Agoda Reports Surge In Asian Travel Searches For Oktoberfest

Asian travellers have significantly increased accommodation searches for Germany’s Oktoberfest, with interest extending well beyond Munich’s traditional fairgrounds as digital travel platform Agoda reported new regional trends. As the 191st Oktoberfest concluded, data from the festival—which ran from September 19 to October 4—showed a notable surge in searches from Asian markets.

Munich Leads as Berlin Searches Increase

Munich remains the top destination for Asian visitors during the festival period, anchored around the Theresienwiese fairgrounds. However, Berlin emerged as a surprise favourite with a 29% year-on-year increase in accommodation searches, indicating that travellers are combining the festival with broader German exploration.

Frankfurt claimed third place, followed by Cologne, Hamburg, and Dusseldorf in the top six searched cities. Bavarian towns such as Fussen, Augsburg, and Garmisch-Partenkirchen gained attention for their Alpine scenery and castles, while Stuttgart—home to Germany's second-largest beer festival, the Cannstatter Volksfest—also saw increased interest.

Growth Across Asian Markets and Demographics

China stood out with a 98% rise in accommodation searches compared to last year, leading the surge alongside South Korea. India and Japan recorded increases of 29% and 25% respectively, with Indonesia (+19%), Malaysia (+12%), and Taiwan (+10%) also showing accelerating interest.

Oktoberfest has always been one of the world’s great cultural events, but what we’re seeing now is a new wave of interest from across Asia, Senior Vice President

Within Munich specifically, Japan leads the Asian markets for accommodation searches, followed by India, South Korea, China, and Taiwan. This highlights Japanese travellers’ preference for the authentic Munich Oktoberfest experience, whereas other markets distribute their interest across multiple German cities. The platform's data revealed that only 3% of searches included children, showing the festival's appeal as an adult getaway.