The latest 2023 DACH hospitality statistics, including exclusive TrustYou and third-party data.
TrustYou DACH Hospitality Statistics Q1 2023
#1 Review Volume Above EMEA Averages
Q1 2023 DACH review volume reached 93.3% of the pre-pandemic levels and recorded a 47.4% increase compared to Q1 2022.
Historically, we noticed that the DACH region exceeds EMEA averages regarding review volume over time - a trend continuing in Q1 2023. In Q1 2022, the DACH review volume was 63% of 2019 levels. It’s only a matter of time until it surpasses the pre-pandemic numbers.
DACH Review Volume Trend - Q1 2019, 2021, 2022, & 2023
Other key tourism indicators show similar growth. Between January and February 2023, Germany recorded 50.4 million guest nights, with an average increase of 44.4% compared to the same period in 2022, and only 11.1% behind the first two months of 2020. Foreign stays registered the highest growth, with a whopping 103.4% compared to January - February 2022.
Austria reported 7.4 million arrivals for February-March 2023, with an average increase of 25.7% compared to the same period in 2022.
Switzerland recorded around 2.4 million arrivals in Q1 2023, with an overall 9% increase compared to last year. International arrivals grew by 36%.
#2 Positive Feedback is Steadily High
94% of the DACH guest reviews are positive.
DACH hoteliers continue to deliver an exceptional experience to their guests, with the ratio of positive reviews being amongst the highest of all regions. In 2022, 95% of all feedback was positive.
#3 Hotel Improves Scores; WiFi Brings Lower Ratings
We found six key factors that can make or break a hotel’s review scores in the DACH region. There are two newcomers to the positive and negative impact scores in Q1 2023 - Location (replacing Room in our positive impacts) and Beach (replacing Food in our negative impacts).
TrustYou’s Q1 2023 DACH Positive and Negative Impact Scores Influencing the Performance Score of a Hotel
It's important to note that one of the categories amongst the “negative” impacts, Beach, actually had a favorable effect on performance. It makes sense to see fewer categories with negative impact when the positive feedback ratio is among the highest. Additionally, it demonstrates a commitment to improvement and listening to guests’ needs.
Hotel is the category most likely to contribute to a positive score. When mentioning this category, in particular, guests were evaluating their overall experience during the stay. Romantic Hotels were also highly appreciated in Q1 2023. A charming, intimate atmosphere, especially during Valentine’s Day, made a difference for couples and elevated hotel review scores.
In terms of Service, friendly staff and effective management enhanced DACH guests' satisfaction. Location was also essential, with sightseeing opportunities and accessibility increasing the likelihood of a positive review.
On the negative side, an unstable or unreliable internet connection or excessively high WiFi costs can result in guest frustration and negative reviews. Pricing also played a significant role, with high food prices and poor value for money also leading to guest dissatisfaction. The concern for food prices is shared equally by guests and hoteliers. A recent DEHOGA survey shows that the rising food prices are the second largest concern for German hoteliers (77.4%) after energy costs (80.1%).
Although Beach enters the bottom scores, it positively impacts the guest experience. It’s surprising to see a seasonal category in a period with colder months. When evaluating this category, most probably, guests referred to the view from their room and the cleanliness and maintenance of a beach, which is also important during the off-season.
DACH Hospitality Statistics Q1 2023
#4 A Strong Winter Season, Despite High Temperatures and Lack of Snow
The 2022-2023 DACH winter season ended positively despite ongoing challenges, such as lack of snow, staff shortages, and the energy crisis.
Austria was only 5.5% behind the 2018-2019 season, even though this winter was among the sixth warmest season recorded in the last 256 years. The regions with the highest amounts of snow were Carinthia and Styria.
For December 2022 - January 2023, German arrivals in the alpine areas were at 87% of the pre-pandemic level. Allgäu was the preferred choice for almost half of visitors (46%), followed by Zugspitz (11%), and the Chiemsee-Alpenland region (11%).
The Swiss destination of Leukerbad broke several records this winter season, registering the highest number of admissions and first-time entries in the last ten years.
