Germany eyes doubling Indian tourist overnight stays by 2030: GNTB chief

New Delhi: Germany is aiming to double annual overnight stays by Indian visitors by 2030, its national tourism board chief Petra Hedorfer said, as the country seeks to tap the growing appetite among Indian travellers for longer, experience-led holidays beyond traditional city itineraries.

India is an important strategic growth market for Germany, with Indian visitors accounting for 9,28,635 overnight stays in 2025, up 3.4 per cent from the previous year, Hedorfer, CEO of the German National Tourist Board (GNTB), said in an interview to PTI.

The positive trend has continued this year, with 5,37,565 overnight stays by Indian visitors recorded during January-July 2026, an increase of 2.9 per cent year-on-year. July alone saw 85,400 overnight stays, up 3.6 per cent compared with the same month last year.


"Looking towards 2030, our longer-term ambition is to double overnight stays annually from India," Hedorfer said.

She said Germany remained positive about the potential of the Indian market, supported by growing travel aspirations as well as strong economic and cultural ties between the two countries.

"For the full year, we remain cautiously optimistic, recognising that demand is influenced by connectivity, travel costs and the wider economic environment," she said.

Hedorfer said the focus was not merely on increasing visitor numbers but also on encouraging Indian travellers to stay longer, explore more regions and return to Germany.

"Beyond the numbers, our priority is to encourage longer holidays, greater regional exploration and repeat visits, translating India's considerable potential into lasting value for visitors and Germany's tourism partners," she said.

The tourism board's latest market research estimates that incoming trips from India generated approximately 1.3 billion euros in turnover in Germany in 2025, underlining the economic significance of the market.

Hedorfer said the profile of Indian travellers was becoming more diverse, digitally savvy and experience-driven, requiring Germany to move beyond a one-itinerary-fits-all approach.

"The strategic shift is towards a more differentiated market. We are seeing a more diverse, digitally savvy and experience-driven Indian travellers, who we need to address according to their interests, life stage and travel history, rather than assume that one itinerary will appeal to everyone," she said.

Germany's connectivity with India is another key factor in the tourism board's growth ambitions.

Germany currently has direct connections from Frankfurt and Munich to five major Indian gateways. According to ForwardKeys/Amadeus data cited by GNTB, 3,510 flights operated from India to Germany in 2025.

Seat capacity rose to 7,44,252 during January-August 2026, approximately 5 per cent higher than the corresponding period in 2025.

"Direct air connectivity is a key enabler for further growth from India, particularly given the long-haul nature of the market," Hedorfer said.

She said the GNTB would welcome additional capacity and routes where demand supported them, while noting that route decisions rested with airlines and depended on bilateral agreements.

The tourism board also sees scope to make Germany more accessible to travellers from India's Tier-II cities, she said.

On visa processing, Hedorfer said German missions currently indicated an average Schengen visa processing time of around 15 days after an application reached the consulate, while cautioning that appointment availability and document-transfer time were separate considerations.

"Given India's strong growth potential as an inbound market, sufficient visa-processing capacity and efficient procedures remain important prerequisites for further growth," she said.