Germany recorded a record 223.8 million overnight stays in the first half of 2026, a 0.3 percent increase from the same period a year earlier, extending the sector's post-pandemic recovery. Domestic guests accounted for 187.4 million of the total, up 0.3 percent, while visitors from abroad drove a 0.5 percent rise to 36.4 million nights.
The half-year gains masked a weaker June, when overnight stays fell 2.9 percent to 48.9 million compared with the same month in 2025. Bookings by domestic travellers dropped 3.6 percent, while foreign-guest nights rose 1.6 percent to 7.7 million.
The German Tourism Association cited rising costs, staff shortages and an investment backlog as persistent headwinds for the industry. Full-year 2025 had set a benchmark of 497.5 million overnight stays, and the sector is tracking slightly ahead of that pace through the first six months of 2026.