From the office chair to the deckchair?
More than two thirds of all travellers work until almost the last minute
The summer holidays begin this week in the first federal states and The majority of Germans are heading off on their long-awaited holiday, which around 40 percent of all travellers will spend between the German coasts and mountains. More than one in two holidaymakers will be drawn to other European countries, with the Mediterranean countries of Spain and Italy, Greece and Turkey particularly popular with Germans. In contrast, only around one in ten travellers will be able to afford a long-distance trip, as this is simply too expensive for most Germans.
But no matter where it goes, Expectations are high for the best weeks of the year and range from recovering from and for work to "gathering new impressions" and "experiencing a contrast to everyday life" through to "simply spending time with friends or family". This makes it all the more important to minimise stress before the start of the holiday.
The non-profit BAT Foundation for Future Issues has therefore investigated the question in a recent study, how long people in Germany stop working before they go on holiday in order to start their holiday relaxed. For this purpose, representative Over 4,000 German citizens in personal interviews (face-to-face) interviewed.
One thing is certain: For more than two thirds of all travellers, holidays start abruptly and usually with stress. More than one in three Germans literally goes about their daily business until the last minute, switching from the office chair to the deckchair.
But no matter where it goes, Expectations are high for the best weeks of the year and range from recovering from and for work to "gathering new impressions" and "experiencing a contrast to everyday life" through to "simply spending time with friends or family". This makes it all the more important to minimise stress before the start of the holiday.
The non-profit BAT Foundation for Future Issues has therefore investigated the question in a recent study, how long people in Germany stop working before they go on holiday in order to start their holiday relaxed. For this purpose, representative Over 4,000 German citizens in personal interviews (face-to-face) interviewed.
One thing is certain: For more than two thirds of all travellers, holidays start abruptly and usually with stress. More than one in three Germans literally goes about their daily business until the last minute, switching from the office chair to the deckchair.
Self-employed and freelancers in particular (47% without one day break) work until the day of departure. Civil servants and (skilled) workers have a much more relaxed start to their holidays (10% and 20% without a day's break). But women, the formally low educated and low-income earners are also disproportionately unlikely to afford a smooth start to their holiday.
Another third of all travellers are satisfied with just one day off before the start of their trip. By contrast, only very few Germans treat themselves to a relaxed start to their holiday.
For the Scientific Director of the BAT Foundation, Professor Dr Ulrich Reinhardt, many travellers risk their holiday happiness: "If you don't pack your bags until the evening before and don't start planning your trip until you get to your holiday destination, it's harder to leave your everyday life behind and you may even fall ill on holiday. At least three days before the start of your trip, you should let your everyday life slowly fade away and get into the holiday mood."
The behaviour of most German citizens is surprising This is also due to the fact that although Germany is one of the countries with the most days of holiday (an average of over 28 days per year) and the actual duration of trips has been falling for decades (1980: 18 days, 2014: 12 days), every day of holiday is apparently so precious,that many travellers would rather put up with stress than go on holiday and relax.
Reinhardt sees the reasons for this in the fact that for many travellers, a day off before the start of a trip seems to be a wasted day off and many employees consider themselves virtually irreplaceable.
His recommendation is therefore: "Anticipation is known to be the greatest joy. German citizens should remember this more often. The holiday can also start at homeWhether it's exploring personal or shared expectations or breaking the daily routine. This can be achieved, for example, by having breakfast later in the days before departure, taking a nap or reading a book in peace in the afternoon."
Another third of all travellers are satisfied with just one day off before the start of their trip. By contrast, only very few Germans treat themselves to a relaxed start to their holiday.
For the Scientific Director of the BAT Foundation, Professor Dr Ulrich Reinhardt, many travellers risk their holiday happiness: "If you don't pack your bags until the evening before and don't start planning your trip until you get to your holiday destination, it's harder to leave your everyday life behind and you may even fall ill on holiday. At least three days before the start of your trip, you should let your everyday life slowly fade away and get into the holiday mood."
The behaviour of most German citizens is surprising This is also due to the fact that although Germany is one of the countries with the most days of holiday (an average of over 28 days per year) and the actual duration of trips has been falling for decades (1980: 18 days, 2014: 12 days), every day of holiday is apparently so precious,that many travellers would rather put up with stress than go on holiday and relax.
Reinhardt sees the reasons for this in the fact that for many travellers, a day off before the start of a trip seems to be a wasted day off and many employees consider themselves virtually irreplaceable.
His recommendation is therefore: "Anticipation is known to be the greatest joy. German citizens should remember this more often. The holiday can also start at homeWhether it's exploring personal or shared expectations or breaking the daily routine. This can be achieved, for example, by having breakfast later in the days before departure, taking a nap or reading a book in peace in the afternoon."
This also applies to returning from holiday. Here too, it is advisable to take a few days to settle in. Take your time to unpack your suitcases, re-cook your holiday meal, not only look at the photos on your mobile phone, but also print them out again, or simply reminisce. All of this helps to preserve the relaxation more sustainably and to get more positive things out of the holiday. If, on the other hand, you rush straight back to work, you run the risk of feeling ready for a holiday again after just a few days.
However, the reality is different here too: More than half of all Germans return to their everyday tasks no later than 36 hours after their holiday. The self-employed and pensioners in particular do not allow themselves any time to acclimatise. However, housewives have the least holiday: Nine out of ten start doing the laundry, shopping and house cleaning straight away.
However, the reality is different here too: More than half of all Germans return to their everyday tasks no later than 36 hours after their holiday. The self-employed and pensioners in particular do not allow themselves any time to acclimatise. However, housewives have the least holiday: Nine out of ten start doing the laundry, shopping and house cleaning straight away.
Read on to find out more: 10 tips from Professor Dr Ulrich Reinhardt for a successful holiday
Further analyses of German travel behaviour can be found on our website at www.tourismusanalyse.de. A free PDF download of the complete study on the 31st German Tourism Analysis 2015 is also available there.
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