! Your opinion can help us make it better.

Go to the new dw.com

We use cookies to improve our service for you. You can find more information in our data protection declaration.

More info OK
  1. Inhalt
  2. Navigation
  3. Weitere Inhalte
  4. Metanavigation
  5. Suche
  6. Choose from 30 Languages

Travel

The Germans' favorite travel destinations

The German travel industry had a record year in 2018. Three in five of Germans traveled last year. In a new survey, they reveal where they prefer to spend their holidays — both at home in Germany and around the world.

  • Pier in Sellin on the island Rügen

    Mecklenburg-West Pomerania

    Thirty-four percent of Germans spent their holidays in Germany in 2018, according to the Foundation for Future Studies (FFS). With its Baltic beaches, Mecklenburg-West Pomerania was the most popular destination. The Hanseatic cities of Stralsund, Wismar and Rostock, with their Brick Gothic centers, also proved very popular — making the north a favored destination during the hot summer of 2018.

  • Germany: Neuschwanstein Castle

    Bavaria

    Bavaria dropped to No. 2. On the popularity scale, the southern state has been competing head-to-head with Mecklenburg-West Pomerania for the most popular domestic destination for years. In 2018, the beaches beat the mountains. The fairy-tale castle of Neuschwanstein is still one of Bavaria's top sights. Even though it is currently being renovated, it remains open to visitors.

  • Half-timbered house in the Black Forest (DW)

    Baden-Württemberg

    Baden-Württemberg saw its first increase in visitors in years in 2018. The Black Forest in particular registered a record numbers of visitors. The amount of overnight stays rose by 2.4 percent to 20.7 million. The Black Forest, Germany's highest and largest low-mountain range, is popular for its evergreen forests, picturesque villages and lively traditions.

  • S'Illot, Mallorca, Spain

    Spain

    In 2018, 54 percent of Germans citizens spent some of their holidays elsewhere in Europe. For those travelers, Spain remained the No. 1 destination. The Balearic Islands — such as Mallorca (pictured here) — were again the most popular destination, combining beach holidays with partying: The islands saw more German leisure travelers than Greece and Turkey combined.

  • Panoramic view of Matera

    Italy

    Germans also remained faithful to Italy in 2018, according to the FFS, which is funded by British American Tobacco: Second place on the list of destinations within Europe went to Bella Italia! And Matera, a small town in the south, is expecting its own rush of visitors this year. With its caves, churches and palaces, the city is a European Capital of Culture for 2019.

  • Alps with cows

    Austria

    Germany's neighbor Austria came in third among the top destinations in 2018. Holidaymakers appearted to appreciate Austria's mix of hiking in summer, winter sports in the colder months, lonely alpine pastures, magnificent views, imperial history and Baroque architecture — not to mention the delicious Alpine cuisine.

  • Kemer-Cirali Beach, Antalya,Turkey

    Turkey

    Turkey offers protected coasts, a turquoise sea and nearly 400 beaches with the infrastructure that travelers expect. In 2018, after years of declining tourist numbers, Turkey experienced a recovery and became the No. 4 international destination for German holidaymakers. Especially well liked is the Turkish Riviera around Antalya.

  • Stockholm

    Scandinavia

    Northern Europe has become increasingly popular with German holidaymakers. No. 5 on the list of vacation destinations for 2018 went to Scandinavia, with its endless forests and sources of water — from rivers to lakes to coastlines. Scandinavia is the classic destination for nature lovers and is especially popular with campers. There are about 1,500 campsites in Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark.

  • Vietnam's Halong Bay (picture alliance/dpa)

    Asia

    About one in eight German holidaymakers left Europe for their primary vacation in 2018. Destinations in Asia — such as Vietnam's Halong Bay (pictured) — were their preferred choice of travelers seeking beautiful landscapes with unblemished nature. Clean air and beaches are particularly important for older travelers.

  • Statue of Liberty (picture-alliance/imageBROKER/P. Wallner)

    The United States of America

    From New York to San Francisco and Niagara Falls to the Grand Canyon, the United States was a close second to Asia for destinations outside of Europe. Almost 3 percent of German tourists went across the pond for their vacations in 2018.


  • Pier in Sellin on the island Rügen

    Mecklenburg-West Pomerania

    Thirty-four percent of Germans spent their holidays in Germany in 2018, according to the Foundation for Future Studies (FFS). With its Baltic beaches, Mecklenburg-West Pomerania was the most popular destination. The Hanseatic cities of Stralsund, Wismar and Rostock, with their Brick Gothic centers, also proved very popular — making the north a favored destination during the hot summer of 2018.

  • Germany: Neuschwanstein Castle

    Bavaria

    Bavaria dropped to No. 2. On the popularity scale, the southern state has been competing head-to-head with Mecklenburg-West Pomerania for the most popular domestic destination for years. In 2018, the beaches beat the mountains. The fairy-tale castle of Neuschwanstein is still one of Bavaria's top sights. Even though it is currently being renovated, it remains open to visitors.

  • Half-timbered house in the Black Forest (DW)

    Baden-Württemberg

    Baden-Württemberg saw its first increase in visitors in years in 2018. The Black Forest in particular registered a record numbers of visitors. The amount of overnight stays rose by 2.4 percent to 20.7 million. The Black Forest, Germany's highest and largest low-mountain range, is popular for its evergreen forests, picturesque villages and lively traditions.

