The German holidaymaker's soul caught between a thirst for adventure and a longing for nature

The growing environmental awareness of Germans is also influencing their choice of travel destinations. 84% of German citizens yearn for unspoiled nature and clean landscapes on vacation and are opposed to polluted beaches and overdeveloped holiday areas. However, as the new representative study by the BAT Leisure Research Institute on the topic of "Vacation 1986/87" reveals, beautiful nature shouldn't be boring: a third of those surveyed also want vacation spots where there's "something going on." Singles (60%) and younger vacationers (55%) in particular exhibit somewhat contradictory behavior in this regard.

German holiday regions are suffering from weather risks

Germans are reluctant to take the risk of bad weather on vacation. Almost half of all Germans (46%) plan their holidays according to the motto: "Better one trip to the sunny south than two trips within Germany." 59% of those surveyed even demand a "guaranteed warmth" from their travel destination.

And directly linked to the desire for warmth are travel destinations with swimming opportunities. One in two Germans (52%) is no longer willing to forgo the sea, a lake, or combined indoor/outdoor swimming pools during their summer vacation. Among those under 35, this desire is even shared by 75% of all respondents.

Trend towards individual travel

The BAT project study "Vacation 86/87 – What Destinations Must Offer" reveals a clear trend among German citizens towards individual travel. Three-quarters of all German citizens (75% of the population) prefer to plan their vacations "entirely individually." They want to "remain free and flexible" in their personal vacation planning. From organized vacations to individual vacation planning – this is how the new attitude towards travel can be described.

The significantly higher level of education among the younger and middle generations will further strengthen the trend towards individual tourism in the future. Already today, 88 percent of 16- to 29-year-olds, but only 57 percent of those over 60, favor this type of vacation planning.

The desire to travel is almost limitless for young and old alike.

Looking back on 1986, it becomes clear that the actual desire to travel was greater than the initial intention to do so. While only 41% of all German citizens planned a longer vacation, ultimately 44% took at least a two-week trip. This was especially true for city dwellers, of whom 42% intended to afford a trip, but 52% actually did.

The desire to travel seems almost boundless. 57% of all Germans would like to travel even more. Only one in three has no further travel wishes. A significant gap exists between desire and reality, particularly among the younger (+31%) and older generations (+30%). Lower-income groups also complain about a substantial lack of travel opportunities. This suggests a new form of unequal distribution of vacation opportunities is emerging.

Even holidays have their low points.

However, personal vacation experiences aren't always perfect. For 6 million travelers – that's a total of 1.2 million German citizens – their last vacation wasn't worth the money. Reality didn't always live up to the expectations, especially of the younger generation. They cited difficulties adjusting to the new climate, overly strenuous journeys, and traveling with the wrong people. Others mentioned working until the very last minute. And around 6 million travelers even got sick while on vacation.

Good prospects for 1987

The outlook for 1987 is rosy. Judging by travel plans, it will be a good year for vacations. Over 21 million Germans (44 %) are already mentally packing their bags for a trip of at least two weeks. And people are also spending more freely in 1987: Almost a quarter of all vacationers intend to spend more money on their trips compared to the previous year.