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Looking for an unforgettable Germany tour? Book a fully-organized trip with the best tour companies in Germany and let the tour operator take care of everything for you. Check out the tour details and read 148703 reviews from our customers to help you choose the perfect tour for you.

List of Germany travel companies & tour operators with 148703 reviews

• Excellent - 1,919 reviews for Germany tours

Guide was excellent Driver was the same

Jacqui was inspirational and well-organized. Her energy was infectious and carried us through the packed tour schedule. She has a wealth of helpful information. We liked her history and geography "lessons," the vocabulary list in local languages, and the theme songs and movies she played on the bus. Overall, it was a well-organized tour, although it was a bit long and tiring.

• Excellent - 19,672 reviews for Germany tours

Overall experience was great.

Not really my type of holiday travel! The stops are short and mainly at freeway truck and rest stops. The hotels were way too far from any real sites and some were small and cramped. I expected this tour to be hectic, given the countries visited and the days involved, . but IMO it could have been organized a lot better. The Tour Director and Driver were excellent but working with hands tied behind her back.The driven tours by coach just went too fast apart from road blocks or traffic jams. I appreciate that the TD kept mentioning that there are other tours by Cosmos, Globes that are lconcentrated on longer stays, however if they are at the hotels that we stayed at, then seeing the good sights are going to be a massive struggle. IMHO, even if the costs are higher for better hotels and safer areas, most would rather pay than skimp. Most of the stops overnight did not even have any decent restaurants where one could experience a decent meal of the region. Yes there were a couple of organized option dinners that involved costs, but these had to be reached via the coach. The three included meals are at the hotels which really did not have kitchens other than ones that could prepare breakfasts and the meals were simple and buffet style with one fixed item being served. As I started it may be OK for some, but definitely not my cup for tea!

Indus Travels

• Excellent - 258 reviews for Germany tours

Tour was OK. Sites great, organization seriously lacking. Indus communication was horrible. Can't get a prompt response from any questions by phone or email but I get daily marketing emails from them instead.

Marvelous Germany chose some excellent sites in both Germany and France. The hotels were good overall, especially the historic hotel in Füssen. Unfortunately, communication from Indus was extremely poor. Instead of sending us complete itinerary information well in advance, it came the same week of departure (after multiple requests by phone and email that were never followed up by Indus) and that required us to create an account and log into their website to retrieve it ourselves. Buried in the fine print was the name of our German tour guide from a different company ... and Indus got his name incorrect. We were not even given a specific time to meet the guide. Shuttles to and from connecting airports were nonexistent, we relied on public transportation. There was a mix-up with hotel rooms on the first day, apparently Indus was unclear about who was in which room and who reserved single bed versus double bed accommodations. On the first evening, the German guide did nothing but check off names and hand out hotel room keys. He didn't provide any information or guided tour of Frankfurt at all. Our guide was knowlegable but not very communicative. Two older women on the tour with hearing aids couldn't hear most of what he mumbled. The problem wasn't the language, it was as though he didn't have any material prepared to tell us and did not attempt to read his audience to ensure everyone got the message. We all had to ask questions constantly to get anything out of him. During the farm visit & cheese tasting, our guide attempted to translate what the farmer explained in German. It was very clear that the farmer was explaining everything is significantly more detail than our guide gave us. More than once he got it wrong and the _farmer_ corrected our guide's translation. Our guide's navigation, driving skill, and narration were all very below average. We were not on a large motor coach, this was a full size van similar in size to typical bloated American vehicles. On multiple occasions he stopped in the middle of intersections, cut off other vehicles, drove around in circles, missed the correct turn, used turn signals inconsistently, and nearly took out a biker. This appeared to be not due to aggressive driving behavior but rather due to indecision. It looked like our guide had no pre-prepared route plan or parking plan. At many destinations instead of parking at the obvious convenient parking garage and leading a walking tour with a proper discussion, he'd drop the whole group off and let us explore on our own for only a very short time. Why he couldn't park the van and walk with us was a mystery. While the group itself was able to manage, this WAS NOT advertised as a self-guided tour. At Neuschweinstein, our guide made us pay for a public bus -- why was that not included in the tour???? Thank goodness our group had enough local currency on hand to buy tickets. It's simply cheap of the tour company to not pay for convenient local parking and transportation throughout. Meals also felt unplanned. While the tour advertised that several meals were included, it turned out that these were all hotel breakfasts, which were all quite good. We soon learned it was best to have a very hearty breakfast because we never knew where and when lunch might occur. Many days while the guide was "parking" and leaving us to fend for ourselves, we had to find our own restaurant and attempt to eat quickly (not an easy feat in Germany where meals are normally taken at a very casual pace). This subtracted substantially from the time we would have liked to tour the towns. Our guide generally did drop the group off at or near the pedestrian centre of a town where there were options but he clearly did not have specific recommendations, nor did he seem to read the audience to know our dining preferences. In general, he did not express any interest in joining the group for dinners so that too was for us to figure out on our own. On the last day, it felt as though the guide couldn't wait to drop us off as soon as possible at our last hotel and disappear. Biggest complaint of all: we did not feel comfortable that the tour guide lost/broke his mobile phone in the middle of the tour and left us no way to contact him. We asked him several times, and he had many opportunities to buy a replacement. He simply didn't. If any serious incident happened when he was AWOL, we would not know who to contact or how. In summary, Germany is a beautiful place with many interesting historical and cultural things to discover. The big cities were less relaxing with traffic and construction and higher prices but that was to be expected. The small towns, castles, beautiful river valleys and Schwartzwald made up for that. If we would change anything in the itinerary, it would be more coordination and efficient guide to have time to enjoy the small towns. We had a great time with our new friends in the group and would travel with them again anytime. Unfortunately, both Indus and their outsourced local guide company were very underwhelming. With better professionalism and attention to detail, the trip would have been great.

EUROLATINO Tour Operators

• Good - 20 reviews for Germany tours

Really enjoyed this tour. It was exactly what we were looking for, the independence to do what we wanted on some days and some tours organised for us on other days. Communication from Tour radar was great through What’s App. The only thing we would change would be to upgrade the two 3 star motels to 4 star motels.

I paid for a daily excursion and the tour guide did not show up. The rest of the tour was ok.

Insight Vacations

• Excellent - 641 reviews for Germany tours

It was OK. Hour long local tours is not enough Accommodations were fine, not all centrally located. No restaurant recommendations from tour guide

There was the largest December snow in 90 years just before we a. It made getting there a little difficult but well worth it! Our carriage ride was magical. Greg made it even more special. He was so attentive to everyone’s needs and abilities. Never rushing anyone. Not to mention his surprises every time we got back on the bus. Starting each day with “Louie Armstrongs it’s a wonderful world. We all would sing along. We became friends instantly and felt like family within just a few days together. I highly recommend Greg as a tour guide he really added to the experience. The atmosphere he created by showing us all how much he truly cared for each of us. He is an exceptional person and I for one feel that the trip would have not been the same without him!!!!!

• Excellent - 14 reviews for Germany tours

Setting up the tour, and the tour itself were wonderful. We had a few glitches in our plans and Paula was a great help in getting them worked out. Hotels were very good and clean, food at the hotels, excellent! That said, the bikes were NOT. Even though they were brand new, and the gearing great for what they were. However, we did this tour under our own power, no electric bikes, and were told that hybrid bikes were not available for this tour, also told we weren’t allowed to use clip-in pedals. The bikes were heavy, and we found ourselves walking and pushing them up many hills, some rocky and gravel roads, which, if we would have had a decent bike for this tour, a hybrid bike, we would most likely had an easier time of it. Not happy about the bikes! Also, the opening page of the tour says 1-99 as in years old of people that could do this tour, definitely false advertising, there is no way, even with the electric bikes, that some people could not navigate the roads on this tour. We are 2 women in our 70’s and did it, I am proud to say, we have a lot of experience, it was not easy. It could have been much more enjoyable with a different bike. Over all, a fantastic trip. Thank you.

We were delighted with holiday and with the communication beforehand and the arrangements made on our behalf. Our only disappointment was that the second last day was only 40km (we were expecting to do approximately 60km each day) and the last day's distance was only 20km. We also discovered that our bags would not arrive at the final destination until 3pm that day which made it hard for us to use the day to move on elsewhere. Our solution was the do the 20km on the second last day as well as the 40km as scheduled, and then to drive back to the hotel that had been booked for us. This worked fine and suited our timings better. Otherwise no complaints at all, and we hope to use Tour Radar again.

• Excellent - 74,897 reviews for Germany tours

The included tour was good and hotels were good with buffet breakfast but I do not recommend all the optional tours too pricey and not worthed, just do it yourself ,explore on your own free time.Danube dinner cruise was awful ,there was a kerosene gas leak during the entire cruise I got headache and breathing problems and food was cold and not tasty. Careful of your belongings, Someone opened my bag ,robbed me in Prague and got all my $500 cash,credit /debit cards and important IDs. I did not get any help from Globus bec I did not pay travel insurance. I recommend travel insurance this time. Wake up call at NH Prague messed up ,They woke me at 2 am. I did not sleep after that. The included farewell dinners were not good. I am still waiting for my refund on the Danube cruise dinner.

Everything was top notch.

Agate Travel

• Excellent - 284 reviews for Germany tours
• This operator has no Germany reviews

Terranova Touristik

• Excellent - 245 reviews for Germany tours

Very poor orientation to the bikes, this was an overriding issue Possibly better bike maintenance could be possible Guides were extremely good at arranging alternative activities when the weather was bad

The ride and guide materials were excellent, though we mostly followed the signage.

• Excellent - 171 reviews for Germany tours

My tour was great, nothing to do with utracks. Utracks was very poor getting information from. Unreturned e mails, never received notice for my final installment till I called a few weeks before my trip when I was inquiring about some info. They then stuck me with a 260 euro fee for high season ? September 12/19 was never told or saw that before. Never returned e mail questioning that charge.

Everybody on board were working very very hard. The boat was grossly understaffed. Just about all staff new on the boat. ALL Tried their hardest. No special food for persons with severe food allergies. No internet. Food was ok. Cabins roomy and clean. The trip director, Juergen, was excellent, 5 stars. E-Bikes were new and Excellent. Very top of the line bikes

Europamundo

• Good - 3,168 reviews for Germany tours

Europamundo gave us good accomodation, except the hotel in Aarthus. Rooms were supposed to be ready at 3pm but we were made to wait for 2hrs, only to find that we were allocated to a room with stairs and we had to carry our pieces of luggage! Our guide Bettina was good but was not proficient enough to give thehistory of the places in English. The places visited were great and mostly amazing but too little time to appreciate the beauty of the place. We spent more time travelling around Carribbean countries with very limited time even to use the toilet.

