ITB Berlin: Alltours and TUI See High Demand by Germans for Greece in 2023

The alltours press conference at ITB Berlin 2023. Photo source: alltours.

Independent German tour operator alltours said on Tuesday during ITB Berlin that it was expecting a boom in tourist demand with Greece among its most popular travel destinations for the summer ahead.

 The German company is expecting a 30 percent increase in guests compared to 2022 with the strongest demand for Turkey and Egypt, up by 50 percent.

At the same time, the number of bookings so far is up by 20 percent over 2022 and continuing its upward trend, the company said, adding that it was expecting an overall 20 percent increase in guests for 2022-2023.

In the past financial year, alltours said it reached around 2 million guests while group earnings before taxes, interest, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) came to 61.3 million euros.

“Following the Corona-related travel restrictions of the past few years, interest in holiday travel is still very high. We already exceeded the pre-crisis level last year and are experiencing a real booking boom for holiday trips in the summer of 2023,” said alltours Chief Executive Willi Verhuven during a press conference at ITB Berlin 2023.

Other key takeaway of alltours press event during ITB:

– current winter season booking tends to be on short notice with the company expecting more last-minute bookings for March and April

– Turkey and Egypt are set to win this year with an increase in the number of guests by over 50 percent each

– holiday destinations that can be reached by car or train – top among these Italy – will be in demand this summer, with alltours is expecting a 40 percent rise compared to 2022

– early bookings for Allsun’s (hotel chain that belongs to alltours) 30 hotels in Mallorca, the Canary Islands and Crete are 45 percent higher than last year

Preveli Beach, Crete.

– Egypt is the travel destination with the strongest growth by 50 percent in winter 2022/23

– top destinations in winter 2022/23 are the Canary Islands, Mallorca, Egypt and Turkey

– signs of increasing interest in travel to Asia both in winter and in summer with Thailand and Indonesia among the most popular destinations

– value for money is gaining in importance

– increasing demand for all-inclusive offers.

Overall, according to travel experts speaking at ITB in Berlin this week, German tourism is preparing for a good year in 2023 after the slowdown caused by Covid-19 and despite the cost-of-living crisis and the Russia-Ukraine war.

TUI: 50% of airline seats and beds for some Greek islands are booked

Photo source: TUI Group

Alltours rival, German travel giant TUI said it was expecting a surge in bookings and stronger growth this year over pre-pandemic 2019.

“We expect a good to very good summer season,” said TUI Deutschland CEO Stefan Baumert. Referring to Greece, Baumert said 50 percent of airline seats and beds for some Greek islands were booked. While TUI Deutschland CCO Benjamin Jacobi encouraged Germans wishing to travel to the Greek islands of Rhodes, Kos, Zakynthos and the Cyclades to book fast.

With the slogan “Open for Change”, the world’s leading travel trade show ITB Berlin opened its doors on Tuesday for the first time as an event for B2B visitors only.

ITB Berlin 2023 will run until Thursday, March 9.