Foundation for Future Studies presents 35th German Tourism Analysis 

Travel statistics for 2018: Record year – never before have so many German citizens traveled

In the 2018 travel season, more Germans traveled than ever before. Since the start of tourism analysis 35 years ago, travel intensity has now reached a new peak. Almost two-thirds of the population packed their bags and went on vacation in 2018. And there's no end in sight to this wanderlust. Overall, the percentage of German citizens who traveled last year increased by 4 percentage points – the highest increase ever recorded – to its current level of 62 percent.

This is according to the 35th German Tourism Analysis by the BAT Foundation for Future Issues, in which a representative sample of around 3,000 German citizens aged 14 and over were interviewed in person (face-to-face) about their holiday behavior in 2018, their travel intentions for 2019 and their holiday wishes.

Travel intensity increased in every age group, but most significantly in the over-55 generation (from 511 to 561) and especially within the 65- to 74-year-old age group. While in 2017 "only" half of them traveled (501), by 2018 it was almost two out of three (611).

Professor Dr. Ulrich Reinhardt, scientific director of the BAT Foundation for Future Issues: „"A quiet revolution will change tourism. Experienced, older generations already shape the image of many hotels, beaches, and city centers. They make up the majority of German citizens, have time, money, and want to see the world. Anyone planning without senior citizens is planning for the future."“

Domestic travel destinations 2018: Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania ahead of Bavaria

Hotels fully booked from Rügen to Oberammergau. In 2018, Germany remained by far the most popular travel destination for Germans. More than one in three travelers spent their longest vacation of the year (at least five days) between the northern coast and the southern mountains of the country. However, domestic tourism as a whole declined by 0.5 percentage points compared to the previous year – and by 3.9 percentage points over the past ten years.

The rivalry between Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Bavaria continued in 2018. This time, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania emerged as the winner. The long, hot summer led to fully booked hotels and packed beaches. In addition to families, the region's regular visitors, the Baltic coast and lake districts in the northeast attracted a particularly large number of young retirees and pensioners. Bavaria, on the other hand, declined in popularity, both year-on-year and over the past ten years. Neighboring Baden-Württemberg, however, saw its visitor numbers increase for the first time in years, setting new visitor records, especially in the Black Forest. Like Bavaria, Schleswig-Holstein also experienced a drop in its peak tourist season. The main reason for this was the limited capacity of local accommodations, as the exceptionally hot summer meant many places were fully booked, forcing travelers to choose other destinations.

Reinhardt: „"Even though fewer German citizens spent their main holiday in Germany, the travel season was very successful. Record results were achieved in numerous destinations. This was due to increasing overnight stays by foreign guests as well as a good, in some cases even very good, off-season."“

Foreign travel destinations 2018: Spain remains the leader, but Italy is the winner

European holiday destinations were the winners of the 2018 holiday season. Well over half of German citizens (54.31%) spent their holidays in Europe. Among foreign destinations, Spain remains as popular as ever. The Balearic Islands, in particular – which alone welcomed more visitors than Greece and Turkey combined – are extremely popular with Germans.

However, the proportion of German tourists in all Spanish holiday regions declined slightly compared to the previous year. Italy and Austria benefited most from this, ranking second and third respectively. Scandinavia and Greece also saw increases in visitor numbers. Turkey managed to halt its downward trend and, for the first time in years, did not experience further declines. However, a 10-year comparison (2018: 3.71% of total visitors, 2008: 6.31%) clearly shows that many tourists opted for other Mediterranean destinations during the past holiday season.

In 2018, roughly one in eight holidaymakers took a long-haul trip. Among destinations outside Europe, North Africa lost the most market share year-on-year (2017: 2.91 TP3T – 2018: 2.21 TP3T), closely followed by destinations in the Middle East (2017: 1.21 TP3T – 2018: 0.71 TP3T). North America, on the other hand, emerged as the winner among long-haul destinations year-on-year (2017: 2.21 TP3T – 2018: 2.71 TP3T) and was almost on par with destinations in Asia, which nearly maintained their previous year's level (2017: 2.91 TP3T – 2018: 2.81 TP3T).

