How is the European travel market developing? How did the past year go? The DERTOUR Group provides insights and outlooks. Plus: Get to know the new CEO Christoph Debus! He introduces himself in a short film - and is also happy to reveal some personal details.
With over 10,000 employees, a presence in 16 European markets1 and more than 130 travel companies, the DERTOUR Group benefited from Europeans' strong desire to travel last year. The forecast for 2025 is also optimistic. "After a phase of recovery, our European travel markets are showing accelerated growth. Consumers' increasing focus on experiences rather than material goods is fuelling the desire to travel. We are therefore seeing a sharp rise in guest numbers and high demand for long-haul travel and high-quality travel offers at attractive prices," summarises Christoph Debus, CEO of the DERTOUR Group since 1 March 2025.
In 2024, the DERTOUR Group recorded a 19 per cent increase in its European customer numbers compared to the previous year. This underlines the growing demand among travellers for package holidays that offer a high level of convenience when booking and on holiday. "The booking figures demonstrate the growing popularity of package holidays, which we now offer in a very wide variety of experiences. They cater to travellers' desire for carefree and stress-free travel experiences that also offer high quality at attractive prices," explains Dr Ingo Burmester, CEO Central Europe at DERTOUR Group.
The significant increase in guest numbers in 2024 was also supported by developments in the German market, which recorded the highest guest growth among the markets at 23 per cent. In addition to the positive development of demand in the long-haul segment, the market exit of FTI also had an impact on the summer balance. "We reacted quickly to the circumstances last summer by expanding capacity and providing additional offers for affected travellers in key destinations such as Turkey, Egypt and Dubai," says Burmester.
The DERTOUR Group's booking analysis in its 16 European markets shows particularly strong growth in guest numbers for the current winter season2. These are currently a whopping 28 per cent up on the previous year. Demand for long-haul holidays is particularly strong: Almost a third of European guests (31%) opted for long-haul destinations. The top winter destinations once again include destinations in the Middle East - led by Dubai as a strong travel magnet. "Overall, we are seeing a very high level of interest in long-haul destinations - this applies in particular to the Arabian Peninsula. This development shows the strong momentum that tourism has in destinations such as Dubai," comments Burmester. "Among the up-and-coming trend destinations, we are seeing renewed interest in holidays to Australia and New Zealand. They are showing the highest year-on-year growth rates among long-haul destinations and are therefore back on the radar of our European guests."
In the short and medium-haul travel segment, Egypt is becoming a travel favourite, securing second place in the rankings with impressive guest growth (+81%), just behind Spain. Other popular short and medium-haul destinations for European guests this winter are Turkey, Italy and Germany, underlining the appeal of classic holiday hotspots.
1. Spain
2. Egypt
3. Turkey
4. Italy
5. Germany
1. Middle East (Dubai, Jordan, Oman, etc.)
2. Indian Ocean
3. Thailand
4. Caribbean
5. North America
*Top destinations by number of guests
The DERTOUR Group's booking figures for the summer season3 2025 show continued strong demand. European guest numbers are up again compared to the already strong summer of 2024, increasing by 14%. Revenue will increase by 18%, indicating a shift towards premium holidays. "Demand for high-quality travel experiences is high, particularly in our Central and Eastern European markets," says Dr Ingo Burmester. "Almost a third of our European guests opt for five-star hotels. This underlines the fact that travellers prioritise comfort, service and unique experiences. When choosing a destination, it is also clear that our guests value excellent value for money."
A look at the current destination trends shows that Egypt is overtaking Tunisia as a beach and beach holiday destination and is also gaining popularity among European travellers in summer thanks to its diverse cultural offerings and attractive prices. Long-haul holidays are also picking up speed, with Thailand securing a place in the top 3 after the Indian Ocean and North America, scoring points with its almost endless travel options at affordable prices. In addition, destinations in the Middle East continue to develop strongly in the summer season, establishing themselves as year-round destinations. "The trend of former winter destinations such as Thailand becoming year-round favourites is continuing," explains Burmester. "This development is driven by the high quality of travel experiences that European travellers can book at very attractive prices during the summer season."
1. Greece
2. Turkey
3. Spain
4. Egypt
5. Tunisia
* Top destinations by number of guests
1. Indian Ocean
2. North America
3. Thailand
4. Middle East (Dubai, Jordan, Oman, etc.)
5. Caribbean
Among the up-and-coming destinations, New Zealand and Australia are also experiencing a huge increase in guest numbers of 140% in summer compared to the previous year. This consolidates the trend towards the comeback of these regions.
With over 20 renowned tour operator brands, a diverse range of special tours and a growing hotel portfolio, the DERTOUR Group believes it is strongly positioned for the 2025 travel year. "We offer a wide range of travel experiences that are now tailored to very individual preferences," emphasises Burmester.
The outlook for the summer season is also positive in the German market: after a strongly booked winter season, there is also a clear increase in guest numbers in summer 2025. The current booking status shows 15 per cent more guests compared tolast summer, which was already very strong. This means that Germans are among the earliest bookers in Europe. "It is quite common for German travellers to be slightly ahead when it comes to early bookings. In other European countries, guests often book a little less in advance." Attractive early booking discounts boost early bookings for German DERTOUR tour operators. But there are also numerous offers for last-minute travellers this year with the new last-minute brand "Travelix Last Minute". Local guests also show a strong preference for 4- and 5-star hotels and all-inclusive catering.
1 The 16 source markets are spread across Northern, Central and Eastern Europe.
2 The winter season runs from 1 November 2024 to 30 April 2025. The booking figures for this period include cumulative bookings by DERTOUR Group tour operators in 16 markets, with a cut-off date of 11 February 2025.
3 The summer season runs from 1 May 2025 to 31 October 2025. The booking figures for this period include cumulative bookings by DERTOUR Group tour operators in 16 markets; the cut-off date is 11 February 2025.
