Leisure researcher Prof. Opaschowski calls for accelerated development of local recreation areas.

In the event of significantly rising living costs, almost a third of all holidaymakers intend to change their travel habits. Some of them would even forgo their holidays altogether, as the Study Group for Tourism found.
In light of this potential development, the renowned Hamburg-based leisure researcher Professor Opaschowski calls for the timely development of alternatives for German citizens staying at home. One of the most important tasks in this regard is the improved development of local recreation areas, especially in metropolitan areas.
Professor Opaschowski refers to a representative survey of 2,000 people commissioned by the BAT Leisure Research Institute. When asked, "Under what conditions would a summer vacation at home be easy for you?", 51% of respondents indicated a desire for "easily accessible local recreation areas." This was followed at a considerable distance by "a nearby leisure pool" (27%), "a leisure center close to home for the whole family" (20%), and "holiday events in their place of residence" (18%). (See graph)
This ranking clearly indicates a strong need for better-developed local recreation areas. Since only about 581,000 people in the total population take a holiday trip once a year, meaning that around 421,000 stay home, a more satisfactory alternative should definitely be created for this group.

Proposed 6-point program

Professor Opaschowski recommends a six-point regional policy program for the development of recreational areas suitable for leisure and vacations. It states:

1. Establishment of local recreation areas for diverse leisure needs such as

   Going for walks, hiking and taking trips,
   Wildlife observation, experiencing nature and the landscape,
   Swimming, bathing and boating,
   Resting, reading and sunbathing,
   Movement games, mountain climbing and playing sports,
   Conversations, entertainment, and social events.

   When creating alternating zones of rest and activity, ecological aspects (nature and landscape conservation) must be given equal consideration.
    

2. Increased use and a more even distribution of visitors to local recreation areas beyond the weekend will have a positive impact on occupancy rates and pricing. Municipal and regional tourism policies should place greater emphasis on the experiential value of vacations at home and in the immediate vicinity. Leisure and vacation experiences include recreational opportunities close to home, inner-city leisure facilities, and regional recreation areas.
    
3. Creation of interconnected networks of paths and hiking trails from densely populated residential areas to inner-city and extra-urban open spaces and recreational areas.
    
4. Creation of a transport association of the Federal Railway, the Federal Post Office, public and private local transport in conjunction with an improvement of the transfer options at the transport hubs with direct routes to the local recreation areas.
    
5. Increased train and bus services on weekends and during holiday periods, as well as the establishment of feeder bus lines from the large car parks to the supra-regional recreation areas.
    
6. Issuance of family holiday passes (network tickets) and family-friendly redesign of public transport for strollers and bicycles.

In early April, the BAT Leisure Research Institute held its first Leisure Forum in Hamburg, a discussion round with practitioners addressing the topic of "Problems in Dealing with Leisure Time." Ten practitioners from diverse professional fields, including education, social work, marriage and family counseling, law, and pastoral care, met and discussed leisure-related issues from their own practice. After identifying the fundamental problems stemming from loneliness, boredom, anxieties about starting activities, difficulties in making contact, and other factors, personal and general solutions were discussed from a practical perspective. It became clear that significant action is needed to resolve these issues, but this requires the personal commitment of each individual in this field. Only then will the measures implemented ultimately be successful.