Conclusion from the scientific director: „"A thriving economy and low unemployment were the main reasons for the travel boom in 2018. Fully booked hotels in Germany led many holidaymakers to switch to European destinations; potentially higher costs on site were offset by a slightly shorter travel duration."“

Trip duration 2018: The trip duration is slightly decreasing.

For the first time in five years, the average length of trips decreased slightly. Just under 13 days were spent on average during the 2018 travel season. This was due to fewer long-haul trips compared to the previous year, which traditionally take up a considerable amount of time, more than two and a half weeks (18 days). Within Germany, vacationers stayed at their holiday destination for an average of just over ten days (10.3 days), while holidays in other European countries lasted an average of three days longer (13 days).

The equation "the more time-consuming the journey, the longer the stay" applied – thus, a trip to neighboring Austria took about as long as a domestic holiday. Those who flew to Turkey, however, stayed on average more than half a week longer.

Travel forecast 2019: More than half of all Germans will travel

Germans' desire to travel remains strong in 2019. Almost half of all Germans are already certain they will travel this year, and about one in eight is even planning two or more vacations. In contrast, only 17 percent of citizens say they will not be going on vacation in 2019. The number of undecided travelers (38%) also remains constant, although experience shows that about a third of them will eventually travel during the year.

Travel destinations 2018: One in five people travels within Germany

The travel destinations for 2019 clearly show it: Germany remains the most popular travel destination, and domestic tourism is trending. One in five Germans is already planning to spend their main vacation in their own country, and one in three vacationers is certain they will be traveling within Europe. Vacation destinations in Spain, Italy, and Greece are particularly in demand.

But all other destinations, from Turkey to the USA to Thailand, will also be able to welcome numerous German holidaymakers again this year, who are currently just waiting for the right offer to book the best weeks of the year.

Professor Reinhardt on the outlook for the 2019 travel season: „"Vacation remains the most popular form of happiness in 2019. However, for the first time in years, some clouds are gathering on the horizon. Brexit and the trade dispute with the USA could negatively impact tourism, as could the fear of terrorist attacks or an emerging recession. Therefore, much depends on how the world develops in the coming months. Currently, many indicators point to high travel activity in 2019. Whether it will reach the level of 2018, however, remains to be seen."“

Holiday wishes: Green destinations as well as sun, beach and sea

This year, we also investigated the vacation preferences of Germans. These range from familiar to new forms of travel. A steadily growing segment of the population wants to keep things the same when planning their vacations, primarily relaxing in the sun, enjoying good food, and strolling around (1998: 35%, 2019: 43%). This desire is particularly strong in the middle age group between 25 and 49 (53%), but then drops sharply upon retirement (27%). With increasing age, the type of trip and the destination become less important, while the right travel companion, such as friends or family, becomes even more crucial.

For almost half of all Germans, green destinations with beautiful landscapes and unspoiled nature now top their holiday wish list (1998: 40%, 2019: 47%). The importance of sustainable and ecological destinations and providers has steadily increased in recent years. For older travelers in particular, an intact environment, clean air, and pristine beaches are essential to their holiday experience.

Ulrich Reinhardt: „"Summer, sun, beach and sea – this old formula will hardly change in the future. The combination of sustainability and experiencing nature is becoming increasingly important. Not only reason, but also gut feeling is driving this desire ever stronger. Accordingly, destinations that offer a sunny, relaxing holiday amidst unspoiled nature are the future."“

Technical data of the 35th German Tourism Analysis 2019

Number and representation of respondents: 3,000 people aged 14 and over in Germany
Survey period: December 2018 / January 2019
Survey institute: GfK Marktforschung/Nuremberg