Vacation boom 2024: Flight prices up, but travelers are back!

Vacation boom 2024: Flight prices up, but travelers are back!

The travel industry in Germany seems to be on the right track again after the hard years of pandemic. Tour operators report on a boom in the bookings, which indicates a recovered demand for vacation trips. The Germans are apparently ready to pack their suitcases and enjoy the most beautiful weeks of the year. Airlines are generally optimistic about the coming year, even if the situation with regard to the available seats is somewhat scarcer than in other European countries.

The ticket prices, on the other hand, will remain high. Lufthansa boss Carsten Spohr has announced that travelers should not expect any significant price cuts. He explained that ticket prices will remain high, irrevocably influenced by the general price increase. The increase in air traffic tax on the part of the Federal Government could also lead to the summer vacation becoming more expensive for many, which is emphasized by Norbert Fiebig, the President of the German Travel Association.

market development and expectations for 2024

For the summer season of the coming year, however, it is called "remain optimistic". Apart from the price question, companies have again recorded a normal travel year, which is reflected in sales. These gratifying sales could even surpass the record year 2019, as the current figures of the German Travel Association show. Early bookers and the popular package tours in particular are back, which continues to raise the mood in the industry.

The demand for everyday trips remains unbroken. Gerald Kassner, the managing director of Schauinsland, emphasized that despite all the crises, people want to get out of everyday life more than ever. The deputy managing director of the German Tourism Association, Norbert Kunz, also reports on an overall positive booking situation for 2024.

At the international level, forecasts by the Airline Association IATA show that the European airlines can expect a moderate increase in profits in 2024. This could indicate slowly recovering the travel options, even if the prices are not falling on a global scale. A larger increase could be made possible by airlines such as Ryanair and Easyjet, which are currently in strategic renewal. In the past, these have often noticed German airports, but could get back into the market due to increased demand.

The capacity of the airlines in Germany will only reach about 84 percent of the level of 2019 by May 2024, while other European countries are already expected to reach 102 percent. This shows that despite the optimistic prospects of recovery in the industry, both the price and the availability of flights will play a crucial role.

Overall, 2024 could be an exciting year for the travel industry in Germany, with many open questions regarding pricing and availability. How the industry will finally develop remains to be seen, but the signs are based on growth and relaxation after pandemic.