The tour generally is very good. But unfortunately the roommate I am sharing the room wasn't the right fit for me - loud and inconsiderate, rude and disrespecting me with swearing words. The tour guide Javier was trying his best to make the situation more bearable, but unfortunately not everything was in his power in control. My travel agent and the I contacted the Europamundo for assistance, but seems that they were not very much interested to find a better solution than only offering me to book a single room. The whole attitude was : "We can't do much, and we really don't want to try to find a better solution". They even didn't try. I really felt physically sick and not getting the support from the company and not seeing any effort from their end makes me very uneasy to book again with them. I booked 3 tours with Europamundo and after the excitement of the first trip I was expecting a great experience for this one, which unfortunately didn't happen. Visited locations were nice, the guides were knowledgeable understanding and helpful, as much as they could, but the whole impression of the company is - we don't care less!.

Exodus Adventure Travels

• Excellent - 13,252 reviews for Germany tours

Poor communication from the agents. Too many layers of agents. Go direct I say. Once travelling it was fine. A few long rides (70 and 60 kms) that could have been shorter. The ride into Linz was tough but doable - they are upgrading the bike track. Hotel choices were great.

We really enjoyed the hikes that Bob took us on. Bob, made it very enjoyable and he picked the hikes that would be perfect for the group.

• Good - 13 reviews for Germany tours

Highly recommend this trip. The days can be long but the views are worth it. Most of the route is paved so you can probably get away with hiking shoes or trail running shoes. There is luggage transfer available but I didn't need it. The route from Unken to Waidring could be updated but I was able to find an alternate route with the map. Before you start you're given the full itinerary with a navigation system on the app as well as paper copies of everything.

Wir waren mit Eurohike v. Garmisch nach Meran unterwegs.Die angegeben Tageskilometer stimmen oft nicht mit den tatsächlichen Km überein. Für eine Übernachtung gab es keine richtige Wegbeschreibung zum Hotel. Ganz daneben fanden wir jedoch den Rücktransfer. Das Hotel war außerhalb von Meran, so dass wir ein Taxi benötigen um an den von Eurohike genannten Sammelpunkt zu kommen,. da es hierfür keine öffentliche Verkehrsmittel gab. Weiterfahrti in Bozen mit 1 1/2 Std. Wartezeit abseits am Busterminal. Leider ist Eurohike häufig ungenau was zu Mehrkosten, Wartezeiten und Verdruss führt. Fazit: Die Qualität der Organisation u der angegeben Daten stehen in keinem Verhältnis zum Reisepreis. M. Wagner

• Excellent - 37 reviews for Germany tours

The itinerary was well planned and spelled all the details of yhe tour from the time we arrived until we finished. Information on getting to locations was clear and understandable. Vouchers for hotel and transportation were provided as well as information regarding how to redeem them. We had opportunities to visit the recommended as well as places we had read about or were suggested by friends and coworkers who had either visited areas or knew our interests.

The itinerary was very informative and thorough. It related what to expect from hotel room side to explaining transportation and how to arrive ahead of time for tours.

Uniworld Boutique River Cru…

• Excellent - 80 reviews for Germany tours

People are amazing. Except for reception.. very serious .food good, needs much faster internet

A friend recommended Uniworld to me and I'm glad he did. What a wonderful experience it was. The boat, the staff, the food, the scenery - everything exceeded my expectations. And you could be as active or laid back as you desired. I started each day joining the exercise class on the top deck. There were daily walking tours of the local town or village where we were moored, a strenuous hike for the more adventurous and a bike ride between towns. Bicycles were available to use at any time and many did meander up and down the bike paths along the river. I was travelling alone and had no trouble mixing and dining with the other guests, even though I am a little shy when it comes to social situations. I am looking forward to my next Uniworld experience, the difficulty being, which one will I choose!

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Top Tour Operators and Travel Agencies in Germany 2024/2025

Top Tour Operators and Travel Agencies in Germany. Below you will find 21 of the best tour operators and travel agencies in Germany offering in total 275 tours and holidays through-out Germany. Combined they have received 399 customer reviews and an average rating of 5 out of 5 stars. The top tour activities offered in Germany are: Sightseeing, attractions, culture and history, Boat tours, water sports and marine wildlife & Adventure and sport.

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21 Tour Operators in Germany with 399 Reviews

Insight Vacations

• Address 33 Kern Road, Toronto, Canada
• Response Rate 86%
• Response Time 1 hour

Walkers' Britain

• Address 1B Osiers Road, London, England
• Response Rate 83%

• Best-in-Class Top 5% of companies
• Excellent Service Top 10% of companies
• Superior Service Top 15% of companies

• Address Picquet House, St Peter Port, Guernsey, London, England
• Response Rate 90%
• Response Time 3 hours

Expat Explore

• Address 10 Merryweather Place, London, England

Indus Travels

• Address 233, 11951 Hammersmith Way, Richmond, Canada
• Response Rate 98%

G Adventures

• Address G Adventures Ltd, 60 Bastwick Street, London, England

Back-Roads Touring

• Address 109 Power Road, Chiswik, London, England
• Response Time 2 hours

Original Europe Tours GmbH

• Address Pettenkoferstraße 17A, Berlin, Germany
• Response Rate 13%

Europamundo

• Address c/ Garcia de Paredes Nº 55 1ª Planta, Madrid, Spain
• Response Rate 96%

CroisiEurope

• Address 12 Rue De La Division Leclerc, Nedre Rhin, France
• Response Rate 87%

Exodus Travels

• Address Grange Mills, Weir Road, London, England
• Response Rate 85%

• Response Rate 88%

Intrepid Travel

• Address 380 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, Australia

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The 6 best online travel agencies in Germany

Best online travel agency for business travel, 1. travelperk: best for businesses looking for a complete solution.

Main offerings and features:

• Extensive inventory of travel services
• Flexible booking with FlexiPerk
• Safety alerts with TravelCare
• Integrated travel policy & approval flows
• Centralized invoicing
• Easy & real-time expense reports
• Carbon offsetting with GreenPerk
• 24/7 customer support with a 15s target response time
• VAT reclaim to save up to 25% on travel
• Integration with 3rd party tools : such as expense management platforms or HR software like Expensify and BambooHR

Start saving money on business travel for your company today!

Best german online travel agencies for leisure travel, 2. tui: the perfect all-rounder for leisure travel.

• 24/7 customer service and travel experts
• A company-wide promise to sustainable travel and greener getaways
• Over 5,000 multi-destination trips to choose from
• TUI owned and operated airline: 737 Dreamliners & 737 MAX
• 180 worldwide destinations: Austria, France, Switzerland, and much further afield!

3. Holiday Check: great for real review and user photos

• Tons of last-minute deals on the table
• Travel protection plans for out-of-your-hands flight cancellations
• An on-trip tour guide to ensure your trip runs smoothly
• Destinations across Spain, Greece, greater Europe, and Africa & Asia

4. Ltur: a fit for those that want to book with a human, offline

• Refer a friend plan to earn cashback for future trips with Ltur
• Plenty of offline shops to book your trip with a travel agent
• Rotating deals for the spontaneous travelers among us
• Optional, affordable, travel insurance packages via HanseMerkur

5. Weg.de: great for easy-to-use technology

• Intuitive booking platform: ability to search by list or on the map
• Good hotel overview with reviews, features, and ratings
• Top Secret Hotels: great (secret) hotels at discounted prices, for the adventurous travelers!
• Weekly booking calendar to pick the nights that best suit your budget

6. Travel Scout 24: a Germany tour company for online-only searchers

• Filter your search from 1-5 stars
• Filter your search by your ideal food situation: half board, breakfast, all inclusive, and more
• Car rental options for those looking to road trip

Wrapping up German tour companies for a spectacular trip

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Germany Travel Agents & Reviews

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Customers rate Zicasso's travel referral service  4.9  on a scale of 1 to 5 based on  1552  reviews on Trustpilot

We match you with top tour companies that specialize in the trip you want,  whether it's a customized private tour or a group tour.

Our Germany travel agents have the expertise to craft an unforgettable luxury journey across this dynamic country.  With long-standing relationships with top hotels, guides, and tours, our travel agencies in Germany design exclusive German itineraries tailored to you. From fairytale castles and medieval towns to scenic Alpine escapes, our Germany travel experts handle every detail.  For insider access to Michelin-starred restaurants, VIP tours, and the best of Bavaria to Berlin, plan with our Germany travel agencies for an exceptional luxury trip.

Discover our Germany travel agents, the top 10% of local specialists

Our Germany travel agents have the expertise to craft an unforgettable luxury journey across this dynamic country. 

With long-standing relationships with top hotels, guides, and tours, our travel agencies in Germany design exclusive German itineraries tailored to you. From fairytale castles and medieval towns to scenic Alpine escapes, our Germany travel experts handle every detail. 

For insider access to Michelin-starred restaurants, VIP tours, and the best of Bavaria to Berlin, plan with our Germany travel agencies for an exceptional luxury trip.

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Zicasso in the News

Jacob's Travel Agency

 Based on  13  reviews

Destinations:

Verified review.

I found Zicasso on an internet search for senior travel. After contacting the company regarding their proposed two-week tour of Switzerland and Austria, I received proposals from two companies within a couple of days. While the companies' proposals varied from the advertised one, I found our travel agent was the most responsive. Through an email survey, phone calls, and Zoom, he assisted me in planning a trip that met our interests, needs, and budget. Surprisingly, Zicasso was able to save us money on our air flights as well. Our agent fulfilled his offer to contact us daily via text to ensure each step of our trip went smoothly. Even with the eight-hour time difference, he was available by phone when we landed and had difficulty locating our driver. Through a flurry of texts, the driver was located and we connected. When reserved seats on the train were required due to heavy holiday volume, he made the arrangements. The accommodations were wonderful. Obviously, a lot of knowledgeable thought and care went into the planning. From recommendations of places not to miss to restaurant recommendations, he made it so. We were guided, but still had lots of free time and flexibility, and mainly private tours. We will plan our trips this way in the future – our agent’s excellent service and personal attention made this trip a total success.

Peter's Travel Agency

 Based on  21  reviews

The Zicasso travel agent organized a wonderful trip to the Bavaria region of Germany for my husband and me in May 2024. She really listened to my goals and requests for this trip, and made sure all of the activities she planned, the places we stayed at, the restaurants she reserved for us, and the itinerary as a whole met our needs. We had several phone calls together, as well as countless emails back and forth during the planning phase of the trip so she could ensure she delivered the trip of our dreams. It was also very comforting to know that we could reach out to her or her team during the trip in case anything went wrong. We did have a small issue during a weekend and were able to call and speak with the company’s owner, who helped solve the problem. It is clear that the agent cares about her clients and wants to give them the best experience possible. Do not hesitate to work with her and the team. You will not be disappointed!

