Significance and dynamics

The current analysis confirms: Tourism remains a mainstay for growth, regional development, and employment. Especially in rural areas, it acts as an economic backbone — for hospitality as well as for trade, mobility, and many associated industries.

With the resurgence of international travel and normalization within the country, the industry is increasingly returning to its structural role in the German economic network.

Businesses under pressure

Despite discernible recovery impulses, many businesses are still under tremendous strain. High energy prices, rising food costs, and wage increases burden companies significantly. This particularly affects smaller establishments in the hospitality and gastronomy industry as well as providers of tourism infrastructure.

Moreover, municipal budgets are often weak. Investments in pools, trails, cultural, and leisure infrastructure are deferred or canceled — impacting the attractiveness of entire regions. Thus, recovery is visible in demand, but not necessarily in stable business results.

The tourism industry urgently needs relief in costs, bureaucracy, and working hours.

Spillover effects

Tourism has strong impacts on other areas of the economy. It influences trade, construction, transportation, cultural offerings, and fairs and event industries. These cross-sector effects make tourism an important economic factor with high regional significance.

A stable tourism economy secures jobs, strengthens city centers, encourages investments, and enhances the competitiveness of regions.

Concrete recommendations for action

Clear political priorities are needed to avoid jeopardizing the recovery:

1. Cost relief in energy and food sectors

Many businesses operate at the profit margin. Targeted relief measures can help secure economic stability in the short term.

2. Consistently reduce bureaucracy

The measures announced in the coalition agreement — such as more flexible working hours or the abolition of the receipt obligation — should be implemented swiftly to immediately relieve businesses.

3. Strengthen municipal investment capacity

Since many tourist facilities are municipally owned, the capacity of local authorities is crucial for the industry. Investments safeguard regional attractiveness and competitiveness.

4. Strategically anchor tourism politically

The sector should be considered in economic policy discussions and strategies as a cross-sectional and future-oriented industry — not merely as a leisure or consumer sector.

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Economic Factor Tourism 2024 (PDF, 1 MB) (only available in German)