Security and geopolitics determine the choices of German tourists
The German outbound travel market, the traditional engine of European tourism, is showing profound behavioural changes this year. According to in new research from the app Polarsteps and the agency Dynata, Geopolitical instability and perceptions of security have become the primary filters through which German tourists plan their annual holidays, directly affecting the redistribution of traffic within and outside of Europe.
Europe's North and South in Focus, Austria in Decline
While in previous years decisions were made primarily based on price and climate preferences, over half of German travellers now prioritise the political stability of a destination. As many as 43 percent of respondents admit that due to global unrest, they have already changed their plans, cancelled arrangements, or redirected budgets towards destinations they consider to be “safe havens”.
The result of that is a pronounced concentration on European continent – Nine out of the ten most sought-after summer destinations for Germans this year are located in Europe. Traditional favourites like Italy and France are maintaining their high positions, but the real winners of this trend are the Scandinavian countries. Norway, Sweden, and Denmark are seeing a strong surge in demand as the market perceives them as stable and peaceful havens. On the other hand, Austria's decline is interesting, slipping from third to seventh place in the popularity rankings, suggesting that some summer demand from the Alpine region has shifted further north.
Significant cooling of interest in the United States
The biggest surprise in the long-haul travel segment concerns transatlantic traffic. The political climate in the United States has caused serious resistance among German travellers: as many as 65 percent of respondents stated that they do not wish to travel to the USA at all in the near future. This percentage is significantly higher compared to travellers from Great Britain and France, indicating that the German market is currently the most sensitive to the political context on the other side of the Atlantic.
This breakaway from America has opened up space for other intercontinental destinations. Travellers who still want long-haul travel but are seeking a greater sense of security are massively choosing Canada, Australia and Japan. In the Asian market, interest is also growing in destinations such as Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Singapore, which profit as stable alternatives.
Budgets stable, but trust in technology is decreasing
Despite inflationary pressures, the desire to travel in Germany is not abating. Half of respondents plan to spend the same amount as last year, while 39 percent intend to increase their holiday budget. The tourism industry therefore does not have to fear a drop in overall spending, but must adapt to a new geographical distribution of guests.
For agencies and tour operatorsA key piece of information is that German travellers are also the most suspicious of using artificial intelligence in travel planning – two-thirds of them refuse to let algorithms organise their trips, which opens up enormous scope for personalised agency services and human contact at a time when clients are looking for security and verified information more than anything else.
