German Online Vacation Rental Bookings Reach Record 68.3 Million Overnight Stays

Germany's Online Vacation Rental Market Hits Historic High

The German holiday home market reached a new milestone in 2025, with online platforms Airbnb, Booking, and Expedia together mediating a record 68.3 million overnight stays. That figure represents a 13 percent jump from the previous year and an 83 percent surge compared to pre-pandemic 2019, according to data released by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) based on Eurostat figures.

The record was set even after key data from TripAdvisor was excluded from the survey this year, after the platform ended its data-sharing agreement with Eurostat. While the absence of TripAdvisor figures means the true market is even larger, the numbers already provide a powerful snapshot of demand. Notably, 94 percent of the booked nights – 64.1 million – occurred in accommodation units with fewer than ten beds, a segment largely invisible in official overnight statistics that only count larger establishments.

Bavaria emerged as the clear favourite, accounting for 10.6 million platform-booked nights. Baden-Württemberg and North Rhine-Westphalia followed with 8.1 million each. German residents dominated the bookings: domestic overnights rose 15.3 percent to 48.5 million, while international guest nights grew 7.8 percent to 19.8 million. The largest foreign source markets were the Netherlands (2.9 million nights), Poland (2.1 million), and the United States (1.3 million). Regionally, the share of domestic travellers reached around 90 percent in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Schleswig-Holstein, whereas Berlin saw two-thirds of its bookings come from international visitors.

Bavaria Leads as Domestic Demand Powers the Vacation Rental Boom

The Big Three Platforms Cement Their Grip

With 68.3 million nights booked via just Airbnb, Booking, and Expedia, the data underscores the extraordinary concentration of the German vacation rental market around a handful of global players. The fact that this record was achieved without TripAdvisor’s data suggests the remaining platforms have deepened their market penetration. For hosts, the message is clear: visibility on these three sites is almost a prerequisite for reaching the booming domestic and international traveller base.

Domestic Travelers Drive the Boom

While international bookings recovered moderately (up 7.8 percent), the real engine was German residents themselves, who accounted for over 70 percent of all nights and pushed growth to 15.3 percent. The sustained strength of the domestic segment points to a long-term shift in holiday behaviour – a mix of post-pandemic staycation habits, a desire for flexible, self-catered accommodation, and the sheer volume of smaller units that can be booked online. Foreign demand, though smaller, is far from stagnant; growing 7.8 percent despite still-high travel costs and lingering uncertainty, it is likely to accelerate if economic conditions remain stable.

Regional Winners and Travel Patterns

Bavaria’s position atop the rankings (10.6 million nights) reflects the enduring appeal of mountain and lake destinations, as well as a well-developed supply of private holiday rentals. The strong domestic concentration in coastal states like Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (90 percent German guests) contrasts with city-states such as Berlin, where two-thirds of bookings came from abroad. This divide highlights two parallel markets: an internationally driven city-break segment and a deeply domestic, nature-oriented vacation rental culture. The 94 percent share of nights spent in units with fewer than ten beds confirms that the online booking revolution is primarily a story of micro-accommodations – private homes, apartments, and guest rooms – reshaping how Germany’s tourism landscape is measured.

What This Means for Hosts, Platforms, and Travellers

Key takeaways for hosts, platforms, and travellers:

• For property hosts: With 64.1 million nights occurring in units with fewer than ten beds, the demand for smaller private accommodation is massive. Listings on Airbnb, Booking, and Expedia are essential to capture this traffic, particularly in high-demand regions like Bavaria and the Baltic coast.
• For platform operators: The domestic market grew 15.3 percent and is now 2.5 times larger than the international segment. Expanding inventory in German-speaking regions and tailoring campaigns to domestic families and couples could yield further gains. Bavaria’s 10.6 million nights suggest targeting ski and summer mountain destinations may be especially rewarding.
• For travellers: Bavaria’s dominance may drive up prices during peak seasons, so early booking or considering adjacent states like Baden-Württemberg (8.1 million nights) could help secure better value. Coastal areas remain heavily domestic, meaning international visitors may find more availability and less competition than in city centres.