Last year, Germany welcomed 37.5 million international tourists, marking a 7.8% increase compared to the previous year. The total number of overnight stays rose by 5.4%, reaching 85.3 million. According to Bénédicte Richer, the head of the French branch of the German National Tourist Board (ONAT), the country hopes to fully recover its tourist flow to the 2019 level, which saw 39.6 million arrivals, this year.
France remains the second most important market for German tourism. In 2024, 3.7 million overnight stays by French tourists were recorded, a 4.8% increase from 2023. Germany is also the fifth-largest market generating tourists to France. ONAT aims to increase the number of overnight stays by French tourists to 4 million by the end of 2025.
Despite an overall decrease in international overnight stays in the first quarter of 2025, ONAT representatives remain optimistic about the French and European markets. Popular destinations for French tourists include Berlin, Munich, and Frankfurt. There is a growing interest in more sustainable modes of transport, such as trains, facilitated by the development of direct rail routes between France and Germany, including the new direct Paris-Berlin TGV. In 2025, ONAT is focusing on cultural tourism, nature, sustainable development, and Christmas markets, as well as events like the 200th anniversary of Berlin's Museum Island and the 275th anniversary of Johann Sebastian Bach's death.
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