Press release

Bookings from India and Japan during Oktoberfest climb 60% and 31%, according to Amadeus Travel Intelligence

September 9, 2026
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Cityscape of Munich, Germany, featuring the iconic Marienplatz square
Laura Cobbold
Laura Cobbold
Corporate Communications - Amadeus
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Nearly half of travelers to Munich are flying solo and stays of two weeks or more are up 13% during the festival

For three weeks in September and October (19th September to 4th October), Munich turns into the largest folk festival in the world – Oktoberfest. At its peak in 2023, Theresienwiese hosted 7.5 million attendees, this year authorities expect around 6 million attendees. Visitors from around the world make the trip to play games, sample traditional Bavarian dishes and drink beer from the ‘Big Six’ Munich breweries.


Amadeus Travel Intelligence reveals where these visitors are coming from in order to offer a richer picture of the festival. The air data, as of August 19th, covers 18th September to 4th of October, while the hotel data, as of August 20th, covers week 13th September to the week 27th September (included) 2026 vs same period last year.

Solo travel dominates air bookings

Perhaps counterintuitively, large groups (6+) do not account for the lion’s share of air travel, at just 7% large groups represent the smallest share of bookings.In contrast, solo travelers represent the largest share of air bookings in this window at 47%, reinforced by a 2.2% growth on 2025.


Smaller groups (3-5 travelers) and duos account for 13% and 33% of the air bookings, though there has been a 4.6% decline in duo bookings compared to 2025.

Trips are getting longer

Air data reveals that the length of stay has increased between 2025 and 2026. Short stays (1-5 nights) are still the most popular trips at 65% of bookings (although they have decreased by 2% from 2025). Conversely, trips of 14 nights or more are up 13% year on year and now represent over 6% of all bookings. This represents a great opportunity for the hotel industry to offer broader packages to visitors, as well as for destination organizations to mount campaigns that target incoming visitors with experiences they can tag onto their trips.

Munich sees a diversifying mix of bookings

The United States continues to lead the share of air bookings in 2026 at 37%, despite experiencing a 10% year-on-year decline in bookings.


This decline is largely absorbed by rapidly growing markets like Australia +5.7%, Canada +9.1%, India +59.7% and Japan +30.7%.

Top international markets by Share of Bookings 2026

Source marketYear-on-year change
India+60%
Japan+31%
Canada+9%
Spain+8%
Italy+7%
Australia+6%
U.S.A.-10%
United Kingdom-16%

Source: Amadeus International Air Visitors to Munich, 18 September - 4 October versus same time last year

German travelers fly in from the north

Domestic air bookings to Munich rose by 2.4%. Hamburg is the largest domestic origin at 31.3% of domestic bookings, and Bremen is the fastest growing source market, with a staggering 41% year-on-year growth and 2.7p.p increase in share of bookings.

Domestic air bookings to Munich

Domestic originShare of domestic bookings 2026
Hamburg31%
Dusseldorf22%
Berlin11%
Bremen10%
Frankfurt9%
Cologne7%
Muenster5%
Hanover5%

Source: Amadeus Domestic Air Visitors to Munich, 18 September - 4 October versus same time last year

Hotel rates stay firm

Occupancy across the three weeks of the event averages 70.9%, down 5.3 points on 76.2% a year earlier while average daily rates (ADR) slightly increased to €326, up 0.8%. Occupancy peaks over the mid-point of Oktoberfest, the 20-27th September at 78%, and ADR corresponds at €368, a 3.9% increase on previous year.

"The Oktoberfest tradition is more than 200 years old. It’s grown into the world’s largest folk festival drawing in vast, international crowds. But with long‑standing events and traditions, it’s important to look at the data rather than assume that old trends and patterns still hold true.

 

 

The changing traveler mix visiting Munich during Oktoberfest is a great example. The growth of origin markets such as India, Australia and Japan, alongside a decline in the US market, highlights new, diverse audiences and opportunities to target. At the same time, longer trip lengths open up opportunities for more destinations to capture stays beyond the festival itself.

  

 

History helps you understand the legacy of an event; travel intelligence helps you demystify its future."

Jan Kamenicek Regional Vice President, Central & Eastern Europe, Hospitality, Amadeus

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