Joachim's Travel Agency

 Based on  23  reviews

Zicasso’s travel agent was outstanding. He was able to tailor a trip with guides and drivers who were very knowledgeable of the regions I had an interest in seeing, especially when they included a side trip or two off the beaten track. I especially appreciated the flexibility of guides who adjusted sightseeing agendas to eliminate items I had no interest in (usually in the package deal) in favor of nearby places I did have an interest in. Overall, it was important to start planning for the trip about six months in advance because of the importance of being able to secure hotel bookings and arrange guides and driving services early on. My travel agent was very good at getting back to me immediately and informing me of costs and progress made, and to suggest alternatives or offer a reality check or two, and so on. The hotels I stayed in were basic, which was all I needed. The only observation I had was that the pillows in all the hotels were much too soft; not supportive for seniors who might need something firmer. My favorite hotel, a delightful historic novelty, was in Leipzig. The staff were friendly and very helpful. It was also very quiet and had a relaxing atmosphere. I experienced very helpful staff at a B&B in Berlin at the beginning of the trip. They were informed of my lack of knowledge of technology and acted to help out. However, on the very last day I was there, the clerk refused to help, saying it wasn't his job to fulfill my request. I requested that he check on two items for me, one on the time of the taxi service scheduled to pick me up, which was in conflict with an airport departure time. He refused to help me check to see if any airline changes had been made to the departing flight schedule. It would have taken him about three minutes to check on this and I went to seek his help at a time when there were no other customers arriving or requiring assistance. I commented to him that the manager told me I would get help, but he refused to do any more than just dial a number for me to confirm a pick-up time with the service. I had the feeling that this young man could not deal with anyone who did not have modern technology capabilities. He probably needs more customer service training for managing a senior who was known ahead of time to have these specific communication limitations. There was a problem, in this regard, with the information the driving service had about my departure time. They had me scheduled for a pick-up two hours later than what I needed. This had to be changed to the earlier departure time that was originally scheduled. Fortunately, a driver was found and I got to the airport on time, and everything went smoothly thereafter. I think there was probably an information transposition mistake with scheduling the pick-up for the time I needed to be at the airport. Everything worked out in the end. The guides were all friendly, personable, and professional in their knowledge of the places we visited. Their enthusiasm and depth of knowledge for their area of expertise were exceptionally good. Our guide in Berlin was outstanding in this regard and covered a lot of ground and places in eastern Berlin that I did not know about, along with the places I had a real interest in seeing. Our guide and driver in Spreewald and Sachsenhausen was also great in knowing the layout and context of the excursions. Our Dresden guide was an artist with deep knowledge of Dresden’s historical sites and masterpieces of art, music, and the history of the city. Our guide in Leipzig, Erfurt, and Halle was great at pointing out good photo ops and managing shorts to nearby attractions. Overall, the trip was an outstanding success. The conclusions drawn at the end of each day were that the day had been a very enjoyable experience. The driving trips to get to each site were also a feast for the eyes; we appreciated the beauty of the green countryside and the cities and towns. I definitely would like to return to Germany with the help of agents like ours.

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Lindsey's Travel Agency

 Based on  362  reviews

My sister and I had a wonderful trip! We used Zicasso's travel agent to plan it. From the beginning, all our questions were answered and they offered suggestions along the way. Everything was planned out for us, including private and small group tours. Transportation, if needed, was all arranged. Directions and maps were provided, if needed, along with any tickets for trains and tours. All our hotels were conveniently located and we were within walking distance from restaurants, shops, and metro systems. We really appreciated that. I highly recommend this travel company and wouldn’t hesitate to use them again. I can’t thank them enough for planning our trip, which has provided so many lasting and priceless memories!

Martin's Travel Agency

 Based on  221  reviews

Our trip was absolutely incredible. All the destinations were amazing; so charming and perfect for what we were looking for, which was small-town charm and to really immerse ourselves in the character and history of Germany! Rothenburg was our favorite destination, but the whole trip was incredible and so well laid out with activities. The guides could not have been nicer or more helpful! One met us at the airport in Frankfurt and started us off with a wonderful tour of Heidelberg, really getting us into the groove. We were tired, but really enjoyed the quaintness and history of the town. From there, we went to Baden-Baden, a wonderful Belle Époque town with much to see, great shopping, and a fabulous hotel. Then, it was on and on with a tour of the Unimog Museum, a drive through the Black Forest with a visit to Lake Mummelsee, and an incredible visit to Rothenburg (a must-see). We ended with an afternoon and evening in Munich, with a walking tour of the Rathaus/town center area and, of course, a must-experience lunch in a beer hall/biergarten, and so much more. All the hotels and restaurants booked were fabulous. We cannot recommend Zicasso’s travel agency any more highly!

Viktor's Travel Agency

 Based on  20  reviews

Zicasso’s travel company helped us plan and make land arrangements for our trip to Berlin, Prague, Chesky Krumlov, the Wachau Valley, Vienna, and Budapest. We had different needs for the areas we visited based on friends and family we planned to see, tour guide requests, accommodations we needed our travel agent to book, one place we wanted to book ourselves, and car and train transportation between destinations. The arrangements were not straightforward, but our travel agent was flexible. He came through and everything went beautifully as we navigated our itinerary. We had a fabulous time in Central Europe and are very appreciative of our travel team's efforts. Most important to us was the quality of our tour guides, their knowledge of history and culture, storytelling abilities, and enjoyable personalities. Our agent delivered beautifully on our requests for outstanding tour guides, especially in Prague, the Wachau Valley, and Budapest. In Prague and Budapest, we had seven-hour walking tours that were truly wonderful and memorable. Another of our agent’s strengths was recommending charming and comfortable boutique hotels. Highlight hotels he recommended were in Kreuzberg, Berlin, near our friend's home; the one in Prague with the adjacent, gorgeous, UNESCO World Heritage garden; and the one in Vienna. Finally, our travel team remained available to us by text message throughout our trip, answering any questions that came up and being a fun travel partner throughout our travels.

Bernhard's Travel Agency

 Based on  97  reviews

Our Zicasso travel partner listened to our preferences and needs, and helped design a fabulous trip for our family. Transportation was flawless throughout the trip and the local guides were wonderful. We enjoyed getting to know them personally and learning about their hometowns. I especially valued the app that provided us with every detail for each day, including emergency contacts, hotel information, and itinerary. Thank you!

Expert Tips for Discerning Travelers

Tour operator - list, experiences, tips, book cheap

by Sascha Tegtmeyer

With the choice of the tour operator or travel agent, the vacation stands or falls. In particular, those who book a package tour must have great confidence in the company planning their vacation. Below I have listed some providers that are active in Europe.

As a traveler or vacationer, you basically have two options: Either you book a trip individually by booking flights, Hotels , transfers and other services search and book themselves. Or you trust a tour operator or travel agent when planning your holiday, from whom you buy a package tour or individual products.

In Germany alone there are 3.089 tour operators with a turnover of 12,5 billion euros (2020 - in the previous year 2019 35,4 billion euros) per year. The largest tour operator in Germany is TUI with a turnover of 7,9 billion euros (as of 2020 - source: Statista.de ). Especially in times of Corona pandemic The concept of the package tour has proven itself: If problems arise at the holiday destination, the tour operator usually steps in and helps the holidaymaker to survive the crisis or to plan the return trip.

Depending on what type of crisis it is and what services travelers and holidaymakers have booked in advance, they can even claim reimbursement of the travel price. In the case of a private, individual booking, however, travelers are responsible for all services themselves and may have to deal with hotels and airlines themselves in crisis situations. Because of this, I would - maybe my most important Vacation tip currently - currently always recommend booking a package tour with a tour operator - or booking through a travel agent with a tour operator.

Because the difference between a tour operator and a travel agent is that travel agents only refer customers to a tour operator about their offers. Ultimately, it is the tour operator who plans the trip or vacation

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Ranking – best rated tour operators and travel booking websites in germany.

In the BrandIndex of the market research institute YouGov, the five top rated tour operator and travel agents in Germany. For the vote, 900.000 people aged 18 and over were surveyed between September 01.09.2019, 31.08.2020 and August XNUMX, XNUMX.

• booking.com
• Meiers world travel
• mountains & sea

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Book your holiday – tour operator and travel agent for an unforgettable dream holiday

I have given you a list of tour operators and travel agents with whom I have had good experiences so far. Depending on what type of vacation you are planning, there are different travel providers and booking platforms available to you. The list of tour operators currently only includes German providers.

List of the most popular tour operators and travel agents in Germany

Below I have put together a list for you of many of the largest and most popular tour operators in Germany. The list is certainly not complete. New suppliers are constantly being added - and some are disappearing from the market.

• ADAC travel
• Attica travel
• Mountains & sea
• TUI MAGIC LIFE
• DER Touristik
• Holiday tourism
• For You Travel
• ID Riva Tours
• Inter Chalet
• Jahn travel
• LMX tourism
• Lufthansa Holidays
• Maris travel
• Meier's world travel
• Phoenix Reisen
• Robinson Club
• Schauinsland Travel
• Thomas Cook (bankrupt)
• vtours international

For different preferences – Which tour operators are there?

Basically, for every preference and every type of travel, there is a suitable tour operator who specializes in exactly that. This makes it easy for travelers to contact a tour operator when planning their vacation, who will plan and organize the trip. Which tour operators are there? Different types of tour operators are presented below and their characteristics are described.

Traditional Tour Operators

Traditional tour operators are companies that plan and organize trips for their customers. They often offer vacation packages that include flights, accommodation and sometimes activities. These tour operators often have a wide variety of destinations and types of travel, and cater to a wide variety of interests and budgets. Some well-known traditional tour operators in Germany are TUI, FTI and Alltours.

specialist tour operator

Special tour operators concentrate on certain types of travel, regions or target groups. For example, there are tour operators who specialize in city trips or active trips. Others are aimed at specific target groups such as families or seniors. These tour operators often offer special know-how and a wide range of trips for their specific target group or type of travel. Well-known special tour operators are, for example, StaTravel for student trips or ADAC Reisen for tours with a mobile home.

Online Tour Operator

Online tour operators are tour operators who sell their tours over the Internet. Customers can conveniently book and plan trips from home. Many online tour operators offer a wide variety of trips at great prices because they don't have the high cost of running travel agencies. Well-known online tour operators are Booking.com, Expedia and Opodo.

individual tour operator

Individual tour operators are tour operators who offer individually tailored trips. These tour operators often work with local suppliers to provide a tailor-made trip for the customer. These operators offer more flexible travel planning and can accommodate special requests and needs. Well-known individual tour operators are, for example, Tourlane or itravel.

