Holidays in Germany: who is travelling where?

Result

East Germans favour holiday destinations such as the coasts in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the holiday regions in Brandenburg or the Elbe Sandstone Mountains. West Germans, on the other hand, more often spend their holidays on the beaches in the west of the republic, the Black Forest or the Alps. These results illustrate how strongly travel experiences and regional differences influence the choice of holiday destination.

Reasons

The combination of emotional ties, practical benefits and attractive offers explains why many East and West Germans prefer to spend their main holidays in their respective home regions. A key reason for this is regional ties. Many people feel emotionally connected to their home region and value familiar surroundings for their holidays. This bond is strengthened by cultural similarities, regional traditions and proximity to family and friends. Identification with one's home region plays a particularly important role in eastern Germany, as it has grown historically.

Short journeys are also an important factor. Holidays in your own region save time and effort when travelling, which is particularly attractive for families or older travellers. At the same time, shorter journeys reduce travel costs, which is important for households with a limited budget.

The variety of landscapes and diverse offerings also contribute to the choice of holiday destinations within their own region. Eastern Germany, for example, impresses with the Baltic Sea, the Mecklenburg Lake District and the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, while western Germany scores with the Black Forest, the Alps and the North Sea.

Forecast

The preference to spend the main holiday in one's own region will continue to play an important role in the choice of holiday destination in the future. Regional identity and traditions will become increasingly important. Cultural events, regional festivals and local specialities offer travellers an authentic experience that binds them (even) more strongly to their home region. Accordingly, providers will increasingly focus on promoting such experiences in order to retain their target groups in the long term.

In principle, domestic tourism was, is and will remain a central component of the German travel market, impressing with its familiarity, accessibility and diversity. It will be positively influenced in future by demographic trends and climatic changes. Hot summers will make holiday destinations with moderate temperatures more attractive, which is why many holidaymakers will prefer the Baltic and North Sea to Mediterranean regions, for example.