Oktoberfest 2025 attracted 6.5 million visitors over 16 days and generated over €1 billion for Munich's economy. This year's event became one of the rare instances in the festival's 200 year history where operations resulted in a financial loss for the organizers.
The festival usually injects around €1.25 billion into Munich's economy annually, split between direct spending and tourism. The 2025 edition marked a deviation from this norm when a bomb threat forced temporary closure on October 1st, reducing attendance and creating financial challenges.
Still, this 16 day event transforms the entire regional economy of Munich. Beer sales alone reached 6.5 million liters at €14.50 to €15.80 per stein, while food consumption increased 5 to 6%. Hotel rates peaked at €415 per night during the busiest week of the year. Oktoberfest accounts for 20% of Munich's annual tourism revenue, compressed into just over two weeks.
Oktoberfest Economic Performance Year Over Year
|
Metric |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
Change |
|
Attendance |
7.2 million |
6.7 million |
6.5 million |
↓ 200,000 |
|
Beer Consumption |
7.4 million liters |
7.0 million liters |
6.5 million liters |
↓ 500,000 liters |
|
Beer Price |
€13.50–14.90 |
€13.60–15.30 |
€14.50–15.80 |
↑ €0.90–0.50 |
|
Economic Impact |
€1.57 billion |
€1.57 billion |
~€1 billion |
↓ ~€570 million |
|
Lost Items |
3,250 |
3,500 |
4,500 |
↑ 1,000 items |
|
Food Sales Growth |
+9% |
+9% |
+5-6% |
Slower growth |
|
Financial Result |
Profit |
Profit |
Loss |
First loss in years |
|
Major Disruption |
None |
None |
Bomb scare (Oct 1) |
Hours closure |
How Does Oktoberfest Generate Revenue for Munich?
Oktoberfest creates economic activity through both direct festival spending and broader citywide tourism. The 2025 edition continued this pattern despite security disruptions.
Direct Festival Ground Spending
Festival visitors spend approximately €442 million directly on the Theresienwiese grounds during typical years. This includes beer tent purchases, carnival ride tickets, traditional food sales, and souvenir shopping. Beer sales alone contribute approximately €95 to € 100 million, based on 6.5 million liters sold at €14.50 to €15.80 per liter in 2025.
Citywide Tourism Expenditure
Visitors from outside Munich contributed significantly beyond the festival grounds. Accommodation spending reaches approximately €505 million. Additional expenditures on restaurants, shopping, local transportation, and cultural attractions added hundreds of millions more to the city's economy. International and domestic tourists extended their stays to explore Munich's museums, historic sites, and Bavarian countryside.
Employment and Job Creation
The festival created approximately 12,000-13,000 seasonal jobs in 2025, spanning beer tent staff, carnival operators, security personnel, and support services. Each of the 17 major beer tents employed 200 to 400 people during the festival. Experienced servers earned between €8,000 and € 12,000 over the 16 days, through a combination of wages and tips. Security staffing increased significantly following the October 1st bomb threat.
What Happened to Revenue During the 2025 Bomb Scare?
A bomb threat on October 1st, 2025 forced the temporary closure of the Theresienwiese grounds, causing one of the rare instances where Oktoberfest operated at a financial loss. Attendance dropped to 6.5 million visitors from 6.7 million in 2024.
Immediate Economic Losses
The closure lasted several hours during peak attendance periods when the festival generates maximum revenue. Emergency services conducted extensive sweeps for explosive devices, preventing ticket sales, beer service, and ride operations. The timing coincided with traditionally high-traffic days. Each visitor spends €200-300 during their visit, making the 200,000-person attendance decrease financially significant.
Long-Term Financial Impact
Munich's broader economy still generated over €1 billion in total economic activity, despite the losses. Hotels maintained high occupancy rates and restaurants stayed busy. The resilience demonstrated that the Oktoberfest economic impact extends beyond the official grounds. Future editions will likely face permanently elevated security budgets, changing the festival's financial structure.
What was the Beer and Food Consumption During Oktoberfest 2025?
An estimated 6.5 million liters of beer flowed in 2025 at prices ranging from €14.50 to €15.80 per liter stein. Food consumption increased 5 to 6% every year, despite lower beer sales.
Beer Sales Trends
The 6.5 million liters is less than the 7 million liters in 2024 and 7.4 million liters in 2023. Non-alcoholic beer sales surged 6 to 10%, reflecting broader drinking habit changes. Each attendee consumed roughly one liter of beer, slightly below previous years.
Food Consumption Patterns
Food sales jumped 5-6% in 2025, excluding chicken sales which remained consistent. Roasted chicken (Hendl) maintained its position as the most popular food item. The shift toward increased food consumption while beer sales declined suggests evolving festival behavior.
What are the Oktoberfest’s Broader Regional Economic Effects?
Oktoberfest's economic influence extends 50 to 100 kilometers beyond Munich, boosting tourism in surrounding Bavarian towns. Munich Airport reported 15-20% increased passenger traffic, benefiting airlines and airport services.
Transportation Infrastructure Utilization
The U-Bahn and S-Bahn networks operated at maximum capacity with extended hours. Regional trains from neighboring towns carried commuters staying in outlying areas. Taxi companies recruited additional drivers to handle peak demand.
Supply Chain Impact
Bavarian breweries, food distributors, and logistics companies experienced substantial business increases. Preparation began months in advance, with breweries ramping up production of festival-specific beers. The economic multiplier created jobs across Bavaria's supplier network.
What Does the Lost and Found Data Reveal?
The lost and found office reported 4,500 items in 2025, a substantial increase from 3,500 items in 2024. These statistics provide insights into festival attendance patterns.
High-Value Items Lost
The 4,500 lost items included 800 wallets, 400 smartphones, and 370 keys. The concentration of high-value electronics and financial items reflects affluent international attendance. Security prevented 116,000 attempted thefts of one-liter glass Maßkrugs and ceramic steins, up from 98,000 in 2024.
Resource Consumption
The festival consumed 2.8 million kWh of electricity and 81,000 cubic meters of water while generating 764 tons of waste. Drinking water fountains recorded 112,000 uses. These operational statistics demonstrate the massive infrastructure required to support 6.5 million visitors.
Final Assessment
Oktoberfest 2025 still delivered for Munich's economy, despite the bomb scare incident. The festival brought in billions through jobs, tourism, high beer consumption, food, transportation, and more.
Oktoberfest remains Munich's biggest money-maker of the year; nothing else comes close. The economic boost spreads across all of Bavaria, not just the city limits. That's what makes it more than just a beer festival. It runs like a regional economic machine that fires up every fall.