There are a variety of tour operators that offer different types of travel and specialize in different target groups and types of travel. Anyone planning a trip has a wide range of tour operators to choose from and can choose the one that best suits their needs and desires. Whether one chooses a traditional tour operator, a specialist tour operator, an online tour operator or an individual tour operator depends on personal preferences and travel needs. However, it is worth comparing different operators and checking the offers carefully in order to book the best trip at a great price.

FAQs – Tour operators and travel agents – the most important questions and answers

If you are looking for a reputable and sustainable tour operator, travel agent, travel provider or an online travel booking platform, you certainly have many questions - for example where is the best place to book a holiday? I have put together the most important questions and answers on the subject of tour operators for you.

Who is the best tour operator?

There are numerous good and popular tour operators in Germany. My personal best tour operator is FTI Touristik. I have booked through this travel agent very often and have had very good experiences so far. In terms of booking numbers and turnover, TUI is the most popular tour operator in Germany. My personal ranking of the best tour operators looks like this: 1. FTI tourism 2. Meier's world travel 3.TUI 4 before flight 5. Neckermann Travel 6. Dertour 7. Alltours 8. ITS travel 9. Schauinsland travel 10. VTours

Which other tour operators are there?

The big tour operator Thomas Cook has gone bankrupt. Many travelers ask themselves: "Which tour operators are still there?" A selection of tour operators that are still active on the market are: 1. FTI tourism 2. Meier's world travel 3.TUI 4 before flight 5. Neckermann Travel 6. Dertour 7. Alltours 8. ITS travel 9. Schauinsland travel 10. VTours

Which tour operator is the cheapest?

The Stiftung Warentest has in " test 01/2018 “Travel organizer tested. Schauinsland, FTI and Neckermann were the cheapest tour operators in this test. All other travel agents were more expensive. Neckermann also did well in the area of ​​sustainability.

How is a package tour defined?

By definition, a package tour is characterized by the fact that a tour operator sells at least two travel services as a bundle - such as flight and hotel, but also food, leisure activities and transfer. Of course, more than two travel services can also be sold. The traveler pays a flat rate for the services offered.

Where can I book the cheapest package holidays?

The cheapest way to book package tours is to book them on the Internet at residual space exchanges. You have to be flexible and spontaneous and definitely be ready to leave in a day or two if in doubt. Often these are trips that have been canceled at short notice and would otherwise have been canceled. Some of these can be booked with a discount of up to 70 percent.

Where can I book package holidays?

Which travel company is still safe.

Most of the major tour operators in Germany are safe and won't go bankrupt anytime soon. If you want to be on the safe side, you should book with one of the large and established tour operators such as TUI, FTI or Meier's Weltreisen. These are usually well insured against bankruptcy.

Which tour operator is broke?

Every now and then a tour operator goes bankrupt - just like in any other industry. The British tour operator Thomas Cook went bankrupt in autumn 2019. For many travelers this was a disaster - even years later, many did not get the money back for their booked trips. The German subsidiaries of Thomas Cook were also affected by the bankruptcy.

Which tour operators are still in Germany?

- FTI tourism - Meier's world travel - TUI - 5 before flight - Neckermann Reisen - Dertour - Alltours - ITS travel - Schauinsland Reisen - VTours

Which travel portal?

The Computer picture has rated travel portals and compiled a ranking of the best travel portals that can be used for online travel booking: 1st place: Opodo - www.opodo.de 2nd place: Expedia - www.expedia.de 3rd place: Thomas Cook - is insolvent 4th place: Check24 - www.check24.de 4th place: Holidaycheck - www.holidaycheck.de 6th place: Neckermann - www.neckermann-reisen.de 7th place: WEG - www.weg.de 8th place: TUI - www.tui.com 9th place: off on vacation - www.ab-in-den-urlaub.de Place 10: Alltours - www.alltours.de

Which online travel provider is the best?

Book with a reputable tour operator and travel agent, my detailed conclusion.

Many travelers and vacationers rightly swear by booking their trip on their own as an adventure vacation or an individual trip. That's perfectly okay. The package tour is considered a synonym for mass tourism and inexperienced cheap holidaymakers, especially among travel professionals. But that's at most half the story: For mine Travel Blog Since the beginning of the Corona pandemic, I have been booking Just-Wanderlust.com almost exclusively through tour operators or through travel agents with tour operators.

Because if something goes wrong in a crisis situation, the tour operator is there to take care of it. Corresponding insurance policies are often offered against Corona and even if there is a natural disaster at the holiday destination (think of the volcanic eruption on the Canary Island of La Palma), the tour operator in Germany is responsible.

What experiences have you had so far with tour operators and travel agents? Which is your personal favorite? Share your experiences in the comments.

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"We (5 adults early-late 40s) did a 15-day trip through Berlin, Bamberg, Rothenburg, Oberammergau, and Munich. We had an amazing adventure mostly because of DD and their fantastic staff! From the first contact to farewell we got all kinds of personal attention and recommendations. They created a wonderful personalised itinerary for us including some great cities we never would have visited on our own. We really can't recommend highly enough. Worth every penny!"

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Tour operators

Booking travel through any of over 50 tour operators is now easy via RoyalHolidays.eu. On this page you will find the complete list of tour operators offered by RoyalHolidays.eu.

At the ten clubs Aldiana's, is much to do and applies the motto vacation with friends. They are spread in six European countries and are located in the mountains or on the beach.

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Alltours is the largest independent German tour operator, focusing primarily on beach vacations in 4- and 5-star accommodations worldwide. Sportsmen and families will be happy, as will your wallet.

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Bentour Swiss

Bentour Swiss distances itself from mass tourism and arranges trips to Turkey in particular, where you can choose from numerous areas of interest, but also a trip to the Canary Islands or Northern Cyprus is possible.

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Bucher Last Minute

If you want to go on vacation at the last moment, it may be worth taking a look at the offer of Bucher Last Minute, which offers about four million options daily, to the most popular tourist destinations in the world.

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Byebye is a subsidiary of Alltours with a worldwide offer of millions of package and building block tours, for example, to beaches and major cities, and occupies a significant position in the tourist market.

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One of the largest tour operators in Germany and Austria, DERTOUR, is the market leader in the field of individual building block tours and has a huge, varied selection.

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Express Travel International

Sun worshipers can turn to the wide offer of Express Travel International, which specializes in package tours to Egypt and other not too far sunny destinations, and strongly appreciates the wishes of the customer including families.

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Ferien Touristik

If you want to benefit from low prices, Ferien Touristik with destinations in Europe, Egypt, Thailand, Mexico, Florida and the Dominican Republic may be the right choice for you.

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Fox-Tours Reisen

Package tours such as traditional beach vacations as well as special vacations and innovative group tours to far-flung destinations, are part of the wide range offered by the customer-oriented travel company Fox Tours.

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I.D. Riva Tours

I.D. Riva Tours offers tours to Croatia, among others for bathers, nature lovers and families, and has a service network on the ground.

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ITS Reisen's global, large selection of package tours with mostly four-star hotels is especially interesting for a family or single.

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Jahn Reisen

Demanding individualists and families can seek advice from Jahn Reisen, which has opted for individuality and exclusivity, focusing specifically on the countries bordering the Mediterranean, but also offering luxurious and affordable options in the rest of the world.

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LMX Touristik

Destinations around the Mediterranean and the rest of the world are part of the offer of LMX Touristik, which works with the building block principle, which gives not only great flexibility in putting together your trips, but also reasonable prices.

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Meier's Weltreisen

If you want to make a long trip and value service, value for money and many options, such as the building block principle, then Meiers Weltreisen is certainly an option.

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Neckermann Reisen

The well-known brand Neckermann Reisen, now part of Anex Tours, has a wide range of holidays worldwide with an excellent price-quality ratio.

Read more about Neckermann Reisen

With Turkey specialist and Europe's largest provider of tours to this country, Öger Tours, you can also book other destinations and choose, for example, a “water hotel”, and always count on excellent service.

Read more about Öger Tours

Olimar Reisen

To avoid the standard offer and stay in lesser known places and special hotels in Portugal, Southern Europe or Brazil, for example, you can choose a package tour from Olimar Reisen.

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Phoenix Reisen

Phoenix Reisen specializes in river cruises, boat trips on the high seas, and also air vacations, with destinations such as Morocco and Egypt.

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Schauinsland Reisen

Although Schauinsland Reisen is not a huge organization, it has earned a position within the travel industry with great popularity for destinations from West to East, for almost a century.

Read more about Schauinsland Reisen

TUI Deutschland

As a national leader, TUI offers something for everyone, and promises to give you more than a smile based on quality and service, plus a Best Price Guarantee for package tours.

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Ecco Reisen

The German Ecco Reisen regulates Sunday and active vacations to countries around the Mediterranean, the Middle East and Florida, offering a wide range of accommodations and facilities.

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The on-screen travel agent TRAVELiX exists only briefly, but offers a wide range of quality dynamic packages to worldwide destinations at low daily prices.

Read more about Travelix

The online tour operator Vtours is a major player in the German-speaking sector and organizes, also for families, dynamic package tours with a rich choice of accommodations, worldwide, in about 70 countries.

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Airtours, part of TUIs, specializes in luxury travel and is the leader in the sector in German-speaking countries. High standards are set for accommodation and treatment of guests so that your trip is an unbroken necklace of luxury experiences.

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The more than 40 years existing German FIT Reisen is a leading company in the field of health and wellness travel, due to the high quality, diverse offers and personalized service.

Read more about FIT Reisen

The German tour operator Anex Tour-GmbH offers, after more than 20 years, now also package tours to the most beautiful beaches.

Read more about Anex Tour

Coral Travel

Coral Travel offers package vacations and ONLY hotel deals with excellent value for money in the vacation destinations of Spain, Greece, Turkey, Egypt and Tunisia.

Read more about Coral Travel

Carefree and reliable holidays

Travel Agency Poot (since 1967) is a professional travel agency located in Emmerich, Germany. All employees speak English as well as German and are happy to answer your questions.

Royal and travel agency Poot stand for excellent service and a no-nonsense approach. In addition, benefit through RoyalHolidays.eu on the wide range of tour operators.

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Your dreams are personal and so should be your Germany travel planning experience. Knowing you have a team of Germany travel experts who specialize in Germany trip planning, is the difference between a trip and an experience of a lifetime.

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+++ Companies of the FTI GROUP file for insolvency. FAQs at www.fti-group.com/en/insolvency . Support Hotline (German/English) at +49 (0)89 710 45 14 98. +++ +++ All departures up to and including 5 July 2024 are cancelled. From 6 July 2024, all package tours and certain individual services are cancelled. +++

Press release FTI Group

Companies of the fti group file for insolvency.

