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Germans go cold on the holiday front

February 17, 2016

The BAT Foundation for Future Studies presented their tourism analysis at the unveiling of the Hamburg Travel Exhibition on Wednesday. For the first time since 2010, Wanderlust is on the decline in Germany.

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A general increase in anxiety about the future could be responsible for falling numbers in 2016. More than a fifth of Germans have no holiday plans for the year, which represents a two percent drop from 2015 according to the Foundation. The issue of security is at the fore when it comes to choosing a holiday this year, exceeding criteria such as sun, value for money and hospitality.

Germany’s most popular international travel destinations of 2015 were Spain, Italy and Turkey. Visitor numbers only fell in the Turkish resorts, and for the first time in years following the 2015 terrorist attacks. Crises - like those seen in the past in Greece and currently in Turkey - lead to a temporary shift in the flow of tourism. But the basic popularity and attractiveness of a country remain.

The country of choice for German holidaymakers was, and still is, Germany, with 32% of Germans spending their 2015 holiday in the homeland. The most popular states are Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Schleswig-Holstein and Bavaria.

Winners of the 2015 long-distance market were destinations in Asia (from 2.3 to 2.6%), and Central America and the Caribbean (from 1.6 to 2%). The Caribbean profited from instability in the otherwise highly popular tourist regions in the southern Mediterranean. Germany’s most popular long-distance destinations are Asia, North America and North Africa.

Despite these negative developments, 2015 was considered a highly successful year internationally for the tourism industry. The World Tourism Organization recorded 1.18 billion travelers, which is 4.4 percent more than previous year. Particular increases were seen in the American and Asian travel markets, as well as regions in the Middle East.

Germany was also able to celebrate a rise in international visitors, which should more than compensate for the slight drop in their own Wanderlust.

at / nr (dpa)