Euro 2024 has significantly boosted the German economy, with the sex industry being a notable beneficiary.
This month-long football tournament (14 June – 14 July) has brought a substantial influx of visitors, driving increased activity in hotels, restaurants, and other local businesses across Germany’s 10 host cities.
Germany expects a 1 billion euro ($1.07 billion) boost to its economy thanks to foreign tourists travelling to the country for the soccer games, the Ifo Institute forecasted before the tournament.
More than an additional 600,000 foreign tourists and 1.5 million additional overnight stays are expected during the championship, according to the institute’s calculations based on the numbers from the FIFA World Cup hosted by Germany in 2006, according to Reuters news on Yahoo.
Moreover, according to Euronews, estimates suggest that nearly 14,000 additional sex workers arrived in Germany specifically for the tournament.
The erotic service Erobella reports that over 100,000 sex workers have been operating in the country during Euro 2024, with many coming from Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Poland.
Gerhard Schönborn, a social worker based in Frankfurt, attributes this influx to poverty in their home countries, stating, “They sell themselves here simply because of poverty.”
Janne Valentin, a veteran sex worker with 26 years of experience, shared that it is easy to find clients in central Berlin. “Guests staying in hotels buy escort services when they want dinner company. Or they call and ask for a girl to their room,” she explained.
Since the legalization of prostitution in Germany in 2002, the industry has been regulated through registration and licensing requirements, although there are no mandatory HIV or STI testing regulations, as noted by the Global Network of Sex Work Projects.
As Euro 2024 concludes on Sunday with the final match between England and Spain in Berlin, it is clear that the tournament has not only celebrated football but also significantly impacted Germany’s economy in unexpected ways.
The next destination is Paris with the Summer Olympics, promising another wave of economic activity and global attention. Sports enthusiasts and businesses alike are eagerly anticipating the opportunities this grand event will bring. Paris hotels are gearing up to accommodate the influx of visitors, anticipating a surge in bookings and vibrant city life.
