Booking a Vacation Rental Online: A Growing Trend in Germany
A surge in online reservations for vacation rentals is depicted. - Online reservations for holiday apartments are increasingly popular
If you're planning a getaway to Germany, chances are you're considering booking a vacation rental online. Last year, the number of overnight stays booked digitally on four major platforms skyrocketed by 22.6%. This staggering surge even surpassed the 2019 pre-pandemic level, with an astounding 60.4 million overnight stays[1]!
Organizations like Airbnb, Booking.com, Tripadvisor, and Expedia were assessed for these mind-boggling statistics. To put this into perspective, 95% of these online bookings were for accommodations housing ten beds or less. These accommodations often go unreported in traditional tourism statistics[1]. On the other hand, large providers with 10 beds or more reported approximately 96.8 million overnight stays in vacation rentals and homes in 2024[1].
Interestingly, more than a third of the online bookings originate from abroad. While the number of foreign guests rose by 20.3%, locals showed a slightly steeper growth of 23.6%[1]. The top countries among the 18.4 million overnight stays by foreign guests were the Netherlands, Poland, and the USA, in that order.
The German regions seeing the most online bookings? Bavaria led the way, with foreigners accounting for the majority of overnight stays. On the other hand, domestic travelers flocked to the North and Baltic Sea, while a whopping 93% of bookings in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania came from locals[1].
Key Takeaways:
- Online Booking preference: Booking.com, a popular online hotel booking platform in Germany, likely has a strong presence in the vacation rental market as well[1].
- City Demand: High occupancy rates in German cities suggest a robust demand for accommodations, potentially including vacation rentals[3].
- Domestic vs Foreign travelers: While the exact split between domestic and foreign travelers for vacation rentals is unclear, the broader trend in tourism suggests a mix of both[1].
Want to know more about the future of online travel bookings in Germany? The travel market is projected to keep expanding due to AI tools, growing mobile markets, and increased social media influence[1]. This growth has the potential to significantly impact vacation rental bookings as well!
- In the context of the rising trend of booking vacation rentals online in Germany, some community organizations provide aid for vocational training in fields like home-and-garden management or hospitality to prepare locals for this industry growth.
- To dive deeper into the statistics of online vacation rental bookings, one could explore the estimated 60.4 million overnight stays for Airbnb listings over the course of last year in Pomerania, a coastal region known for its unique lifestyle and scenic home-and-garden landscapes.
- Given the increasing preference for vacation rentals among travelers, organizations offering vocational training in vocational trades such as plumbing, carpentry, or interior design might experience a surge in demand as homeowners seek to upgrade and maintain their properties to attract digital bookings.
- As the coronavirus tends to impact local economies and tourism heavily, initiatives like community aid and vocational training programs become even more crucial in supporting the long-term growth and sustainability of various sectors, including vacation rentals in regions like Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
