Signs of Recovery in the Eastern Mediterranean

Nuremberg, May 27, 2026 – Following the significant declines in bookings recorded in the previous month, booking activity in the German holiday travel market increasingly normalised in April, even though overall booking volumes remain 9 percent below the previous year: it is primarily the current decline in long-haul travel that is weighing on the figures. For Turkey – one of the most important summer destinations for German holidaymakers – booking volumes are already almost back at the previous year’s level. As of the current booking level at the end of April 2026, the completed 2025/26 winter season still achieved a positive seasonal result of one percent. The 2026 summer season now shows a cumulative revenue increase of 2 percent – one percentage point less than in the previous month.

Last-minute holidays booked with departure in April accounted for only 5 percent of total monthly revenue in the booking month just ended. This puts into perspective the minus 40 percent recorded for the final travel month of the winter season, caused by lower booking volumes and higher cancellation levels: the revenue level is too small to carry significant weight. This year’s 2025/26 winter season therefore ends with a small revenue increase of one percent, maintaining the level of the strong previous-year season, which had closed with plus 8 percent.

For the new summer season, demand began to recover in April: Turkey is almost back at the previous year’s level (-2 percent), Greece is gaining ground (+4 percent), while Egypt is still suffering from declining booking volumes (-18 percent). Overall, the holiday region in the Eastern Mediterranean short- and medium-haul segment was 4 percent below the previous year in April; one month earlier, however, the shortfall had still been 34 percent. The holiday countries in the Western Mediterranean short- and medium-haul segment, above all Spanish destinations and Italy, continue to show strong demand, although the higher revenue growth is due in large part to significant price increases. On the Canary Islands in particular, average holiday prices have risen by more than 5 percent.

While increases and decreases among holiday countries across the broader Mediterranean region are largely balancing each other out, it is above all the current decline in long-haul travel that is reducing the overall figures. For the summer season to date, long-haul travel is showing a cumulative decline of 13 percent, while it had a negative impact on the winter result with minus 7 percent. High double-digit declines are affecting not only the Gulf states or Asian long-haul destinations, many of which are served via the major hubs in the region. Demand for the USA is also failing to recover despite the upcoming FIFA World Cup and 250th anniversary celebrations: in the German package tour operator market, travel bookings for the USA are 44 percent below the previous year in terms of revenue. Due to the losses, particularly in the long-haul travel segment, the cumulative summer result has fallen to a current plus of 2 percent (-1 percentage point compared with the previous month). As of the booking level at the end of April, the summer season has reached 66 percent of the previous year’s revenue. 

Legend:

The chart shows the cumulative travel revenue generated through the end of April 2026 for the current 2025/26 winter season and the upcoming 2026 summer season, each compared to the previous year. TDA’s analyses include both vacation bookings made at brick-and-mortar travel agencies and online bookings on tour operators’ travel portals and Online Travel Agencies (OTAs), with a focus on package tours. The left side of the chart shows the percentage of revenue in the booking month of April 2026 attributable to the individual travel months or seasons.