Germany’s tourism industry set a new record in 2025, registering 497.5 million overnight stays. According to preliminary data released by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) on Wednesday, accommodation providers recorded a 0.3 % increase over the previous record year, 2024.
The rise was partly driven by high numbers at the end of the year. In December 2025, lodging establishments logged 32.0 million overnight stays – a 3.6 % jump versus December 2024, marking the highest December figure ever recorded.
Domestic visitors accounted for 413.7 million overnight stays, up 0.7 % from 2024. Foreign‑guest overnight stays were 83.8 million, down 1.8 % compared with the previous year, a dip attributed in part to the 2024 European Football Championship, which had attracted many international guests. As a result, the share of foreign guests fell to 16.8 % of total overnight stays in 2025, from 17.2 % in 2024.
When categorized by accommodation type, hotels, inns, and pensions experienced a slight decline of 0.4 % in overnight stays. Holiday rentals remained almost flat, rising only 0.2 % year‑on‑year. In contrast, camping sites saw robust growth: overnight stays at campgrounds increased by 4.2 % in 2025, and when compared with the pre‑COVID‑19 benchmark year 2019, campgrounds posted roughly a 24.9 % gain. Other tourism‑related accommodations-such as nursing homes, rehabilitation clinics, and training centers-posted a modest 1.4 % increase in overnight stays.
Re‑examining December, Destatis reported that in Germany lodging establishments recorded 32.0 million overnight stays in December 2025, a 3.6 % rise over the same month in 2024. Domestic overnight stays in December grew to 25.4 million, up 3.5 % year‑on‑year, while foreign overnight stays rose to 6.7 million, an increase of 4.0 %.