Hamburg tourism sees rising overnight stays amid falling day trips

A study by DIW Econ GmbH for Hamburg Tourismus GmbH reveals a complex trend in Hamburg's tourism sector for the first half of 2026. While overnight stays rose slightly by 0.5 percent to 7.76 million, the number of day trips has declined significantly compared to 2019 levels, dropping from 105 million to 95 million.

Growth in overnight stays is primarily driven by the domestic market, with German guests booking 1.5 percent more nights. Conversely, international overnight stays fell by 3.5 percent to 1.53 million. Although nominal tourist consumption rose to approximately 10.5 billion euros, inflation-adjusted spending remains below 2019 levels.

The decline in day trips is attributed to rising costs, including a roughly 20 percent increase in prices in Germany since 2019, affecting fuel, parking, and gastronomy. Additionally, the tourism industry's workforce is reported at approximately 85,000 employees for 2024, down from nearly 94,000 in 2019.