German tourism markets are showing “signs of exhaustion” because of increases in prices, the Aviba association of travel agencies has said. The association’s president, Pedro Fiol, has said they must consider whether they will be able to maintain prices for another season.

“We will continue to grow in terms of the number of tourists this summer because some markets compensate for a deficit in others,” he said. While Mr Fiol accepted that demand is growing from visitors who are willing to pay higher prices for her quality, he also pointed to a parallel – often illegal – offer for those who cannot afford the constant increases in prices, but do not wish to give up their holidays in the iconic Balearic Islands. 

“We’re talking about tourists who come with less money to spend, especially if their countries’ economies are contracting, as is the case in Germany,” Mr Fiol added. 

While he said that Germany continues to be the main market and that summer season bookings are “proceeding at a good pace”, he did admit that Germany’s tourist numbers have been “declining for several months compared to last year”. 

Turning to the UK market, Mr Fiol said that “agencies and the airport agree on an increase in British passengers and business volume, although official statistics indicate otherwise.”

Earlier this month, hospitality bosses in Majorca sounded the alarm over a slowdown in bookings by German holidaymakers. As well as tourists from the likes of Berlin, Munich and Frankfurt appearing to abandon the country for alternative destinations, the hoteliers said takings in bars and restaurants had also fallen between 15 and 20% compared to last year, the Majorca Daily Bulletin reported.

Pablo Riera-Marsa, the association’s president, said that this season “last-minute bookings are once again becoming more popular, with tourists waiting for special offers and promotions before making their purchase decisions”. He also expressed concern about the number of bars and restaurants they are seeing.

Despite Mr Fiol’s claims, official figures show that German tourist numbers have risen on average by 10% since the start of 2024. The most recent figures, for April this year, indicate that the German trend was continuing.