It was a good season for Switzerland as well. The Grisons ski areas were only 8% behind pre-pandemic numbers. The Graubünden canton registered an 18% increase in overnight stays compared to the 2021/2022 season. Despite the low demand during Christmas and New Year due to high temperatures and lack of snow, the area rebounded in January and February. While high-altitude regions thrived, low-altitude areas struggled due to climate changes, recording low performances compared to the previous season.
High temperatures and green pastures will continue to be a challenge for destinations relying on winter tourism in the upcoming years. Alternative strategies, including hiking, biking trails, and agrotourism, can help attract tourists during a warmer winter.
#5 €49 Transport Ticket Gets Approved
The monthly €49 ticket applies to local train and bus transportation and was launched to the general public on May 1st, after receiving approval from the German legislative bodies in March 2023. Followed by the success of the €9 ticket introduced last summer (62 million tickets sold and 10% of car trips replaced), this initiative encourages consumers to use public transport and reduces the pressure of increasing costs. International visitors can also use the ticket to visit various local landmarks.
#6 Creative Ways to Tackle Staff Shortages
A joint project between the Zurich Airport and five mountain railways aims to tackle a chronic pain point of the travel industry: the lack of skilled workers. The project ‘’From Ski Slopes to Airport Slopes’’ aims to offer year-round jobs for seasonal workers. During the winter season, the staff will support the mountain railways and in the off-season, they will help manage the increasing traffic at the airport. The project started in March 2023. Besides tackling staff shortages, it also aims at providing more stability for seasonal workers.
#7 Austria Booking Behaviors: A Study by OHV
The latest OHV study gives insights into the booking behaviors of Austrian travelers in 2022. Here are a few key findings:
- Direct is the way. 7 out of 10 Austrian travelers prefer to book via direct channels (the hotel’s website, phone, or email), and a similar trend was recorded in 2021. With more international guests entering Austria, this number will likely decrease in 2023. Direct booking is especially popular among regulars, with 30% of returning guests booking only via direct channels and 67% using direct channels regularly.
- OTAs are at a slight decline. 20.1% of sales came from OTAs, which is 4.5% less than in 2019. This decrease can be explained by lower international and business travel levels.
Read more insights here.
Use Guest Reviews to Attract More Happy Travelers
Happy travelers spend more, book again, and promote your brand. How do you increase your visitors' satisfaction as a hotel, destination, or booking platform?
TrustYou offers a powerful tool for the hospitality industry that helps attract more visitors and improve guest satisfaction. With the help of our all-in-one guest experience platform, you can collect and analyze feedback from guests, identify areas of improvement, and address issues promptly. This leads to increased guest satisfaction, positive reviews, and ultimately more bookings. Our guest experience platform allows you to engage with guests before, during, and after their stay, fostering a sense of connection and building trust.
*The requested Q1 2023 positive and negative Impact Scores reflect the main semantic categories.
** Q1 2023 Impact Scores and Review Volume were requested at the beginning of April 2023. Due to the dynamic nature of the database with reviews and hotels being updated, the numbers may vary if data were requested at an earlier or later stage.***the report includes rounded numbers for a clearer data representation.
Catalina Brinza
Catalina is a social media and data enthusiast. At TrustYou, she's on the mission to bring the most out of travel and hospitality data. One day, she hopes to experience Japan's culture to its fullest.
About TrustYou
TrustYou is on a mission to make guest communication and feedback simpler and more productive. All communication channels, together in one place, is the new way of doing business. Today, customers expect instant responses on their preferred communication channels. As a subset of communication, feedback is the foundation to build better products, services and companies.
TrustYou helps companies win through the power of listening and provides a Guest Experience (GX) Platform that makes listening to customers easy, powerful, and actionable. The platform unlocks the potential of guest feedback and helps to:
- Create unlimited opportunities to listen and respond to guests’ needs.
- Understand all reviews across the web and make better business decisions.
- Publish hotel reviews on the website and on Google and allow positive feedback to influence bookings.
TrustYou empowers companies to earn trust, make better decisions, and ultimately, win.
Find more information on TrustYou and our GX platform on www.trustyou.com.