FTI Touristik GmbH files for insolvency on Monday, 3 June 2024 +++ Other Group companies will also file for insolvency in the coming days +++ The FTI GROUP does not include the TV channel sonnenklar.TV and TVG with its franchise German travel agencies, which are operated under the brands sonnenklar.TV, 5vorFlug and Flugbörse +++ A support hotline for direct contact and a website with FAQs have been set up for all customers of the tour operator group

Munich, 3 June 2024 – FTI Touristik GmbH, the parent company of the FTI GROUP as the third largest tour operator in Europe, will file an application for the opening of insolvency proceedings at the Munich Local Court on Monday, 3 June 2024. Initially, only the tour operator brand FTI Touristik is directly affected by this. Subsequently, however, corresponding applications will also be filed for other Group companies. Windrose Finest Travel GmbH with the luxury brand WINDROSE will continue its business.

The independent companies Euvia Travel GmbH and its travel shopping channel sonnenklar.TV as well as the franchise system of Touristik Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH (TVG) with its brands sonnenklar.TV Reisebüros, 5vorFlug Reisebüros and Flugbörse do not belong to the FTI GROUP.

After a lengthy and complex investor process, the entry of a consortium of investors was announced in April 2024. Since then, however, booking figures have fallen well short of expectations despite the positive news. In addition, numerous suppliers have insisted on advance payment. As a result, there was an increased need for liquidity, which could no longer be bridged until the closing of the investor process. The filing for insolvency has therefore become necessary for legal reasons.

Information for customers of the FTI GROUP

Supporting travelers affected by the consequences of the insolvency is now a top priority for the FTI GROUP. A support website has already been set up at www.fti-group.com/en/insolvency as well as a support hotline at +49 (0) 89 / 710 45 14 98. All relevant information can be accessed here and German- and English-speaking contact persons are available for individual questions. In addition to the full focus on customer support, the FTI GROUP will also keep its guests regularly informed together with the German Travel Security Fund (DRSF).

We are currently working hard to ensure that trips that have already started can be completed as planned. Trips that have not yet begun will probably no longer be possible or only partially possible from Tuesday, 4 June 2024. In cooperation with the (provisional) insolvency administrator yet to be appointed, a concept for the ongoing information of affected travelers and the operational implementation of the necessary measures will be developed in the coming days.

About the FTI GROUP With its numerous brands and subsidiaries, the FTI GROUP is the third largest tour operator in Europe. It includes FTI Touristik as well as the short-term tour operator 5vorFlug, the car rental broker Drive FTI, the destination management company Meeting Point International, which is active in over 40 locations worldwide, and the tour operator for promotional goods BigXtra. Under the umbrella of the hospitality company MP Hotels, the company bundles its hotel brands Labranda Hotels & Resorts and Design Plus Hotels, Kairaba Hotels & Resorts, Lemon & Soul Hotels, Club Sei and Managed by MP Hotels. TVG Touristik Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH combines the franchise systems with the brands sonnenklar.TV Reisebüro, 5vorFlug and Flugbörse. Around 10,000 partner agencies sell FTI products throughout Germany. The TV travel shopping channel sonnenklar.TV, an FTI GROUP partner, and the online B2B provider for accommodation Youtravel are also important sales channels. The consolidator FTI Ticketshop is responsible for the sale of scheduled flight tickets. In Austria, FTI Touristik is represented by a branch in Linz. The subsidiary FTI Touristik AG, based in Basel, represents the tour operator in Switzerland. The French tour operator FTI Voyages has been part of the FTI GROUP since 2012. With FTI Reizen, the group has also been active in the Netherlands since 2016. The seven service centres handle numerous bookings for the FTI GROUP and external customers. Headquartered in Munich, the Group employs over 11,000 people worldwide and generated consolidated sales of around € 4.1 billion in the 2022/23 financial year.

Further information at www.fti-group.com

Travel Agencies - Market Size, Industry Analysis, Trends and Forecasts (2024-2029)

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Travel Agencies

Industry Revenue

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Market size is projected to over the next five years.

Market share concentration for the Travel Agencies industry is , which means the top four companies generate of industry revenue.

The average concentration in the sector in Germany is .

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Industry revenue broken down by key product and services lines.

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Table of Contents

About this industry, industry definition, what's included in this industry, industry code, related industries, domestic industries, competitors, complementors, international industries, performance, key takeaways, revenue highlights, employment highlights, business highlights, profit highlights, current performance.

What's driving current industry performance in the Travel Agencies industry?

What's driving the Travel Agencies industry outlook?

What influences volatility in the Travel Agencies industry?

• Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth Matrix

What determines the industry life cycle stage in the Travel Agencies industry?

• Industry Life Cycle Matrix

Products and Markets

Products and services.

• Products and Services Segmentation

How are the Travel Agencies industry's products and services performing?

What are innovations in the Travel Agencies industry's products and services?

Major Markets

• Major Market Segmentation

What influences demand in the Travel Agencies industry?

International Trade

• Industry Concentration of Imports by Country
• Industry Concentration of Exports by Country
• Industry Trade Balance by Country

What are the import trends in the Travel Agencies industry?

What are the export trends in the Travel Agencies industry?

Geographic Breakdown

Business locations.

• Share of Total Industry Establishments by Region ( )

Data Tables

• Number of Establishments by Region ( )
• Share of Establishments vs. Population of Each Region

What regions are businesses in the Travel Agencies industry located?

Competitive Forces

Concentration.

• Combined Market Share of the Four Largest Companies in This Industry ( )
• Share of Total Enterprises by Employment Size

What impacts market share in the Travel Agencies industry?

Barriers to Entry

What challenges do potential entrants in the Travel Agencies industry?

Substitutes

What are substitutes in the Travel Agencies industry?

Buyer and Supplier Power

• Upstream Buyers and Downstream Suppliers in the Travel Agencies industry

What power do buyers and suppliers have over the Travel Agencies industry?

Market Share

Top companies by market share:

• Market share
• Profit Margin

Company Snapshots

Company details, summary, charts and analysis available for

Company Details

• Total revenue
• Total operating income
• Total employees
• Industry market share

Company Summary

• Description
• Brands and trading names
• Other industries

What's influencing the company's performance?

External Environment

External drivers.

What demographic and macroeconomic factors impact the Travel Agencies industry?

Regulation and Policy

What regulations impact the Travel Agencies industry?

What assistance is available to the Travel Agencies industry?

Financial Benchmarks

Cost structure.

• Share of Economy vs. Investment Matrix
• Depreciation

What trends impact cost in the Travel Agencies industry?

Financial Ratios

• 3-4 Industry Multiples (2018-2023)
• 15-20 Income Statement Line Items (2018-2023)
• 20-30 Balance Sheet Line Items (2018-2023)
• 7-10 Liquidity Ratios (2018-2023)
• 1-5 Coverage Ratios (2018-2023)
• 3-4 Leverage Ratios (2018-2023)
• 3-5 Operating Ratios (2018-2023)
• 5 Cash Flow and Debt Service Ratios (2018-2023)
• 1 Tax Structure Ratio (2018-2023)

Data tables

• IVA/Revenue ( )
• Imports/Demand ( )
• Exports/Revenue ( )
• Revenue per Employee ( )
• Wages/Revenue ( )
• Employees per Establishment ( )
• Average Wage ( )

Key Statistics

Industry data.

Including values and annual change:

• Revenue ( )
• Establishments ( )
• Enterprises ( )
• Employment ( )
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the market size of the travel agencies industry.

The market size of the Travel Agencies industry is measured at in .

How fast is the Travel Agencies market projected to grow in the future?

Over the next five years, the Travel Agencies market is expected to . See purchase options to view the full report and get access to IBISWorld's forecast for the Travel Agencies from up to .

What factors are influencing the Travel Agencies industry market trends?

Key drivers of the Travel Agencies market include .

What are the main product lines for the Travel Agencies market?

The Travel Agencies market offers products and services including .

Which companies are the largest players in the Travel Agencies industry?

Top companies in the Travel Agencies industry, based on the revenue generated within the industry, includes .

How many people are employed in the Travel Agencies industry?

The Travel Agencies industry has employees in Germany in .

How concentrated is the Travel Agencies market in Germany?

Market share concentration is for the Travel Agencies industry, with the top four companies generating of market revenue in Germany in . The level of competition is overall, but is highest among smaller industry players.

Methodology

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Holidaymakers asked to pay twice for hotels following collapse of German travel firm

‘we are aware of situations where guests are being asked to pay for their accommodation locally’ – fti subsidiary, youtravel, article bookmarked.

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This week, a big German travel combine, FTI Touristik, collapsed. It was the third-largest tour operator in Europe.

The company is telling passengers: “All travel arrangements booked via FTI Touristik GmbH with a departure date up to and including Friday, 5 July 2024, unfortunately have to be cancelled.”

The number of UK holidaymakers directly affected – ie having packages booked with the defunct German travel giant – is vanishingly low. Furthermore, they are covered by the German Travel Security Fund.

But two subsidiaries of the FTI group are “business-to-business” middlemen that provide hotels, transfers and excursions to online travel agents (OTAs).

They are Youtravel.com and Meeting Point International. Both offshoots are in financial suspended animation while the FTI insolvency is sorted out.

For now, though, British travellers who had no idea part of their holiday was booked through a German firm are told: “Have you booked other touristic services as individual services with FTI, such as excursions, airport transfers, etc.?

“Unfortunately, individual services do not fall under the statutory insurance protection for package tours and are therefore not covered by the German Travel Security Fund.”

These are the key questions and answers.

I booked a Mediterranean holiday with a UK online travel agent. How come my trip could be in peril?

It all comes down to the way that online travel agents construct package holidays. Traditional tour operators – of which Jet2 Holidays and Tui are the largest – generally have direct relationships with Mediterranean hotels, bus companies and excursion providers.

In contrast, OTAs such as Love Holidays and On The Beach often source these elements through intermediaries that, in the realm of accommodation, are known as “bed banks”. One of the biggest bed banks is Youtravel.com, which calls itself “the trade’s favourite supplier”. The UK-based offshoot of FTI had immense buying power and was therefore able to offer hotel rooms at very favourable rates.

Millions of Brits have probably enjoyed holidays that have involved Youtravel.com and been blissfully unaware that a German-owned middleman was involved. But suddenly, the fate of the company is uncertain.

FTI says Youtravel.com is not insolvent and is “working actively” on its future. It aims to “secure our future without the support of FTI”.

Evidently, though, some Mediterranean hoteliers are alarmed at the prospect that they may not get paid by the FTI-owned intermediary. Knowing that the guest will ultimately be reimbursed, they are asking for cash up front. But people may not be able to pay.

