Long-haul trips boost Germans for Autumn 2024

As Mabrian travel intelligence shows, Asia, Middle East, and Nordic countries are some of the trending 2024 autumn destinations German travellers, who are gradually leaning to alternatives to traditionally, still highly demanded Mediterranean countries for these getaways, as experiences combining culture, great outdoors and landscapes are the strongest drivers when choosing travel plans between September to November.

BARCELONA, SPAIN – While Mediterranean countries continue to attract German travellers, long-haul destinations, particularly in the Middle East and Asia, are becoming increasingly popular for autumn 2024. This trend is highlighted by a recent analysis from Mabrian, the global travel intelligence platform that is part of The Data Appeal Company.

These findings combine cyclical data about Germans’ autumn travel interests and motivations, along with inspirational travel demand data based on Mabrian’s Share of Searches Index, that reflects the strength of travel demand based on flight searches behaviour. Given a source market and a period of time, the Share of Searches Index is a percentage that correlates the total flight searches globally with spontaneous searches for specific destinations.

For this analysis, Share of Searches Index tracked flight searches in Germany, made at least three months in advance, for trips between September and November 2024, focusing on top performing destinations for the German travel market.  “Unlike confirmed bookings, this ratio shows the degree of market interest in certain destinations,” says Carlos Cendra, Partner and Director of Marketing and Communication at Mabrian. “Whether reservations are confirmed depends on many factors, from available connectivity, flight and accommodation prices, or other phenomena that may influence travellers’ willingness to purchase or spend.”

Data also indicates that travel plans between September and November 2024 reflect a shifting trend, a slight readjustment of the yet strong demand to Mediterranean destinations, and a demand surge for alternative medium haul destinations in the Caucasus and Central Asia, some Nordic countries as well as in the Balkan Peninsula.

Rich culture, pleasant climates, and outdoors, drivers to Middle East and Asia

Aligned with the strength of experiential travel in European demand,for Germans, autumn trips are becoming  more about exploration and cultural immersion. Flight searches and inspirational demand from German travellers indicate that Asian and Middle East destinations are a strong seasonal trend for this year, whether it be to enjoy Asia’s heritage and gastronomy, or to delve into Middle East lifestyle, traditions and exotic and sunny landscapes.

According to Mabrian, Several Asian countries rank in the top 20 most demanded destinations by Germans for autumn 2024, being India (+41% increase compared to 2023 fall season), Vietnam (+35% year over year) and Singapore (+26%), the ones seeing a strongest growth in inspirational demand; followed by Japan (+15% compared to 2023 autumn), Indonesia (+11%), and Thailand (+10%).

Similar to Asia, Middle East destinations’ demand increase for fall season travel among Germans is fuelled by direct air connectivity. United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia demand grew +23% and +57% comparted to autumn 2023; as well as Egypt, increasing 41%. Conversely, German travellers’ motivations to choose these trendy Middle East destinations for autumn escapades are more diverse. As Mabrian data indicates Egypt, and particularly Saudi Arabia, are considered by Germans as the quintessential cultural destinations, also suitable for active and outdoors travel; while United Arab Emirates are an active tourism and sun & beach spots, and a world-class shopping destination.

Differently as in the case of Asia, German travellers’ motivations to choose these trendy Middle East destinations for autumn escapades are more diverse. As Mabrian data indicates Egypt, and particularly Saudi Arabia, are considered by Germans as the quintessential cultural destinations, also suitable for active and outdoors travel; while United Arab Emirates are an active tourism and sun & beach spots, and a world-class shopping destination.

Other long-haul destinations seeing an increased demand for this autumn are Australia (+21% year over year, (driven by an overall increase in demand in Germany); and exotic sun & beach destinations such as Maldives (+23% interannual growth) Mauritius and the Dominican Republic (growing +85% and +25%, respectively), as well as Sri Lanka (+9% respect to fall 2023).

Emerging Medium-Haul destinations in Northern and Eastern Europe

A significant trend is unfolding in medium-haul choices: German travellers still show a strong preference for traditional Mediterranean destinations as autumn travel spots (Turkey in particular; plus Spain, Italy, France, or Greece) but, as demand stabilizes or slightly decreases this year, compared to the same period in 2023; the Balkan Peninsula, the Caucasus and Central Asia, and some Nordic countries are becoming more appealing to this market.

As Cendra explains, “this change responds to an appetite to visit lesser-known destinations and to find better value-for-money options and experiences that provide a balance between cultural attractions, gastronomy and active tourism”. In fact, the exceptions to this trend are Portugal and Tunisia, as seasonal demand from Germany increases 5% and 52%, respectively, compared to fall 2023.

German demand to travel to Nordic countries shows mixed trends: Denmark and Finland decline, while Sweden and Norway experience increases of +12% and +18%, driven by outdoor and natural attractions, particularly appealing to the Munich market, with significant demand growth.

In the Balkans peninsula, Croatia (+45%), Serbia (+25%), and Albania (+73%), are becoming popular autumn destinations for Germans, as well as the Caucasus and Central Asia, with Georgia seeing +9% more demand than in fall 2023, alongside rising interest in Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan, which are still niche but growing significantly.

Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.

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