  • S'Illot, Mallorca, Spain

    Spain

    In 2018, 54 percent of Germans citizens spent some of their holidays elsewhere in Europe. For those travelers, Spain remained the No. 1 destination. The Balearic Islands — such as Mallorca (pictured here) — were again the most popular destination, combining beach holidays with partying: The islands saw more German leisure travelers than Greece and Turkey combined.

  • Panoramic view of Matera

    Italy

    Germans also remained faithful to Italy in 2018, according to the FFS, which is funded by British American Tobacco: Second place on the list of destinations within Europe went to Bella Italia! And Matera, a small town in the south, is expecting its own rush of visitors this year. With its caves, churches and palaces, the city is a European Capital of Culture for 2019.

  • Alps with cows

    Austria

    Germany's neighbor Austria came in third among the top destinations in 2018. Holidaymakers appearted to appreciate Austria's mix of hiking in summer, winter sports in the colder months, lonely alpine pastures, magnificent views, imperial history and Baroque architecture — not to mention the delicious Alpine cuisine.

  • Kemer-Cirali Beach, Antalya,Turkey

    Turkey

    Turkey offers protected coasts, a turquoise sea and nearly 400 beaches with the infrastructure that travelers expect. In 2018, after years of declining tourist numbers, Turkey experienced a recovery and became the No. 4 international destination for German holidaymakers. Especially well liked is the Turkish Riviera around Antalya.

  • Stockholm

    Scandinavia

    Northern Europe has become increasingly popular with German holidaymakers. No. 5 on the list of vacation destinations for 2018 went to Scandinavia, with its endless forests and sources of water — from rivers to lakes to coastlines. Scandinavia is the classic destination for nature lovers and is especially popular with campers. There are about 1,500 campsites in Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark.

  • Vietnam's Halong Bay (picture alliance/dpa)

    Asia

    About one in eight German holidaymakers left Europe for their primary vacation in 2018. Destinations in Asia — such as Vietnam's Halong Bay (pictured) — were their preferred choice of travelers seeking beautiful landscapes with unblemished nature. Clean air and beaches are particularly important for older travelers.

  • Statue of Liberty (picture-alliance/imageBROKER/P. Wallner)

    The United States of America

    From New York to San Francisco and Niagara Falls to the Grand Canyon, the United States was a close second to Asia for destinations outside of Europe. Almost 3 percent of German tourists went across the pond for their vacations in 2018.


More in the Media Center

Eine Intensivfachpflegerin betreut auf der Intensivstation des Gemeinschaftskrankenhauses Havelhöhe einen Covid-19-Patienten. +++ dpa-Bildfunk +++

COVID: European countries grapple with omicron response 04.01.2022

A Ukrainian tourist walks in the arrival hall of the Internatioanal Boryspil airport outside Kiev after his plane landed from China on January 30, 2020. - The first out of four special flights will be held on January 30, 2020 in order to evacuate hundreds of Ukrainian tourists from China as a deadly coronavirus outbreak grows. With no regular flights between Ukraine and China, two Ukrainian airlines, SkyUp and Ukraine International Airlines, provide charter transportation for holidaymakers to the seaside resort of Sanya on the Hainan island, but they announced a suspension of transportation after the epidemic has killed more than 130 people and spread around the world. (Photo by Sergei SUPINSKY / AFP) (Photo by SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP via Getty Images)

How tough should Germany get on people returning from vacation? 28.07.2021

191213 Inside Europe 1920x1080.png Maße: 1920 x 1080 px

Inside Europe 29.07.2021 29.07.2021

Despite rising COVID-19 cases, Germany holidaymakers headed to Mallorca for the Easter holidays.

Germans vacation in Mallorca despite COVID-19 11.04.2021

Read also

Tourists wearing protective masks take a selfie on the Rialto Bridge as the coronavirus lockdown eases in Venice, Italy, May 24, 2020. REUTERS/Manuel Silvestri

What are the COVID entry rules for travelers to European countries? 12.05.2022

Most European countries have lifted travel restrictions — despite ongoing high infection numbers. DW Travel has compiled this overview of EU rules.

Kalush Orchestra from Ukraine perform during the first semi-final of the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest in Turin, Italy, May 10, 2022. REUTERS/Yara Nardi

Ukraine among 10 first Eurovision finalists 11.05.2022

A total of 17 songs were presented during the first semifinal of the Eurovision Song Contest. Viewers have selected 10 acts that will compete in the finals on Saturday.

ANTALYA, TURKEY - AUGUST 29, 2016: Holidaymakers at the Kremlin Palace Hotel in the Mediterranean resort of Antalya. Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency banned charter flights to Turkey after the downing of a Russian Air Force jet near the Turkey-Syria border in November 2015. The ban was lifted in August, 2016, with charter flights between Russia and Turkey to resume in September, 2016. Seen behind is a building resembling Moscow's Museum of History. Alexander Demianchuk/TASS

Turkey's tourism sector battling fallout from the war in Ukraine 09.05.2022

Last year, most foreign tourists in Turkey came from Russia, Germany and Ukraine. Two of the countries are at war. Visitor numbers are down — meaning tough times ahead for Turkey's tourism industry.

Palestinians clash with Israeli security forces at the Al Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City Friday, April 15, 2022. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

Scores injured in Israeli-Palestinian clash in Jerusalem 15.04.2022

Clashes have broken out at the Al-Aqsa mosque complex. At least 152 people have been wounded, medics said. The complex is a frequent flashpoint.