The Trend? More Optimism about 2015 than There Was for 2014: According to a new report from the FUR market research organization, Germans hope to travel more in 2015 and are generally satisfied with their financial security and ability to take enough time to travel, with numbers on these and other key indicators suggesting that inbound arrivals in the U.S. should creep up as they did last year. (The recently released long term forecast of the U.S. National Travel and Tourism Office projects a two percent, year-over-year increase in arrivals from Germany in 2015, putting the total number for the year at just about 2 million visitors.)
Martin Lohmann, an advisor to FUR, which conducts the annual Reiseanalyse survey of some 2,500 people, said at the CMT travel trade show (Jan. 17-25) in Stuttgart, “After a good year in 2014, the outlook for tourism in 2015 looks even better.” One factor not apparent in the Reiseanalyse survey report is whether or not the slide of the Euro against the U.S. dollar is/will have an impact on the travel decision of Germans as consumers enter the period in which many make their choices for summer holidays. Lohmann did explain, howver, that all the key factors indicate stable or higher demand, and a rise in the number of trips and spending levels. Such factors are presented in the following table.
Key Factors Affecting Outlook for Travel by Germans—2015
| Factor/Category | 2015 Percentage | 2014 Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Have a Desire to travel | 57% | 53% |
| Feel sufficiently financially secure | 64% | 59% |
| Fear their finances will worsen | 19% | 21% |
| Have available time to take a holiday | 57% | 53% |
| Plan to travel more this year | 25% | 25% |
| Plan to travel less | 14% | 17% |
Source: Reiseanalyse
Also:
- Up to 42 percent of holidaymakers plan to visit a destination where they have never been before
- The main destinations will remain the same this year, according to the Reiseanalyse. Holidays within Germany will stay number one with about 30 percent of all trips, followed by Spain, Italy, Turkey and Austria.
- About two thirds of all holidays take place within one of these five countries (Germany, Spain, Italy, Turkey and Austria) every year.
- In 2014, the number of holiday trips undertaken by Germans increased by 2 percent to about 72 million—this figure excludes short trips, business travel and other trips.
