The summer holidays are just around the corner and the majority of Germans have already known for months where they will be going on holiday this year. But even if they are in the minority, Many Germans still don't know where to spend their summer holidays. There are many reasons for this indecision: Some don't want to decide on their holiday destination yet due to crisis reports, terrorist attacks and travel warnings, others are waiting for the right offer and still others simply can't make up their minds. But all holidaymakers have one thing in common: high expectations. The holiday should offer relaxation and experiences, be characterised by a high level of hospitality and natural beauty on site and guarantee good value for money overall. 
Where German citizens found all of this in the past and The BAT Foundation for Future Studies investigated where they spent their best holidays in its latest tourism study. A representative sample of over 4,000 people aged 14 and over were surveyed in face-to-face interviews. 

Germany unchallenged in 1st place

Germany is not only the most popular travel destination for Germans, but also the most popular holiday destination in the world. the country where most German citizens have spent their most beautiful holidays. Almost one in five people spent their best holidays between the coasts in the north and the mountains in the south.
„A short journey, no language barriers, plenty of relaxation and something to experience at the same time - that's what many domestic tourists appreciate,“ says Professor Dr Ulrich Reinhardt, Scientific Director of the BAT Foundation.
Here are Bavarian holiday regions in first place in the German domestic rankings. Older generations in particular enjoy reminiscing about the beautiful days in the south of the republic. Close behind are the coasts and lakes in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, which made for an unforgettable holiday, especially for families. They are followed at some distance by the North and Baltic Sea coasts in Schleswig-Holstein, which scored above average among women and West Germans. However, many Germans also enjoyed an almost perfect holiday in Lower Saxony and Baden-Württemberg. 
Among foreign destinations, Spain and Italy take the top spots in the ranking of the best holidays. This shows that the two southern European countries have rightly been the most frequently chosen destinations for Germans travelling abroad for decades. Austria, France and Croatia are also popular European holiday destinations. A number of holiday dreams also came true in the USA - be it the unique nature of the Grand Canyon or a city trip to New York. Egypt and Turkey complete the top 10, two destinations that are currently mainly characterised by crises, attacks and unrest. 
Reinhardt: „Many German citizens have spent their best holidays to date in Egypt and Turkey for good reason. However, this is often forgotten in the current uncertain situation on the ground.“

That's why it was the best holiday

	Deutschl.	Spain	Italy	Turkey	Austria
Rest, recuperation, relaxation	28,5	7,5	7,7	4,6	8,7
Value for money, accommodation, food	20,7	11,7	8,6	8,1	5,9
Nature, weather, bathing opportunities	20,1	8,9	8,7	4,2	6,3
Atmosphere, hospitality, harmony	15,9	9,6	9,8	5,0	5,7
Experiences, contrast, sights.	13,8	8,2	8,2	4,4	5,6

	Croatia	Egypt	Greek.	France	USA
Rest, recuperation, relaxation	2,0	2,1	3,2	3,5	0,6
Value for money, accommodation, food	3,9	3,1	2,8	2,3	0,8
Nature, weather, bathing opportunities	2,8	2,1	3,3	3,9	3,5
Atmosphere, hospitality, harmony	2,5	2,3	2,6	5,2	4,9
Experiences, contrast, sights.	2,0	3,3	3,6	4,0	7,1

Expectations of holidays are high, as they are supposed to provide a contrast to everyday life. If we summarise the reasons for the best holiday trip, we can form five groups:

• Firstly, holidays for Physical and mental regeneration provide. Peace, quiet and relaxation are particularly appreciated when travelling in Germany and Austria. 
• Secondly, in order to find personal holiday happiness, the Price-performance ratio votes that Accommodation appealing and the Food be tasty. These holiday wishes can be fulfilled in Spain, Croatia and Turkey in particular. 
• In addition to these material framework conditions, thirdly the natural conditions play an important role. A beautiful landscape, good weather or swimming opportunities are sought after in every holiday destination.
• The following should also not be underestimated when it comes to holiday happiness the importance of local people. Whether residents or employees in the hotels, restaurants and cafés, they all characterise the atmosphere and the feel-good factor. Italy and France are recognised as having the greatest hospitality. 
• Fifthly the longing for experiences and sights be satisfied on holiday. People want to experience something that they can talk about at home and remember for a long time. In Greece, Egypt and the USA, this need is fulfilled particularly often.

To summarise, it should be noted: For the majority of the German population, a holiday trip is still the highlight of the year. The demands and expectations are therefore correspondingly high, although they vary between the individual population groups. However, they all have one thing in common: The aim is to make up for and compensate for everything that falls by the wayside in everyday life.