Youtravel.com says: “We are aware of situations where guests in destination are being asked to pay for their accommodation locally. “The FTI Touristik failure has resulted in an unprecedented issue in destination and in these instances, we are trying to support where possible by sharing as much information as we can to help our partners resolve the issue for your valued guests.”

Whose responsibility is it to pay? Assuming you did the sensible thing and chose a proper package holiday – with flights and accommodation booked in the same transaction – the responsibility rests with the tour operator (holiday company). It is obliged to deliver the trip you booked. If one of its suppliers suspends operations, that is the for the company to sort out.

Love Holidays says: “A very small portion of our customers’ accommodation arrangements will be affected. However, we’re working hard to honour these bookings with other suppliers to minimise disruption to any holidays.

“If you’re travelling with us soon and your accommodation was booked through Youtravel, please don’t worry. Our team is working on reinstating these bookings so you can travel as normal.”

How can I tell if my booking is with Youtravel?

Love Holidays says: “Please check the hotel voucher on your booking confirmation. If your booking is affected, please rest assured we’re working hard to rebook your accommodation and minimise any disruption to your holiday.”

I can only afford to pay again if I put it on a credit card – who will pay the interest charges?

If you have no choice but to pay again and claim from your holiday company, you should be indemnified in full for the costs involved.

What about transfers and excursions?

Some transfers and excursions were organised by various incarnations of the FTI Meeting Point brand, which was headquartered in Munich but had a range of subsidiaries across Europe and the Middle East.

Again, if you are affected, the voucher for that part of your trip should name the firm. If this is the case, your holiday company should be urgently organising an alternative.

Are bookings with Jet2 Holidays or Tui affected?

Not directly, though some of the hotels they use may be ultimately owned by FTI subsidiary Meeting Point, which has a range of hotel brands. Both firms are telling customers that they are working to protect any affected holidays.

What’s the view of the UK travel industry?

Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of the Advantage Travel Partnership, told The Independent : “We were shocked to see the news of FTI, one of Europe’s largest tour operators, which is a further blow to the German travel industry, given the Thomas Cook collapse in September 2019.

“It will be a difficult time for all affected staff and customers and no doubt, FTI’s situation will not only have a significant impact on the German holiday market but also have a knock-on impact on the supply chain across Europe and beyond, as we are a globally connected industry.

“We know of a small number of our agent partners who have been impacted and we are keeping them updated with developments as far as we can and with many agents having already secured alternative arrangements for their impacted travellers

“There will be a lot of attention now on getting those impacted on alternative holidays, however, the issue will be one of price and trying to find alternative holidays at a similar price originally paid.”

Does this make further collapses more likely?

No. As with the Thomas Cook in 2019, FTI had been having financial difficulties for some time, even before the Covid pandemic. It was unable to repay government loans, and a planned rescue deal from investors did not materialise.

Generally, if a large player goes out of business, other companies actually prosper.

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Plans of holiday makers across Europe in disarray after German travel company collapse

Irish customers of loveholidays and others caught up in unexpected liquidation of fti, germany’s third largest tourism operator.

FTI, which is the third largest tourism operator in Germany with around 200 subsidiaries, shocked the leisure travel sector when went into liquidation on Monday. Photograph: Steve Parsons/PA Wire

The travel planes of thousands of holiday makers across Europe including people in Ireland are in disarray following the collapse of a leading German tour operator earlier this week.

FTI, which is the third largest tourism operator in Germany with around 200 subsidiaries, shocked the leisure travel sector when went into liquidation on Monday after a refinancing deal collapsed.

The initial filing involved FTI’s tour operator brand, but it warned that “corresponding applications will be filed for other group companies”.

One of its subsidiaries is the UK-based YouTravel which supplies accommodation to multiple travel agents in Ireland as well as online travel agents which have a significant footprint here, including LoveHolidays.

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All accommodation bookings made via YouTravel until later this month have been cancelled while customers already in destinations overseas are being asked to pay the hotel directly for their stay.

In a statement on its website, YouTravel said that “it goes without saying that this has an impact on Youtravel.com. For arrivals until June 14th (inclusive), we have taken to the decision to cancel to avoid guests arriving and not having a booking or being asked to pay again whilst we navigate through these challenging times.”

The UK travel company LoveHolidays which does a significant amount of business in the Republic, posted an update on its website which said that “a very small portion of our customers’ accommodation arrangements will be affected. However, we’re working hard to honour these bookings with other suppliers to minimise disruption to any holidays.”

It advised people with upcoming holidays that “there is nothing you need to do. Our team is working hard to honour any impacted bookings with another partner to make sure your holiday goes ahead as seamlessly as possible.”

Paul Hackett of Irish-based online travel agency Click&Go said his staff had been “been working flat out” since Tuesday to secure all bookings.

“We have been making payments direct to hotels where the hotel says they need payment from us or they seek payment direct from the customer,” he said.

He added that there was a team of people working on the issue and “to date our clients are all fine. We are rebooking at extra costs and not passing that on, we are paying hotels direct, and we are doing all we can to minimise the impact on our customers”.

He said one customer, who had not yet travelled had to move to a different hotel, 700m from the original hotel as the booking was cancelled by YouTravel and when Click&Go went to reconfirm it, the hotel had resold the room.

“Any other bookings we have are re-protected and we absorbed the additional cost,” he said.

In response to queries from The Irish Times a spokesman from the Irish Aviation Authority said that its role in relation to customers of travel agents and tour operators “only takes effect when an entity we licence collapses. We do not licence FTI.”

He said that while FTI “may be a supplier to some entities we licence, it is for the seller of the package to resolve in the first instance or if the seller does not do so it would be for the CCPC to engage. We would only have a role if an entity collapsed because of the financial impact of the FTI collapse.”

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• Total revenue of German travel agencies 2002-2023

Total revenue of travel agencies in Germany from 2005 to 2023 (in billion euros)

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Statistics on " Tourism industry in Germany "

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Get a Passport

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Apply for a Child Under 16

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Respond to a Letter or Email

• Both parents or guardians must approve that we can issue a passport to a child, and go with the child to apply in person.
• If one or both parents or guardians cannot apply with their child, you will need to show us more documents.
• You cannot renew your child's passport using Form DS-82.
• Passports for children under age 16 are only valid for 5 years. 

Steps to Apply

1. fill out form ds-11 and print it.

Use our Form Filler tool  to fill out your child's form on a desktop or laptop computer and then print it. If you are experiencing technical issues with the Form Filler, download a PDF . 

Tips to complete your child's form :

• Do not sign your child's form until asked to do so by a passport acceptance agent or employee. 
• You can apply for a passport book , a passport card , or both documents.
• You may ask for a larger passport book with more visa pages, at no extra cost, by checking the 'large book' box at the top of the DS-11.

2. Get Evidence of U.S. Citizenship (and a photocopy)

Your evidence must be an original or replacement copy. The document must have the official seal or stamp of the office which issued it. You must submit one of the following documents for your child:

• Issued by the city, county, or state of birth
• Lists applicant's full name, date of birth, and place of birth
• Lists the parent(s)' full names
• Has the date filed with registrar's office (must be within one year of birth)
• Has the registrar's signature
• Has the seal or stamp of the city, county, or state which issued it
• Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certification of Birth
• Certificate of Citizenship
• Please note you must also provide a document, such as a birth certificate, that lists the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) of the child. Full validity means the document is or was valid for 10 years for adults and 5 years for children under 16. 

If you cannot submit one of these documents, go to our  Citizenship Evidence page  for more information.

Paper only : You cannot submit digital evidence of U.S. citizenship such as a mobile or electronic birth certificate. You must submit physical evidence of U.S. citizenship and a photocopy of the document. 

Returning your child's document : We will return your child's document in a separate mailing up to 8 weeks after you receive the new passport.

Tips for making a photocopy :

• Black and white (no color)
• Use 8.5 inch by 11 inch paper
• Use a single side of the paper

If you do not submit a photocopy, you must submit a second copy of your citizenship evidence. We will keep this copy for our records.

3. Show Your Relationship to Your Child

You must submit a document that lists the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) of the child. Examples include:

• U.S. birth certificate (also evidence of U.S. citizenship)
• Foreign birth certificate
• Adoption decree
• Divorce or custody decree
• A court order

Some documents, like a U.S. birth certificate, show  both  U.S. citizenship and parental relationship. These documents must be originals or certified copies (not photocopies).

You and your child may have different last names, as long as the document showing your relationship to your child lists your full name.

If your name is different than the one on the document showing your relationship to your child, submit proof of your legal name change.

4. Get a Photo ID (and a photocopy)

Both parents or guardians must bring a physical, photo ID and a photocopy of it. If your photo ID is from a different state than the state in which you are applying, bring a second photo ID. 

You must show at least  one  of these photo IDs:

• Valid or expired, undamaged U.S. passport book or passport card 
• In-state, fully valid driver's license or enhanced driver's license with photo
• Certificate of Naturalization 
• Certificate of Citizenship 
• Government employee ID (city, county, state, or federal)
• U.S. military or military dependent ID
• Current (valid) foreign passport
• Matricula Consular (Mexican Consular ID) used by a parent of a U.S. citizen child applicant
• U.S. Permanent Resident Card (Green Card) used by a parent of a U.S. citizen child applicant
• Trusted Traveler IDs (including valid Global Entry, FAST, SENTRI, and NEXUS cards)
• Enhanced Tribal Cards and Native American tribal photo IDs
• In-state, fully-valid learner's permit with photo
• In-state, fully-valid non-driver ID with photo
• Temporary driver's license with photo

If you do not have one of these photo IDs, go to our  Identification page  for more information.

5. Show More Documents (if both parents or guardians cannot apply)

• Both parents or guardians must approve that we can issue a passport to a child, and go with the child to apply in person.
• If one or both parents or guardians cannot apply in person with their child, you will need to show more documents.

Important : Submit  Form DS-3053  and other notarized statements within three months of signing them.

6. Provide a Photo

You must provide one photo with your child's application. Go to our  Passport Photo page  for photo requirements and to see examples of photos. 

• Do not attach or staple your child's photo to the form. The acceptance agent or passport employee will review the photo and staple it to your form.
• Some  passport acceptance facilities
• A company which offers photo services
• Home. Ask your friend or family member to take your child's photo. Print it on glossy or matte photo quality paper. 

7. Calculate Fees

When applying using Form DS-11, you will pay two separate fees - an application fee and an execution (acceptance) fee. You will pay the application fee to the U.S. Department of State, and the execution (acceptance) fee to the facility which takes your application. 

• Add $60 to your application fee if you want  expedited service .
• Add $19.53 to your application fee if you want us to ship your completed passport in 1-2 days after we issue it.  

