Stable Tourism Year 2025 in Thuringia - Thuringia's tourism holds steady in 2025 despite weak international demand
Thuringia's tourism sector showed signs of stabilising in 2025, with overnight stays nearly matching the previous year's figures. The region recorded around 10.1 million overnight stays—a slight dip of 0.2 percent from 2024. For the second time since 2019, the total exceeded the 10 million mark, offering cautious optimism for local businesses.
The state welcomed 3.9 million visitors in 2025, a modest rise of 0.4 percent compared to 2024. Domestic travellers continued to dominate, accounting for roughly 9.5 million overnight stays. However, international demand remained weak, with arrivals dropping by 1 percent to 230,000 and overnight stays by foreign guests falling by 0.9 percent to 544,000.
Hotels performed well, reporting a 2 percent increase in overnight stays to about 4.4 million. But holiday homes and apartments struggled, seeing a sharp 6.1 percent decline to 515,400 stays. Only Erfurt and the Weimar region bucked the trend, recording growth in both guest numbers and overnight stays.
The sector still faces challenges from the pandemic's lingering effects. International tourism in Thuringia has recovered more slowly than in other states, reaching just 75 percent of pre-2020 levels by 2024. The 2019 Bauhaus centennial had briefly boosted visits to Weimar by 15–20 percent, but this momentum was lost during the crisis. States like Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg have rebounded faster, with recovery rates of 90 and 85 percent respectively.
Industry leaders are now looking to the ITB travel trade show in Berlin (March 3–5) and a new tourism strategy, set for adoption in mid-2025, to revive growth.
Thuringia's tourism figures for 2025 reflect a mixed picture: steady domestic interest but persistent struggles in attracting international visitors. With overnight stays holding above 10 million and targeted initiatives on the horizon, the region aims to build on this stability in the coming year.
