Germans Want to Travel Abroad Despite the Covid-19 Pandemic

Photo source: FBB / Berlin Airport – SXF & TXL

The interest among Germans in trips abroad is much higher than in most other countries, according to a global survey on travel in times of the coronavirus (Covid-19), conducted by IPK International and ITB Berlin.

According to the survey, 70 percent of German outbound travellers said they would continue to travel abroad – despite no vaccine being available. This puts Germany visibly above the European average and in particular above the global average.

Over 80 percent of Germans intending to travel abroad in times of Covid-19 said they wanted to holiday before the end of the year. Spain was their preferred destination (with the Canaries at the top of the list), followed by Italy, France and Austria.

According to the survey, compared with pre-coronavirus levels the interest among Germans in visiting Switzerland, Greece and Denmark is also above average. By contrast, interest in destinations outside Europe is still below average.

Close to 20 percent of the interviewees said, they could only imagine travelling within Germany. Ten percent said they did not want to travel at all in these times of the coronavirus.

Moreover, German outbound travellers ranked car journeys as safest. Holidays close to nature, apartments and camping were considered to be equally safe and the majority also regard sun and beach holidays as rather safe. On the other hand, most interviewees saw air travel, cruises and large events in particular as presenting a high risk.

Ninety percent of German outbound travellers attach particular importance on safety measures such as social distancing in restaurants and on transport such as trains and flights. Wearing face masks and generally observing hygiene rules are also considered essential by the Germans.

In terms of the risk of coronavirus infection while on vacation, German outbound travellers rated their home country as the safest destination by far, followed by the country’s neighbours Switzerland, Denmark, the Netherlands and Austria. South Korea, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates led the ranking among long-haul destinations.