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- Early bookings boost sales in October: The trend towards online bookings is becoming clearer: 40 percent of trips were booked online, an increase of 19 percent compared to 2023. The summer season accounted for 70% of annual sales, which recorded an overall increase of 12%. Early bookers dominate bookings for summer 2025: they accounted for almost every second October holiday euro, while winter travel accounted for 41% of sales. Despite a decline in October, winter 2024/25 saw a cumulative increase in sales of 16% compared to the previous year. Read more
- Strong summer season and many early bookings: The 2024 summer season achieved a record turnover of around 15 billion euros via tour operators, an increase of ten percent compared to the previous year, reports Travel Data + Analytics (TDA). Overall, the tourism year, including the 2023/24 winter season, recorded revenue growth of twelve percent. Summer 2024 contributed 70 percent to annual revenue, while the new winter season 2024/25 has already reached 60 percent of the previous year's revenue. Vacation sales were 24 percent higher than in 2019, which can be attributed to price increases and the return of more expensive forms of travel such as long-haul trips. Nevertheless, the rising cost of living continues to make vacations difficult for some households. The winter season's share of sales fell to 41% in the same period, but remains robust with a cumulative increase of 16% compared to the previous year. Read more
- New tour operator takes off in 2025: Urlaubsguru Touristik, a new travel operator, is set to launch in early 2025, focusing on lifestyle tourism. Its initial offerings will be available on the platforms Urlaubsguru and 5vorFlug.de. The company aims to provide unique travel experiences by combining exclusive lifestyle hotels with tailored packages. Leadership for the new venture has transitioned to Daniel Frick, formerly Chief Global Officer at Urlaubsguru, who will serve as CEO. Frick, supported by a team of industry specialists, emphasized the goal of curating unforgettable and personalized travel experiences. The initial focus is on all-inclusive lifestyle vacations in popular destinations such as Greece, Spain, Egypt, and Turkey, with an emphasis on the islands of Greece and Spain. In addition to European destinations, the operator highlights curated trips to iconic North American cities like New York City and Miami. The combination of innovative travel design, customer collaboration, and a strong digital presence positions Urlaubsguru Touristik as a fresh contender in the travel industry for 2025. Read more
- Lata economist warns of the decline of the aviation industry: The aviation industry is facing enormous challenges due to the rising cost of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). According to Marie Owens Thomsen, Chief Economist and Senior Vice President for Sustainability at Iata, this could pose an existential threat to airlines. At the Airlines 24 conference in London, she warned that SAF is currently three times more expensive than conventional kerosene. While one billion dollars more would have to be budgeted for SAF in 2025, the costs could rise to 750 billion dollars by 2050 - a scenario that Owens Thomsen described as “unsustainable”. Although airline profits are estimated at 30.5 billion dollars worldwide in 2024, airfares are lagging behind general inflation. Rising fuel costs would further increase the pressure on airlines. Owens Thomsen therefore called for greater political support to drive investment in SAF, otherwise the industry would be at risk of decline. According to Iata, massive investments are needed to make aviation climate-neutral by 2050. Around 70 refineries would have to be built by 2030, and between 4,000 and 8,000 by 2050. The total investment costs amount to two to three trillion dollars, comparable to those for wind and solar energy. Read more
- EU approves Lufthansa's entry into ITA Airways: The European Commission has approved the Lufthansa Group's acquisition of ITA Airways, finalizing the agreement between Lufthansa and the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance. The Commission considers that the conditions under competition law have been fulfilled, including the obligation to transfer short-haul flights to Easyjet and to release long-haul flights in favor of Air France-KLM Group and International Airlines Group (IAG). In addition, take-off and landing rights at Milan-Linate airport were transferred, prompting Easyjet to base five aircraft in Milan and three in Rome from spring 2025. With this approval, Lufthansa can initially acquire 41 percent of the ITA shares for 325 million euros and has the option to take over the airline completely at a later date. Lufthansa had already expressed interest in ITA, the successor to the former Alitalia, at the beginning of 2022. After lengthy negotiations and the interim involvement of shipping company MSC, Lufthansa and the Italian government agreed on the basic details in 2023. The EU Commission gave the go-ahead for the deal in July, provided that certain competition conditions were met. Read more
