Munich Oktoberfest draws record 7.4 million visitors, organisers say
In short
Oktoberfest in Munich drew about 7.4 million visitors, a record, the organisers announced on October 4, exceeding the previous high of about 7.2 million set in 2023. Beer consumption rose to about 6.7 million litres, some 200,000 litres more than last year. The organisers attributed the turnout to a Munich city campaign urging weekday visits and to good weather, with most foreign visitors coming from the United States, Italy and Austria.
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The organisers of Oktoberfest in Munich said attendance at this year's festival reached about 7.4 million, a record, Sankei Shimbun and Nikkei reported, citing the announcement made on October 4. The previous high was about 7.2 million in 2023, the two outlets said. The festival ran in southern Munich from September 19 to October 4 and is described in the reports as the world's largest beer festival. [ 2 , 3 ]
Beer consumption came to about 6.7 million litres, roughly 200,000 litres more than last year. According to the organisers, the increase was helped by a Munich city campaign that urged people to visit on weekdays and by good weather. Among visitors from abroad, the largest numbers came from the United States, Italy and Austria. The figures were released by the organisers themselves. [ 2 , 3 ]
Tokyo Shimbun reported the same record attendance in its headline and cited the good weather, while its article text was not available beyond that. A Reuters/Kyodo photograph carried with the report was dated September 26 and showed visitors at the festival. All three outlets are business-type newspapers and their accounts of the figures agree; the numbers remain the organisers' approximations. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
Oktoberfest is described by the outlets as the world's largest beer festival, so its attendance and consumption figures are a widely watched measure of the event's draw and of Munich's tourism season. The record was announced by the organisers themselves, and the documents offer no independent assessment of the festival's economic effect. The story has no direct Japanese angle beyond general interest.
Key facts
- Oktoberfest ran in Munich from September 19 to October 4. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Organisers said attendance was about 7.4 million, a record. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The previous record was about 7.2 million in 2023. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Beer consumption was about 6.7 million litres, roughly 200,000 litres more than last year. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Organisers cited a Munich city campaign encouraging weekday visits and good weather. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Most foreign visitors came from the United States, Italy and Austria, according to the organisers. [ 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Attendance was about 7.4 million, a record for the festival. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The previous record was about 7.2 million in 2023. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Beer consumption was about 6.7 million litres, about 200,000 litres more than last year. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Organisers attributed the result to a Munich city campaign promoting weekday visits and to good weather. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The largest groups of foreign visitors came from the United States, Italy and Austria. [ 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the weekday campaign and the weather actually caused the record attendance. The documents repeat the organisers' stated factors but give no independent evidence; the figures are the organisers' own.
- The exact number of visitors. The documents give an approximate figure of about 7.4 million.
- Any Japanese participation, spending or economic effect. None of the documents mention a Japanese angle.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Oktoberfest opens in Munich and runs until October 4. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Visitors are shown at the festival in a Reuters/Kyodo photo carried by Tokyo Shimbun. [ 1 ]
- Organisers announce that attendance reached about 7.4 million, a record, and that about 6.7 million litres of beer were consumed. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Tokyo Shimbun publishes its report on the record attendance. [ 1 ]
- Sankei Shimbun publishes the organisers' figures and the cited reasons. [ 2 ]
- Nikkei publishes the same figures in a Berlin-datelined wire report. [ 3 ]