Munich’s Oktoberfest — drawing over 6 million attendees annually — is a global phenomenon. The festival’s iconic beer tents, run by Munich’s six major breweries, are a staple to the festivities celebrating Bavarian culture and beer. This year, the festival spanned 16 days at Theresienwiese, a 100-acre outdoor space, running from September 21 to October 6, 2024.
With such massive footfall, Oktoberfest is not just a cultural celebration, but a lucrative marketing opportunity for brands across many industries. Whether you’re a new beer brand looking to build awareness, or a restaurant looking to draw in more diners, or a destination marketer, the massive crowds at Oktoberfest offer a prime opportunity for marketers to reach their target audiences.
But what are the Oktoberfest attendees like, and where do they come from? And how can marketers leverage demographic data for promotions before, during, and after major events like Oktoberfest? Let’s take a look at how Azira’s global consumer behavior insights can help brands and agencies answer these questions.
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How far did attendees travel to attend Oktoberfest?
Azira’s data revealed that Oktoberfest attracted a local crowd, with 80% of attendees traveling from within Germany, and over 31% attending locally from the City of Munich where the event took place. A significant portion of attendees also traveled from Italy, France, and Austria. Approximately 1% of attendees traveled from the U.S., and of the U.S. visitors, California, Texas, and Hawaii were the top states they traveled from.02
What were the age and income demographics of attendees?
From Gen Z’s to Millennials to Baby Boomers, the festival had a broad appeal with a nearly even distribution across generations. The significant presence of Baby Boomers, making up over 20% of attendees, might reflect the event’s cultural and historical importance. Meanwhile, the strong turnout of Millennials and Gen Z’s likely reflects the festival’s appeal as a lively celebration centered around beer and socializing. In terms of income, the largest group of attendees (32%) fell into the $30k-$74k range, indicating a strong middle-income presence. A smaller segment (19%) earned under $30k, while the remaining attendees had incomes of $75k or higher, indicating a wide range of economic backgrounds among festival-goers.No Data Found
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How many attendees visited multiple days?
According to Azira’s insights, the majority of attendees (70%) chose to experience the celebration in a single day. Saturdays and Sundays were the highest days for visitation, with the second weekend (September 28-29) and final weekend (October 5-6) drawing the largest crowds.04
What routes did attendees take to and from the festival grounds?
Azira’s heat mapping capabilities identified the busiest routes to and from the festival grounds. The route to Munich Central Station showed significant foot traffic, indicating that many attendees relied on public transit to reach the festival. With this information, marketers can create highly targeted campaigns tailored to attendee movement patterns, allowing them to connect with their audience at the right place and with the right message.05
What attractions did attendees frequent most?
With Azira’s heat map, marketers can also identify which attractions were the most or least frequented. From the map below, the areas in red indicate where attendees spent the most time. This year, Schottenhamel Festhalle, Augustiner Festhalle, and Festzelt Pschorr Braurosl were some of the most frequented beer tents.
Analyzing major events like Oktoberfest can significantly improve targeted marketing strategies. With Azira’s insights, destinations, brands and agencies can gain a clear understanding of attendee demographics, travel behaviors, and movement patterns. This information allows marketers to design highly relevant campaigns that effectively engage specific audience segments, ensuring they reach their target audiences when it matters most.