In February 2026, the financial services provider Wise published a comprehensive analysis of the euro's purchasing power in the 50 most popular travel destinations outside the eurozone. The results show significant shifts in exchange rates, which massively impact the travel budgets of German tourists.
Turkey leads the way in currency appreciation: Here, the euro is worth 26,8 percent more than last year. Travelers in Asia also benefit from a strong European currency; purchasing power rose by over 15 percent in Vietnam and India, while South Korea and Japan recorded gains of between 12 and 13 percent.
The euro is performing surprisingly well against the US dollar. In the United States, which is visited by over five million Germans annually, the value of the common currency climbed by 10,7 percent. This trend continued in Canada with a gain of 7,6 percent. Financial experts attribute this dynamic to the differing interest rate policies of central banks and to economic adjustment processes in the respective emerging markets. For German tourists, this means that long-haul trips to the dollar zone and the Middle East – such as Qatar and the United Arab Emirates – have become more affordable than in the same period last year.
The situation is quite different in other European countries. Sweden has seen the most significant depreciation of the euro; its purchasing power there has fallen by around 7,5 percent to an exchange rate of 10,56 Swedish krona. German tourists should also expect a depreciation of between three and seven percent in Hungary, Mexico, and the Czech Republic. Switzerland, with a decline of approximately 1,5 percent, remains a more expensive destination for euro holders. Analysts advise factoring in currency fluctuations when booking trips and considering the use of multi-currency accounts to take advantage of favorable exchange rates.
To avoid unnecessary costs on-site, experts recommend always making payments in the local currency and declining the often expensive dynamic currency conversion at ATMs. Travelers should also check their banks' fees for foreign transactions, as these often negate any exchange rate advantages with high transaction costs. The Wise study is based on the most popular flight destinations of the previous year and consistently excludes countries with current travel warnings from the German Federal Foreign Office in order to provide a realistic planning basis for the 2026 summer season.