Accommodation industry in Germany - statistics & facts
Planning a trip to Germany? The question of where to visit goes hand in hand with where to stay. There is no shortage of choice. The accommodation industry represents one of the two pillars of the hotel and restaurant industry. Post-pandemic recovery finally seems to be happening, with 2022 revenue exceeding figures before 2020. The most widespread type of serviced establishments is the hotel, typically offering a reception desk, various services, daily room cleaning and at least one restaurant for hotel guests and passersby. Additional differentiation takes place between these types of accommodation: bed and breakfasts, hostels, vacation homes, and campgrounds. The German accommodation market has long since been one of variety, with options ranging from budget-friendly to upscale.
Some of the main trends driving the German accommodation industry are digitalization and a skilled labor shortage. For all the benefits that digitalization and even AI offer, at this point the industry still relies on human employment.
Hotels in the lead for overnight stays
Currently there are around 48,200 open accommodation establishments in Germany. These contributed to a total of nearly 487.2 million overnight stays in 2023. The share of overnight stays completed by guests from abroad is highest in hotels. Large cities in particular profit from this development, with both more space for new hotels being available and higher overnight tourist traffic expected. Hotels are also typically the first choice of travelers looking for accommodation during a short stay, e.g. when they are passing through en route to their destination – this often happens around major travel hubs (airports, train stations, harbors). However, while the traditional hotel with all the familiar features is still in demand, this type of accommodation is also undergoing changes. New hotels are popping up, some of them with cheaper rates, bookings take place online only, and in some cases it is also possible to check in online in advance. The latter eliminates the necessity of queuing at an actual reception desk to be checked in by a staff member, thus providing travelers with some of the most desired commodities: time saved and flexible independence. Around 190.7 million overnight stays were counted in German hotels in 2023.Accommodating change
A source of competition for hotels in particular in the last decade are short-term online rental platforms such as Airbnb. These platforms provide a different kind of independence for travelers than traditional accommodation types. Essentially, residential real estate rentals and travel accommodation merge into one, cancelling out many jobs that make up a functioning hotel (or serviced accommodation in general), from management positions to cleaning and cooking. The hotel industry does answer to that competition, though, e.g. in the form of apartment hotels.Some of the main trends driving the German accommodation industry are digitalization and a skilled labor shortage. For all the benefits that digitalization and even AI offer, at this point the industry still relies on human employment.
