Saxony in demand as a summer vacation destination

The vacation regions in Saxony are expecting a large number of guests during the summer vacations. Most regions can report a good booking situation. "The feedback from Saxony's travel regions makes us largely optimistic," said District Administrator Stephan Meyer, President of the Saxony Tourism Association, when asked. Even if Saxony is less frequently chosen as a destination for main vacations because many people are drawn to faraway places, the Free State is attractive for short breaks.

Wellness and proximity to water is in demand

"Accommodation near lakes and hotels with high-quality wellness offers are particularly in demand," said Meyer. And Chemnitz as the cultural capital is also attracting attention and attracting numerous guests from Germany and abroad.

Tourists in the Vogtland region are also optimistic about the summer vacations. More than half of the hosts rate the booking situation as "satisfactory", they said. According to the information, the number of bookings is roughly at the same level as last year. According to the association, many guests are booking at very short notice - a challenge for the industry. Despite good occupancy rates, there is still free capacity. The association recommends enquiring directly with the accommodation.

An increase in guests from abroad

Tourism in Saxony continued to grow in 2024. According to the State Statistical Office, the number of overnight stays in accommodation establishments rose by 0.6 percent compared to the previous year to around 19.98 million. This is the highest figure since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.

The increase in foreign guests was significantly stronger: Their number rose by eight percent to 2.18 million overnight stays - only just below the previous record of 2.2 million in 2019.

International guests are expected in Dresden, among other places: The city festival, Castle Night, concerts on the banks of the Elbe - including pop star Roland Kaiser - and the World Transplant Games in August make the state capital a worthwhile destination. The booking situation is good and visitor interest is high. In the surrounding regions, such as the Elbland, the mood is more subdued: Between Radebeul and Meißen, demand is rather below that of the previous year. Mediterranean instead of Elbe - many people prefer to travel abroad in the summer, it was said.

The trade fair city of Leipzig is hoping for a good summer. According to the tourism association, the summer months have become the period with the most overnight stays in the year in recent years. However, an exact forecast is not yet possible, as "travel decisions and overnight bookings are made at increasingly short notice".

Natural theater and mountain biking

In the Ore Mountains, most visitors stay for around one to three days. According to the association, there are advance bookings from Eibenstock to Oberwiesenthal to the Osterzgebirge - in some places they are still below expectations, it said. At the beginning of the vacations, bookings are still expected from last-minute bookers who are choosing the Ore Mountains as a vacation region and prefer a vacation "on their doorstep". The Ore Mountains are particularly popular with those looking for "active relaxation" - hiking or mountain biking. The Greifenstein Nature Theater hosts the Greifenstein Festival from 19 June to 31 August.

In Upper Lusatia, tourism professionals are optimistic about the summer and are reporting a positive development compared to the previous year. According to the association, some businesses are reporting almost full occupancy, especially accommodation directly on the water or with wellness offers. However, camping and vacation apartments are also in demand.