Despite the absence of major international sporting events that had
supported performance in the previous year, Cologne achieved growth of 2.3% in
arrivals and 1.9% in overnight stays compared to 2024, surpassing previous peak
figures. These results reinforce the city’s position among Germany’s leading
city-break destinations.
The strategic focus remained not only on quantitative growth but on
qualitative development and sustainable value creation. According to the data,
guests generated 5.51 billion euros in turnover within the city, underlining
the economic impact of tourism. The Cologne Tourist Board prioritised
high-quality offerings, sustainable value creation and maintaining a balanced
relationship between visitors and the local community.
Dr Jürgen Amann, CEO of KölnTourismus GmbH, stated: “2025 was a strong year for tourism in Cologne
– even without the special effects provided by major international sporting
events. This shows that our strategy of target group-oriented brand
communication is successful alongside the resurgent sector of promotable
business travel. We focus particularly on qualitative metrics: value creation,
guest mix, and Cologne as a place to live are just as important to us as the
classic key figures.”
Dr Jürgen Amann, CEO of KölnTourismus GmbH (Photo: Seelbach)
Germany remained the largest source market in 2025, accounting for 62.6% of
total overnight stays. At the same time, international demand increased
significantly. Arrivals from abroad rose by 6.1% and overnight stays by 5.8%,
exceeding the national average and diverging from trends seen in several other
major German cities. The most important foreign markets were the UK, the USA
and the Netherlands, while Turkey entered Cologne’s top ten source markets.
Accommodation capacity expanded moderately to 38,865 hotel beds. Average bed occupancy increased slightly compared to the previous year, reflecting consistent demand throughout the calendar year.
Qualitative indicators also showed positive development. The structure of
overnight guests shifted further towards a higher proportion of leading milieus
as defined by the SINUS-Institut, characterised by above-average purchasing
power, strong cultural interest and affinity for urban offerings.
Max Derichsweiler, Chairman of
the Supervisory Board of KölnTourismus GmbH, said: “The figures show that Cologne is increasingly reaching guests who
not only visit, but also stay, consume, and appreciate the city. This
qualitative development is crucial for sustainable value creation in tourism
and confirms the course that the Cologne Tourist Board has taken.”
The event market in Cologne remained stable in 2025. A total of 42,920
events were held across 218 venues, attracting 7.8 million participants. These
figures further strengthened Cologne’s position as a major trade fair, congress
and conference destination within the MICE segment.
October 2025 proved particularly strong, supported by the Anuga trade fair,
which delivered high participant numbers and above-average hotel occupancy. The
opening of the Confex congress centre in 2024 continued to have a positive
impact, filling a previous gap in the congress segment and enabling the
acquisition of larger-scale events.
During 2025, KölnTourismus concentrated on three strategic areas:
digitalisation, sustainability and stakeholder management. The organisation
continued its participation in the KInK Tank AI think tank network and expanded
the integration of artificial intelligence into destination-related activities.
The VisitKöln web app was introduced as a digital service tool for the hotel
industry, marking a further step in customer journey innovation.
Sustainability initiatives included the launch of the Cool and Calm Map,
providing guidance for residents and visitors within urban areas and
contributing to climate-adapted urban development. Stakeholder management also
remained central, with collaborations involving Cologne’s bar and club scene,
the cultural sector, the Fine Food Days, content creators and partners from the
LGBTQIA community. The engagement of local stakeholders supported both brand
communication and acceptance of tourism-related measures within the city.
Looking ahead to 2026, KölnTourismus will continue to focus on qualitative
tourism development and positioning Cologne as a sustainable and liveable city
for residents and visitors. Key cultural highlights are expected to include the
Yayoi Kusama exhibition at the Museum Ludwig and the planned reopening of
Cologne’s theatre and opera house. Further initiatives include the publication
of the fifth issue of K…wie Köln magazine under the theme “Transformation” and
considerations surrounding a potential bid for the Olympic and Paralympic
Games.
Within the MICE sector, Cologne will maintain participation in
international trade formats while continuing efforts to strengthen its profile
as an innovative congress destination.
Tags: Max Derichsweiler, KölnTourismus GmbH, Cologne Dr Jürgen Amann
