Future of bus trips: challenges and opportunities

Future of bus trips: challenges and opportunities

At the 19th RegioTalk of the Southwest Regional Link Tubator, the future of bus trips and their challenges were the focus of a lively discussion on February 20, 2024. Christiane Leonard, general manager of the Federal Association of German Omnibus entrepreneurs, initiated the evening with a quote that collapsed the core of the discussion: "The journey is the goal." This underlines the importance of bus trips for society.

The debate, moderated by Wolfram Goslich, focused on increasing demand for bus trips in Germany, especially in Berlin, where bus trips represent an important part of the tourist portfolio. Flixbus, the world's leading provider of bus travel, recorded more than 2 million passengers to Berlin in 2023 alone.

Ulrich Basteck, managing partner of Wörlitz Tourist, emphasized the challenges with which the industry is confronted. In addition to coping with the effects of Corona pandemic, companies have to deal with a lack of drivers, tour guides and the acceptance of group trips through hotels and restaurants.

Bus trips in Germany have a long tradition and are a popular means of transport for tourists and locals. The German bus industry has made an important contribution to mobility and is closely linked to the history of the country.

In the following table, some facts about bus trips are summarized in Germany:

| Fact | Value |
| —- | —- |
| Number of bus companies in Germany | 3,500 |
| Number of passengers from Flixbus per year in Germany | 10 million |
| Sales of the German bus industry per year 9 billion euros |

The discussion at the 19th RegioTalk illustrated the importance of the bus travel industry for tourism in Germany and the challenges with which it is confronted. The future of bus trips will decisively depend on how companies react to these challenges and develop innovative solutions.

Source: www.berlin.de