Oktoberfest isn’t just a celebration of beer — it’s the world’s largest folk festival and one of Germany’s most important cultural exports. Every autumn, Munich transforms into a global gathering spot where millions of visitors raise their steins, savor Bavarian traditions, and soak up the festive atmosphere. What began in 1810 as a royal wedding celebration has grown into a cultural phenomenon that fuels tourism, hospitality, and international travel. For Munich’s hotels, restaurants, and local businesses, Oktoberfest is more than a party — it’s an economic powerhouse, driving demand from travelers across Europe and beyond.

The international tourist is confirmed as one of the main visitors for Oktoberfest 2025, according to the latest hotel booking data provided by RateGain. The global provider of AI-powered SaaS solutions for the travel and hospitality industry reveals new booking patterns that suggest this isn’t just a local tradition anymore; it’s a worldwide toast in the making.

Tourists from cities across Europe and beyond are leading hotel bookings for Munich, with Portugal leading the pack with a 141% surge in bookings over last year, followed closely by Austria (+83%), the United Kingdom (+76%), and Switzerland (+60%). Italy (+48%) and Israel (+53%) are also lifting their glasses to the Bavarian fest.

Zooming into the cities, the story gets even more “hopped up.” Lisbon has bubbled up with a 250% increase in bookings — a true dark horse. Vienna (+137%), Milan (+119%), and London (+103%) are not far behind, joined by strong showings from Zurich.

As for the domestic market, German visitors are showing impressive momentum. Cities like Düsseldorf (+200%), Berlin (+140%), Nuremberg (+150%), Bremen (+100%), and Hamburg (+68%) have all recorded strong year-over-year growth in bookings. This uptick highlights how Oktoberfest continues to inspire movement across German cities, reinforcing its place not just as a cultural celebration but as a national travel event.

The United States leads transoceanic bookings

As for transoceanic bookings, the United States continues to be the largest source market by volume, despite bookings have dipped by 6%, joined by moderate declines from India (-14%) and Australia (-27%), suggesting a rebalancing in how and where global travelers are heading this Oktoberfest season.

Even as some cities like Chicago see a decline (-41%), others are making up for it with record interest as is the case with Atlanta, New York, and Houston.

This surge is more than just seasonal; it’s the result of better connectivity and falling fares, making Munich more accessible from both capitals and second-tier cities. With rising interest in authentic cultural experiences, Oktoberfest fits the bill perfectly that blends tradition, food, music, and community in one unmissable moment.

So, whether it’s your first stein or your fifteenth, 2025 is proving that cheers in Munich are being echoed far beyond German borders. Oktoberfest has always been about bringing people together; this year, the world is just arriving in bigger numbers.

Cheers & Bites: Oktoberfest Tent Prices Unveiled

Munich’s tent hosts have unveiled their 2025 prices: a Maß (one-liter beer) ranges from €14.50 at Augustiner-Festhalle up to €17.80 for specialty wheat beer at Kuffler’s wine tent. Beyond the suds, savory staples across top tents—like Bräurosl, Hacker-Festzelt, and Hofbräu-Festzelt—include lemonade (€12–13), Spezi (€12–13), sparkling water (€10–13), half-chicken (€17–25), pork sausages (€14–21), pork knuckle (€25–29), roast pork (€25–27), Käsespätzle (€20–21), Obazda (€15–18), and Kaiserschmarrn (€17–27).

About RateGain

RateGain Travel Technologies Limited is a global provider of AI-powered SaaS solutions for travel and hospitality that works with 3,200+ customers and 700+ partners in 100+ countries, helping them accelerate revenue generation through acquisition, retention, and wallet share expansion.

RateGain today is one of the world’s largest processors of electronic transactions, price points, and travel intent data helping revenue management, distribution, and marketing teams across hotels, airlines, meta-search companies, package providers, car rentals, travel management companies, cruises, and ferries drive better outcomes for their business. Founded in 2004 and headquartered in India, today RateGain works with 26 of the Top 30 Hotel Chains, 25 of the Top 30 Online Travel Agents, 3 of the Top 4 Airlines, and all the top car rentals, including 16 Global Fortune 500 companies, in unlocking new revenue every day.