Child Applicants :

For more information on how to pay and a full list of fees, go to our  Passport Fees  page.

*How to fill out your check and pay the application fee to the U.S. Department of State. Please note you must pay a separate execution (acceptance) fee. 

Families may write one check or money order to the U.S. Department of State if they are applying at the same time. The check or money order must include the name and date of birth of each applicant.

8. Find Location to Apply

In the United States:

• Traveling in more than 3 weeks?  Go to a  passport acceptance facility  such as a post office, library, or local government office. Check with the facility to see if you need to make an appointment. 
• Traveling in less than 3 weeks?   Make an appointment  to apply at a passport agency or center.

In another country:

• Contact your  U.S. embassy or consulate .

9. Track Your Application Status

You can  subscribe to email updates  about your application status, and  learn more about each status update .

It may take 2 weeks from the day you apply until your child's application status is “In Process.” 

Frequently Asked Questions

How will you send my child's passport and supporting documents.

You will get multiple mailings. The number of mailings depends on what document(s) you asked for.

Passport Book : You may get your new passport and citizenship documents in two mailings. You may wait 8 weeks after getting your passport before you get a second mailing with your citizenship documents. We will return the passport book using a trackable delivery service.

Passport Card : You may get your new passport card and your citizenship documents in two mailings. You may wait 8 weeks after getting your passport before you get a second mailing with your citizenship documents. We only send the passport card via First Class Mail. We do not send cards using 1-2 day delivery services.

Both a Passport Book and Card : You may get three separate mailings:

• New passport book
• New passport card
• Citizenship documents

Contacting Us : If you have been waiting more than 8 weeks for your documents, call us at  1-877-487-2778  to report that you have not received your documents. 

If you want us to reimburse you for a lost supporting document, you must contact us within 90 days of the date which we mailed your passport. You will also need to provide a receipt to show the cost of replacing the document. 

Can I pay for faster delivery and return shipping?

Yes. You may choose one or both of the following shipment options:

• Delivering application to us : Pay for Priority Mail Express for faster shipping. The price for this service varies depending on the area of the country.
• Returning the passport to you : Pay $19.53 for 1-2 day delivery. This means you will receive your passport   1-2 days after we send it. Include this fee with your check or money order payable to the U.S. Department of State. Do not submit a return envelope to us with postage pre-paid. 

You may receive your passport and supporting documents in separate mailings. If you are renewing a passport card, we will send it to you via First Class Mail. We do not use 1-2 day delivery services if you only applied for a passport card.

What countries require Form DS-3053 "Statement of Consent" to be notarized at an embassy or consulate?

In certain countries, a DS-3053 must be notarized at a  U.S. embassy or consulate  and cannot be notarized by a local notary public. Currently, these countries include:

Special Passport Fairs

Find a Special Passport Fair  near you!

We're holding special passport fairs all across the United States to help you get your passport more easily. New events are added to our site every week.

Most events are for first-time applicants and children, (who use Form DS-11). If you can use Form DS-82, you can renew by mail at your convenience!

Processing Times

Routine:  6-8 weeks*

Expedited: 2-3 weeks and an extra $60*

*Consider the total time it will take to get a passport when you are booking travel.  Processing times only include the time your application is at a passport agency or center.

• It may take up to 2 weeks for applications to arrive at a passport agency or center. It may take up to 2 weeks for you to receive a completed passport after we print it. 
• Processing times + mailing times = total time to get a passport

Urgent Travel:  See our Get my Passport Fast page. 

How to Apply for your Child's Passport

Watch this video to learn how to apply in person for your child's U.S. passport!

External Link

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Europe’s air quality status 2024, key messages.

• Despite ongoing overall improvements in air quality, current EU standards are still not met across Europe.   
• 96% of the EU’s urban population is exposed to unsafe concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ).
• The new EU air quality standards introduced in the revised ambient air quality directive — proposed to come into force in 2030 — are more ambitious than the current ones.

This briefing is one in a series to be published by the EEA as part of the Air quality in Europe 2024 package.

It assesses concentrations of air pollutants in ambient air across Europe, comparing them against current EU standards and the 2021 WHO global air quality guidelines . The EU standards were set out in the 2004 and 2008 ambient air quality directives .

Under the European Green Deal (EGD)’s zero pollution action plan , the European Commission set the interim 2030 goal of reducing the number of premature deaths caused by fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 , a key air pollutant) by at least 55% compared with 2005 levels. The ultimate objective is for air pollution to have no significant impact on health by 2050. To this end, the Commission published a proposal to review the ambient air quality directives in 2022. Among other things, it aimed to align the air quality standards more closely with WHO recommendations.

Co-legislators agreed to more ambitious EU air quality standards in February 2024. However, they are still less strict for all pollutants than what the WHO outlines in their air quality guideline levels .

In 2022, despite ongoing reductions in emissions , most of the EU’s urban population continued to be exposed to levels of key air pollutants that are damaging to health (see Figure 1). In particular, almost all of the urban population was exposed to concentrations of PM 2.5 above the 2021 WHO annual guideline level of 5µg/m 3 and to concentrations of ozone (O 3 ) above the short-term guideline level of 100µg/m 3 .

Figure 1. Share of the EU urban population exposed to air pollutant concentrations above certain EU standards and WHO guidelines in 2022

Notes : Exposure above EU standards: the EU urban population is exposed to PM 2.5 annual concentrations above 25µg/m 3 ; PM 10 daily concentrations above 50µg/m 3 for more than 35 days per year; O 3 maximum daily 8-hour mean concentrations above 120µg/m 3 for more than 25 days per year; NO 2 annual concentrations above 40µg/m 3 ; Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) annual concentrations above 1ng/m 3 ; and sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ) daily concentrations above 125µg/m 3 for more than three days per year. Exposure above WHO guidelines: the EU urban population is exposed to PM 2.5 annual concentrations above 5µg/m 3 ; PM 10 annual concentrations above 15µg/m 3 ; O 3 maximum daily 8-hour mean concentrations exceeding 100µg/m 3 for more than 3-4 days per year; NO 2 annual concentrations above 10µg/m 3 ; BaP annual concentrations above 0.12ng/m 3 ; and SO 2 daily concentrations above 40µg/m 3 for more than three or four days per year. Source : EEA, 2024 .

Methodology

This analysis highlights pollutants deemed most harmful to human health and those that most frequently exceed the current EU air quality standards and WHO guideline levels.

The concentrations are obtained from monitoring station measurements and are officially reported to the EEA by its members and other collaborating countries [1] . The classification of the monitoring stations and the criteria used to determine their inclusion in the analysis are described here . The number of countries that submitted data and the number of monitoring stations with the minimum data coverage required vary for each pollutant. This is summarised in Table 1 for 2022 and Table 2 for 2023. When referring to countries reporting data above certain levels, it means that they reported at least one station with concentrations that surpassed them.

Data for 2022 and 2023 were extracted from the EEA’s reporting system on 5 March 2024.

The analysis for 2022 is based on officially validated data reported by countries. The analysis for 2023 is based on provisional up-to-date (UTD) data. It may change once fully validated data is received by the EEA and more countries are considered. Validated data for 2023 will only be available later in 2024 and will be presented in the 2025 briefing.

Additional information and further analysis are available in the Eionet status reports ETC/HE 2024/3 (Targa et al., 2024a) and ETC/HE 2024/5 (Targa et al., 2024b), prepared by the European Topic Centre on Human Health and the Environment (ETC HE) .

Further information on the concentrations of air pollutants, including those for previous years, can be found at the EEA’s statistics viewer . Data can be downloaded here .

Apart from the measurements from monitoring stations, some countries also reported 2022 official data from modelling applications, which are available from the Air Quality Modelling Viewer . The results from these modelling applications have been included in this analysis where they implied concentrations above the EU standards.

Navigate the tabs for information on each pollutant: 

• Other pollutants

PM 10 stands for particulate matter with a diameter of 10µm or less. PM 10 is emitted mainly by the combustion of solid fuels for domestic heating, although industrial activities, agriculture and road transport are also important sources. Some also come from natural sources such as sea salt, Saharan dust or volcanoes, and some (secondary PM) form in the atmosphere as a combination of different gases (for instance, ammonia and nitrogen dioxide). Member States can discount the contribution of natural sources to the total concentrations for compliance assessments as these sources are out of their control, but we do not exclude these sources in this status analysis.

Concentrations above the EU daily limit value for PM 10 are seen mainly in Italy and some eastern European countries (Map 1 and Figure 3). In most central and eastern European countries, solid fuels such as coal and wood are widely used for heating households and in some industrial facilities and power plants. The Po Valley in northern Italy is a densely populated and industrialised area with specific meteorological and geographical conditions that favour the accumulation of air pollutants in the atmosphere. Some concentrations are also above the EU daily limit value in southern Spain and the Canary Islands, mainly due to the natural contributions of Saharan dust ( MITECO, 2023 ).

Map 1. Concentrations of PM 10 in 2022 and 2023 in relation to the EU daily limit value

Note: The map shows the 90.4th percentile of the PM 10 daily mean concentrations, representing the 36th-highest value in a complete series. It is related to the PM 10 daily limit value, allowing 35 exceedances of the 50µg/m 3 threshold over one year. Source: EEA’s AQ e-reporting database.

Table 3. Country status for PM 10 in 2022 and 2023

Note: ( a ) all the reporting countries; ( b ) all the reporting countries except Estonia and Iceland; ( c ) all the reporting countries except Luxembourg. Source: EEA’s AQ e-reporting database.

Figure 2. Percentage of reporting monitoring stations registering PM 10 concentrations above the EU limit values and the WHO guideline levels in 2022 and 2023

In 2022, 16% of monitoring stations measured concentrations of PM 10  above the EU daily limit value (Figure 2), 84% of which were urban and 12% suburban.

Furthermore, Italy and Poland reported 2022 exceedances of the PM 10  daily limit value based on  assessment models  for 7 and 13 air quality zones, respectively.

Figure 3.  PM 10  concentrations in 2022 by country in relation to the EU daily limit value

Note:  The figure shows, per country, the concentrations of each reported station; the minimum and maximum concentrations; the median and the 25th and 75th percentiles of all the measurements (90.4th percentile of the PM 10  daily mean concentrations).

PM 2.5 stands for particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5µm or less. These particles are emitted mainly from the combustion of solid fuels for domestic heating, industrial activities and road transport. As with PM 10 , they can also come from natural sources and can form in the atmosphere. For compliance assessments, Member States can discount the contribution of natural sources to the total concentrations as these sources are out of their control, but in this status analysis, we do not exclude them. Agricultural emissions of ammonia significantly contribute to forming fine particulate matter in the atmosphere.