- European air fares fall: Air fares in intra-European traffic have fallen significantly this year, as an analysis by Cirium shows. In September 2024, the average price for one-way flights (excluding taxes and fees) was EUR 87.40 - six percent less than in the previous year. Prices fell particularly sharply in domestic German air traffic, where they fell by 27% to EUR 53.94 in August 2024. There were similar declines for connections from Switzerland and Norway to Germany. A moderate increase in the number of flights is expected for summer 2025, particularly on popular domestic routes and in domestic Spanish traffic. The number of seats available within Germany is expected to increase by a good 201,000 in July, but will remain below the 2019 level. European air traffic continues to be dominated by low-cost airlines such as Ryanair, Easyjet and Vueling, which alone provide more than half of all seats on offer. Ryanair also stands out with the lowest number of flight cancellations: Only 0.29 percent of its flights were canceled through September. Lufthansa, on the other hand, recorded the highest cancellation rate of the 17 airlines analyzed at 3.5 percent. Read more
- German airports see a bleak future: The German aviation industry is facing significant challenges as it struggles to keep up with recovery rates seen in other European countries. While passenger numbers have increased compared to last year, the overall pace of growth has slowed. In October 2024, German airports handled 21.2 million passengers, which represents a 4.8% increase from the same month in 2023. However, the recovery compared to pre-pandemic levels remains incomplete, with passenger numbers still 10.4% lower than in October 2019. ADV President Stefan Schulte has called for measures to strengthen the sector's competitiveness, emphasizing the need to eliminate the air traffic tax and the e-kerosene quota, which he argues place German airports at a disadvantage. Despite these calls, structural weaknesses at certain regional airports, such as Friedrichshafen and Kassel, appear to play a significant role in their ongoing struggles, suggesting that tax relief alone may not address deeper issues. While major hubs like Munich and Berlin are seeing double-digit growth rates, the overall momentum for recovery is slowing, highlighting the uneven progress across the sector. Read more
- THE TRENDING DESTINATIONS FOR THE COMING YEAR ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY CLEAR: At the beginning of December, it is already clear which destinations Swiss travelers will prefer. The early booking trend is now well established in order to benefit from the best flight and hotel prices. For long-haul trips, the Maldives, Phuket, Mauritius and Dubai remain at the top of the list, while Thailand, Costa Rica, South Africa and Tanzania are also popular with Kuoni Specialists. Hotelplan Suisse also mentions South Korea and Peru as new destinations. Japan has been experiencing rising demand for two years. New flight connections are generating interest in lesser-known destinations. The Georgian capital Tbilisi, for example, will be served twice a week by Edelweiss in the summer timetable, and Halifax in Canada offers new opportunities for North American travelers. Scandinavia, in particular Tromsø and Kittilä, are also increasingly in demand. Malta and Paris are emerging as possible trend destinations for European travel. In addition, Djerba in Tunisia is a returnee to the list, while Mallorca remains a top destination due to the introduction of new flights by Easyjet. Short trips to the Europapark in Rust are also popular. Another notable trend destination is so-called second destinations, which are becoming increasingly popular as an alternative to overcrowded tourist destinations. Examples include Reims instead of Paris or Krabi instead of Phuket. Natural phenomena such as the Northern Lights in Finland or volcanoes in Iceland are also gaining interest. Read more
- DUBAI: Dubai, known for its extravagant luxury hotels, iconic skyscrapers such as the Burj Khalifa and luxurious shopping opportunities in the Dubai Mall, is increasingly focusing on affordable luxury in future. The aim is to appeal to a broader target group without losing its glamorous reputation. Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Tourism, emphasizes that authentic experiences and the emirate's art and culture scene are increasingly coming into focus. Instead of focusing exclusively on landmarks and celebrity campaigns, cultural districts and affordable offers are to attract travelers with a smaller budget. Dubai wants to celebrate its diversity and attract new visitor groups at the same time. Read more
- SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi Arabia plans to attract 100 million international visitors by 2030 in order to free itself economically from its dependence on oil. This goal is accompanied by large-scale projects, but requires dealing with challenges such as restrictive regulations. For example, TUI Cruises' cancellation of the port of Damman led to discussions about regulations such as the ban on alcohol. Despite relaxed rules - women no longer have to wear veils - modest clothing remains mandatory. Tourism is expected to create around 1.6 million jobs by 2030 and contribute 10% to GDP. Initial successes are visible: over 27 million visitors came in 2023. Ambitious attractions such as the futuristic city of Neom, Al-Ula and the Mukaab Riyadh project are intended to make the country more attractive. Sport is also part of the strategy, with plans to host the FIFA World Cup in 2034, for which numerous stadiums and entertainment venues are being planned. With these measures, Saudi Arabia wants to invite the world to rediscover the kingdom. Read more
- CUBA: Bernd Herrmann, head of the incoming agency Senses of Cuba, emphasizes that there is no reason to postpone a vacation to Cuba due to the recent tropical storms. Despite the difficult situation for Cubans, the restrictions for package holidaymakers are minimal. Herrmann, who has lived in Havana for over 20 years and has experienced numerous hurricanes, explains that power cuts of up to three days after a storm are normal in Cuba and also occur in other regions such as Florida. Hotels, restaurants and private homes are often equipped with generators to bridge blackouts. The hurricane season ends in mid-November and, according to Herrmann, the best months for a Cuban vacation begin now, lasting until mid-April. He emphasizes that tourists are always welcome on the island and that they should make sure to carry cash (euros or US dollars) for restaurants, bars and cabs, as using credit cards can sometimes be problematic. He also advises carrying a power bank and medication for emergencies. According to Herrmann, car rental travelers should also have no concerns, but he recommends filling up regularly, especially in the morning, as there can be power cuts in non-tourist regions as part of the energy saving program. Despite these adversities, he emphasizes that Cuba is still a worthwhile travel destination. Read more
- MALDIVES: Travelers to the Maldives will have to expect higher costs from 1 January 2025. The government of the island state has announced that the eco-tax for resort guests, known as the “Green Tax”, will be increased from six to twelve US dollars per person per night. There had been speculation in travel agency forums for weeks about an increase in the tax - now various tour operators have confirmed that this information has also reached their product departments. Read more
- CARIBBEAN: The outlook for the upcoming winter season in the Caribbean is positive, with tour operators reporting strong demand growth. The Dominican Republic and Mexico are particularly popular, thanks to their excellent value for money, attracting travelers across various providers. Many report double-digit growth compared to the previous winter season. Mexico anticipates a boost from two new flight routes. Condor has been flying twice weekly from Frankfurt to Los Cabos (SJD) since November, opening up Baja California’s Pacific coast to a broader audience. This region is now prominently featured in many tour operators' programs and is being heavily marketed through roadshows. Discover Airlines is also expanding its Caribbean offerings. Starting December 12, it will begin twice-weekly flights to Tulum’s new airport (TQO), reducing transfer times for vacationers heading to the Tulum area. Currently, these flights are planned as a winter-season-only service. Read more
- JAPAN: In order to protect Mount Fuji, Japan's highest mountain, from the negative consequences of mass tourism, the authorities are increasing the fee for hikers. From summer 2025, the price is to be raised from 12 euros to the equivalent of 19 to 31 euros. Around 178,000 tourists have climbed the mountain this year. An upper limit of 4,000 people per day was set in July 2024. Read more
- VIETNAM: From 2027, Vietnam will start building a high-speed train connecting the cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The train will cover the 1,500-kilometer route at speeds of up to 350 kilometers per hour in around five hours. Work will initially begin on a 400-kilometer section between Ho Chi Minh City and Nha Trang, and the first journeys could take place in 2035. The project is expected to cost around 63 billion euros. Read more
