Less desire to travel long distances: leisure destinations need to be closer

Less desire to travel long distances: leisure destinations need to be closer

At a time when being at home is becoming increasingly important, people are less willing to travel long distances for leisure activities. This is the conclusion of a recent study by the non-profit Stiftung für Zukunftsfragen (Foundation for Future Studies), for which over 3,000 people aged 18 and over were surveyed on a representative basis.

There has been a significant decrease in journey times, particularly for cultural and social events. Although visitors to musicals are still travelling just under an hour, this is almost half an hour less than ten years ago. For open-air concerts (-22 minutes), sporting events (-19 minutes) and theatre visits (-11 minutes), people are also increasingly less willing to spend longer in the car, train or bus.

The willingness to travel long distances to relatives (-16 minutes) or friends (-13 minutes) has also fallen, but remains relatively high. This is because people do not spend more time travelling for any other activity. Nevertheless, the average duration has decreased, which is partly due to the use of digital means of communication, which are partially replacing face-to-face meetings.

In contrast to most leisure activities, some destinations show a stable or even slightly increased journey time. For example, the average journey time to local recreation areas and bars has increased slightly, while the average journey time to restaurants has increased even more significantly by eight minutes.

Classification by the scientific director, Professor Dr Ulrich Reinhardt:

"The analysis of journey times to various leisure activities illustrates the concentration and attractiveness of offers in the everyday lives of many German citizens. Long journey times must be justified by a corresponding added value, which is not always the case. At the same time, there are changes in people's preferences: while almost all cultural and social activities are becoming less attractive, local and nature-related leisure activities are gaining in importance. These developments reflect the need of many citizens for efficiency, but also for relaxation, comfort and cosiness at home - true to the motto: get there quickly and back on the sofa even quicker."