The industry's turnover rose to a new record of an estimated 25.2bn euros (previous year 24.4bn) and the number of holidaymakers relying on a tour operator for their best weeks of the year in the past 12 months remained stable on a high level with about 40 million professionally organised trips.

Offerings in the high-end segment were particularly in demand as customers develop stronger quality awareness. Price is no longer the decisive buying criterion, but more and more customers expect quality at a reasonable price. GfK market researchers predict that private consumption will be growing also next year.

On the basis of these positive forecasts, the DRV is expecting further market growth also for the business year 2013/2014.

Jürgen Büchy, President of the German Travel Association (DRV) unveils the key trends in the German market. 
 
Analyses carried out by the DRV Committee Statistics and Market Research show diverse business developments in the different segments of the tourist industry over the past twelve months (2013). This is due to external factors, like, for example, the good weather in Central Europe this summer, or political developments in certain holiday destinations.
 
Here are some of the key results:
 
In terms of destinations, package tours to medium-haul destinations recorded the most distinct increases in sales revenues with 3.5 to 4 percent, along with flights to long-haul destinations with 4 to 5 percent. There is an even higher untapped potential for long-haul travel, because high extra charges on air travel - due to civil aviation tax, increases in the price of kerosene, currency impacts and the inclusion into the emission trade system - have been curbing the demand for remote destinations for three years. In addition, many air carriers have reduced their offer of air services. The demand for some destinations, like, for example, the Maldives could not be satisfied due to lacking capacities.

After a stagnation in the previous year, sales revenues of the so-called earthbound travel (by car, bus or rail) grew again by 1.5 to 2.5 percent. In addition to Germany, this segment also includes our neighbouring countries - like for instance Austria.
 
Tour operators also recorded increases in passenger bookings for the Balearic Islands, Greece, Tunisia and Turkey. In particular the long-haul destinations Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and the Caribbean Islands recorded an increase.  Germany and Austria posted slight increases. Tours to the USA organized by tour operators remained stable on a high level. Egypt, Bulgaria, Italy and the Canary Islands recorded a lower demand.
 
A preliminary analysis of the favourite foreign destinations of Germans in 2013 shows that the preferences remained almost unchanged compared with the previous years : Spain is still holding the top position, especially in the summer months, followed by the countries around the Mediterranean, like Turkey and Greece.
 
Sea cruises have been a booming segment for years; also in the 2012/13 tourism year, the ocean cruise segment posted a growth in sales revenues of about 4 percent. For reasons of comparison: In the 2012 calendar year, more than 1.5 million passengers went on an ocean cruise, providing for sales revenues of 2.6bn euros (figures are only comparable to a limited extent with those of the tourism year). In the last tourism year, the river cruise segment had to face numerous challenges - among which were the floods in Germany, negative impacts of this year's strikes by the lock staff, discontinuation of cruises on the Nile for several months, as well as the rise in prices due to the increase in VAT from seven to 19 percent on January 1, 2012. Therefore, river cruises recorded declines in the high one-digit percentage range. Both segments together are accounting for a growth in sales revenues of 2 to 3 percent.
 
What do you see as being the key trends or changes in the way business is done as time moves on?
 
 It is clear that in the preferences at the holiday destination not too much will change. But there will be significant changes in two areas: firstly, there will be even more special offers for certain target groups and needs. The offer is designed according to individual. On the other hand the development of booking technique is and the subject area social media increasingly have influence on the booking behaviour of travellers. This applies to all market participants, that they observe trends, adapt to them and also make them should, if they won't want to miss the connection. That sounds simple, represents a great job but just for small and medium-sized companies that shape our industry.
 
Mexico is the partner country of ITB Berlin this year. What are your thoughts on this destination?
 
 Mexico long belonged to the ten most popular destinations worldwide. The number of visitors however stagnate for several years. The Government controls against an ambitious concept. As this year's partner country at the world's largest travel fair ITB, Mexico presents its qualities as a holiday destination. By the way: In this country more and more travel be booked to Mexico, the country is one of the most popular winter destinations in the Germans.
 
Tourism is a key economic factor in Mexico: he contributes around 12 percent to the overall economy and directly employs 2.5 million people. About 23 are based

Millions of travelers each year. Other emerging economies such as Thailand record but strong visitor growth. Mexico therefore threatens in the international tourism competition to fall back.
 
The Mexican Government responds to the downturn: 2013 said President Enrique Peña Nieto tourism promotion to the boss. At the highest level, the national tourism policy should be realigned. Objectives of the project include a collaboration of all those involved, the alternative tourism sectors should be strengthened and promoted the sustainability.
 
The private sector supported the project: 2016 flow equivalent of 6.4 billion euros in the development of tourist infrastructure, from the private sector primarily for work hotels and airports. This will be around 100,000 jobs. The German tour operator by the way, already have the tourist potential of Mexico recognized and expand their offerings - with success: against the trend German traveller increased in the last five years to more than 25 percent to around 200,000.

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