PM 2.5 concentrations above the EU annual limit value were seen in Italy and some eastern European countries (Map 2 and Figure 5). As for PM 10 , solid fuel use is the main reason for the situation in central and eastern Europe, together with an older vehicle fleet. In northern Italy, the high concentrations are due to the combination of a high density of anthropogenic emissions and also meteorological and geographical conditions that favour the accumulation of air pollutants in the atmosphere and the formation of secondary particles.

Map 2. Concentrations of PM 2.5 in 2022 and 2023 in relation to the EU annual limit value and the WHO annual guideline level

Source: EEA’s AQ e-reporting database .

Table 4. Country status for PM 2.5 in 2022 and 2023

Notes : ( a ) all the reporting countries, except Iceland; ( b ) all the reporting countries. Source: EEA’s AQ e-reporting database .

Figure 4. Percentage of reporting monitoring stations registering PM 2.5  concentrations above the EU annual limit value and the WHO guideline levels in 2022 and 2023

In 2022, 2% of monitoring stations registered concentrations of PM 2.5  above the EU annual limit value (Figure 4), 78% of which were urban and 15% suburban. In contrast, 95% of the PM 2.5 reporting stations registered concentrations above the WHO annual guideline level, 76% of which were urban and 20% suburban.

Furthermore, Italy and Poland reported exceedances of the PM 2.5  annual limit value based on  assessment models  for three and one air quality zones, respectively.

Regarding the EU standards related to the Average Exposure Indicator [2] for PM 2.5 , which assesses the general population’s long-term exposure in urban areas, all EU Member States continued to meet the exposure concentration obligation of 20µg/m 3 in 2022, set as a 2015 target under the  ambient air quality directive [3] . Furthermore, for the first time, all Member States [4] met the national exposure reduction target set for 2020.

Figure 5. PM 2.5  concentrations in 2022 by country in relation to the EU annual limit value and the WHO annual guideline level

Note:  The figure shows, per country, the concentrations of each reported station, the minimum and maximum concentrations, the median and the 25th and 75th percentiles of all the measurements (annual mean PM 2.5. concentrations).

Ozone (O 3 ) is a pollutant formed in the atmosphere when heat and light cause chemical reactions between nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including methane (which is also a powerful greenhouse gas ). Emissions of these gases occur from anthropogenic sources and, in the case of VOCs, also biogenic. Ozone is also transported to Europe from other parts of the northern hemisphere and the upper atmosphere. Meteorology plays an important role in forming and dispersing air pollution, and interannual variations in concentrations. This effect is especially significant for ozone.

Map 3. Concentrations of O 3  in 2022 and 2023 in relation to the EU target value

Notes:  The map shows the 93.2nd percentile of the O 3  maximum daily eight−hour mean, representing the 26th-highest value in a complete series. It is related to the O 3  target value. Data are presented here for one year only instead of the average over a three-year period, as stated in the definition of the EU target value for O 3 . Source : EEA’s AQ e-reporting database .

The highest concentrations in 2022 were found in some Mediterranean and central European countries (Map 3 and Figure 7).

Table 5. Country status for O 3  in 2022 and 2023  

Notes : ( a ) all the reporting countries.  The stations in Kosovo, although reported, did not get the minimum data coverage to estimate the relevant ozone statistics. Source : EEA’s AQ e-reporting database .

Figure 6. Percentage of reporting monitoring stations registering O 3  concentrations above the EU target value and the WHO guideline levels in 2022 and 2023

The long-term EU objective for ozone of 120µg/m 3  was met at 16% of monitoring stations in 2022.

Italy reported exceedances of the O 3  target value for the protection of health based on  assessment models  for three air quality zones. Italy and Poland reported exceedances of the O 3  long-term objective for the protection of health in 9 and 46 air quality zones, respectively.

Figure 7. O 3  concentrations in 2022 by country in relation to the EU target value

Note:  The figure shows, per country, the concentrations of each reported station, the minimum and maximum concentrations, the median and the 25th and 75th percentiles of all the measurements (93.2nd percentile of O 3 maximum daily eight-hour mean). Data are presented here for one year only, not the average over a three-year period as stated in the definition of the EU target value for O 3 .

In 2023, the long-term EU objective for ozone was met at 14% of monitoring stations.

The leading source of nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) is road transport, which emits NO 2 close to the ground, mostly in densely populated areas, contributing to population exposure. Other important sources are combustion processes in industry and energy supply.

Concentrations above the annual limit value were found in many Turkish cities and some big cities with a high volume of traffic (Map 4 and Figure 9).

Map 4. Concentrations of NO 2  in 2022 and 2023 in relation to the EU annual limit value and the WHO annual guideline level

Source :   EEA´s AQ e-reporting database .

Table 6. Country status for NO 2  in 2022 and 2023

Notes : ( a ) all the reporting countries; ( b ) all the reporting countries, except Kosovo; ( c ): all the reporting countries. The stations from Kosovo, although reported, did not get the minimum data coverage to estimate the NO 2 statistics related to the WHO air quality daily guideline level. Source : EEA’s AQ e-reporting database .

Figure 8. Percentage of reporting monitoring stations registering NO 2  concentrations above the EU limit values and the WHO guideline levels in 2022 and 2023

In 2022, 2% of monitoring stations registered concentrations of NO 2  above the EU annual limit value (Figure 8), 76% of which were traffic stations. Concentrations above the NO 2 WHO annual guideline level were registered at 74% of all monitoring stations, 45% of which were traffic stations.

Belgium, Italy and Poland reported exceedances of the NO 2  annual limit value based on  assessment models  for three, two and four air quality zones, respectively.

Figure 9. NO 2  concentrations in 2022 by country and in relation to the EU annual limit value and the WHO annual guideline level

Note:  The figure shows, per country, the concentrations of each reported station, the minimum and maximum concentrations, the median and the 25th and 75 th percentiles of all the measurements (annual mean NO 2 concentrations).

In 2023, 1% of monitoring stations registered concentrations of NO 2  above the annual limit value, all of which were traffic stations. 68% of monitoring stations registered concentrations above the WHO annual guideline level, 46% of which were traffic stations.

Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP)  is a carcinogenic pollutant emitted mainly from the combustion of coal and wood for heating and, to a lesser extent, from industrial installations and the combustion of agricultural waste.

The highest concentrations  were found in Italy and eastern Europe (Map 5 and Figure 10), where the use of coal and other solid fuels for residential heating is widespread.

Map 5. Concentrations of BaP in 2022

Source: EEA’s AQ e-reporting database

Country status for BaP in 2022: 12 out of 27 reporting countries, all of which were EU Member States, registered values above 1.0 ng/m 3 . Concentrations above 1.0 ng/m 3  were registered at 25% of the reported monitoring stations, the majority of which were urban (78%) or suburban (18%). Greece and Poland reported exceedances of the BaP target value based on  assessment models  for one and 32 air quality zones, respectively.

Figure 10. BaP concentrations in 2022 by country

Note:  The figure shows, per country, the concentrations of each reported station, the minimum and maximum concentrations, the median and the 25th and 75th percentiles of all the measurements (annual mean BaP concentrations).

Country status for  sulphur dioxide (SO 2 )  in 2022:

• 4 out of 37 reporting countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Türkiye, North Macedonia and Serbia) — none of them EU Member States — registered levels above the EU daily limit value of 125µg/m 3 ;
• 17 countries, including nine EU Member States, registered values above the WHO daily guideline level of 40µg/m 3 [5] .

In 2022, 1% of reporting monitoring stations registered concentrations above the EU daily limit value and 6% of stations registered concentrations above the WHO daily guideline level.

In 2023, 11 reporting stations outside the EU (nine in Bosnia and Herzegovina and two in North Macedonia) registered concentrations of SO 2  above the EU daily limit value. In the same year, concentrations above the WHO daily guideline level were registered in 13 countries (including 10 EU Member States) out of 33 reporting countries.

Concentrations above the corresponding EU limit or target values were also registered in 2022 for the following pollutants:

• carbon monoxide (CO) at one station, located in the non-EU Member State of Serbia, out of 35 reporting countries;
• for benzene and lead, no stations reported concentrations above EU annual limit values in the 28 and 30 reporting countries, respectively. Italy reported exceedances of the benzene annual limit value based on  assessment models  for one air quality zone;
• arsenic in six stations across three EU Member States (Belgium, Finland and Poland, with two stations each) out of 29 reporting countries. Poland reported exceedances of the arsenic annual target value based on  assessment models  for two air quality zones;
• cadmium at one station, located in the EU Member State of Bulgaria, out of 30 reporting countries;
• nickel in four stations located in four EU Member States (Finland, France, Germany and Italy) out of 29 reporting countries.

[1]  The 27 European Union Member States, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and Türkiye. The six West Balkan countries are cooperating countries. These include Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo (the designation is without prejudice to position on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/99 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence). Andorra reports data on a voluntary basis.

[2]  The Average Exposure Indicator (AEI) is based on a three-year average measured at urban background stations. The AEI for 2022 is based on 2020-2022. It assesses the general population’s long-term exposure in urban areas.

[3]  As well as the EU-27, Iceland and Norway also reported an AEI2022 below the exposure concentration obligation. The AEI2022 estimated for Switzerland, Andorra, Kosovo, Türkiye and Montenegro was also below the exposure concentration obligation. On the contrary, the estimated AEI2022 for Serbia, North Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina was above the exposure concentration obligation.

[4]  Plus Iceland and Norway.

[5]  The 99.18th percentile of the daily values has been considered, meaning three days of exceedance per year.

EEA, 2024. Indicator AIR003 'Exceedance of air quality standards in Europe'

Targa, J., Colina, M., Banyuls, L., González Ortiz, A., Soares, J. (2024a). Status report of air quality in Europe for year 2022, using validated data (ETC-HE Report 2024/3)

Targa, J., Colina, M., Banyuls, L., González Ortiz, A., Soares, J. (2024b). Status report of air quality in Europe for year 2023, using validated and up-to-date data (ETC-HE Report 2024/5).

MITECO, 2023. Evaluación de la Calidad del Aire en España 2022, Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica y el Reto Demográfico Secretaría General Técnica. Centro de Publicaciones., NIPO: 665-21-045-X

Identifiers

Briefing no. 06/2024 Title: Europe’s air quality status 2024 EN HTML: TH-AM-24-009-EN-Q - ISBN: 978-92-9480-650-5 - ISSN: 2467-3196 - doi: 10.2800/5970

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The country assessments are the sole responsibility of the EEA member and cooperating countries supported by the EEA through guidance, translation and editing.

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For references , please go to https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/europes-air-quality-status-2024/europes-air-quality-status-2024 or scan the QR code.

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