How to attract more German guests: 5 tips

Germans have been the largest group of foreign tourists in the Netherlands for years. Over 7.5 million German guests arrived in 2024, accounting for a third of all foreign visitors. The distance is short, the trip easy and the range of coast, nature and cities large. But how do you get them to find and book your activities?

1. Trust begins with clear language

For German guests, trust is crucial. They want to know exactly what they are getting, what rules apply and what is included in the price. An error-free, naturally translated text inspires confidence, and that often determines whether someone books. More than 70% of Germans prefer to buy in their own language, even if they understand English.

Therefore, make sure that both your website and your LeisureKing booking module are available in German. You can easily arrange this through the Online Offer in LeisureKing, directly visible on your site. Professional or well-established (free) translation tools are easy to build into your website.

2. Findable in Google and ChatGPT

A good translation not only helps your visitors, but also your findability. German travelers search in their own language, for example:

"Kanu mieten Giethoorn" or "Bootstour Niederlande buchen".

If your website contains only Dutch or English texts, Google will not recognize your pages as relevant. As a result, you miss out on visitors, even if your offer fits their needs perfectly. So make sure your site is SEO-proof in German, with keywords that match the behavior of your target audience.

3. Let your German guest pay easily

Whereas Dutch people use iDEAL, Germans pay mainly with PayPal, Klarna or credit card. More than half of German consumers pay via PayPal. iDEAL only works with Dutch banks and is unknown in Germany. If you show that option as the only one, many visitors will immediately drop out.

LeisureKing can easily activate the appropriate payment methods, just send us a message and we will arrange it for you. This way German guests can pay as they are used to: safe, fast and trusted. Show the logos of PayPal, Klarna or Visa visibly on your website, this increases trust and the chance of booking.

4. Don't forget the Impressum

In Germany, an Impressum is required by law. It shows who is behind the website, something Germans consider essential. Mention in it:

- Company name and legal form
- Full address, phone and email
- Name of owner or person in charge
Chamber of Commerce and VAT number

Place the Impressum in the footer along with a German-language privacy statement. This way you comply with the law and radiate professionalism.

5. Persuade reviews in the right language

Let others tell the story for you. Germans often make their booking decision only after reading reviews. More than 90% of German travelers read reviews before booking, and 70% do so only if they are written in German.

German-language reviews work twofold: they show that you received genuine German guests AND that they were satisfied. That significantly lowers the threshold for new visitors. So show German reviews on your website and activity pages. With LeisureKing you can collect this automatically: activate the mail plan with the trigger "handled", and your guests will automatically receive a review request.

Because in the end, trust wins the booking and nothing convinces better than a satisfied German who has already experienced it.