As anticipation builds for the UEFA Euro 2024, Trip.com Group, a leading travel service provider, reports a 125% increase in bookings from Asian travellers heading to Germany. This surge is spearheaded by Chinese tourists, showcasing a remarkable 132% increase, as they flock to experience Europe’s rich football culture and vibrant city life.
Germany, with its deep-rooted football heritage, is set to host the Euro 2024 starting June 14th. Trip.com’s data underscores a robust trend in sports tourism, particularly from Asia, emphasising an escalating enthusiasm for both football and international travel. Fans from countries such as China, Japan, South Korea, and various Southeast Asian countries plan to visit Germany this summer. Key cities like Frankfurt, Munich, and Cologne are top destinations, with Frankfurt leading in booking volumes. This influx of visitors is expected to inject significant revenue into Germany’s local economies, particularly benefiting the hospitality and service sectors.
Chinese and Younger Consumers Drive Euro 2024 Surge
The increasing interest in sports tourism is expected to bring in significant revenue for Germany’s hospitality sector, benefiting local economies in host cities. Chinese consumers are at the forefront of this travel surge, with a 132% increase in booking for the same period.
On average, Chinese consumers outspend other Asian markets by nearly 150%. This surge in spending is driven largely by millennials, comprising over half (53%) of all consumers, with Gen Z travellers also embarking on a significant number of trips this summer, at 17%.
Train Transportation on Track
Train travel among Asian consumers has skyrocketed, increasing by 3302% compared to the same period last year, indicating a shift towards more sustainable travel options during the course of this tournament.
Trip.com Group data shows that Asian fans are primarily targeting cities where the home nation, Germany, is set to play out their group stages (Frankfurt, Munich and Cologne).
Top Cities by booking volume
Frankfurt
Munich
Berlin
Cologne
Düsseldorf
Hamburg
Stuttgart
Leipzig
Dortmund
Gelsenkirchen
Ranking of UEFA Euro 2024 host cities by bookings on Trip.com Group
Play Ball – Trip.com Group and German National Tourist Board Strengthen Cooperation
Trip.com Group is actively encouraging and driving travel to Germany in partnership with the German National Tourist Board. Last month, both parties reaffirmed their longstanding cooperation by signing a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The latest MOU aims to encourage Chinese tourists to visit Germany via effective marketing campaigns and promotions across multiple different product lines.
Andy Washington, General Manager for Europe at Trip.com Group, stated: “The enthusiastic response from Asian markets for the Euros is outstanding. This event combines the excitement of premier football with the rich cultural offerings of Germany’s historic cities. At Trip.com Group, our commitment is to provide seamless and memorable travel experiences. We’re delighted to strengthen this commitment through our ongoing partnership with the German National Tourist Board, which plays a crucial role in enhancing cultural engagement and delivering substantial economic benefits to the host cities.”
European Sports Tourism Boom Driven by Asian Consumers
The Euro 2024 marks the beginning of a thrilling season of global sporting events across Europe. Next month, Paris holds the Summer Olympic Games for the first time in 100 years. Predicative data from Trip.com indicates that Asian consumers will continue to travel to Europe in July, beyond 2019 levels, with an increase of 66%.