ITB 2015: Germans Keen on Travel, Greece Among Top Five Picks

More and more Germans are expressing interest in travelling abroad and willing to spend more and do more, according to a study of German travel trends presented at this year ITB 2015 in Berlin, by tourism research company FUR.

According to the RA ReiseAnalyse 2015 study by FUR (Forschungsgemeinschaft Urlaub und Reisen e.V.), 55 percent of Germans have plans for their holidays this year, with a mere 11 percent still remaining undecided.

Spain leads the way as the top destination for German vacationers with a 13 percent share of the market, followed by Italy and Turkey in second place and Austria third. Croatia and Greece are next on the list both expected to force France out of the fifth spot.

Research reveals that Germans are keen on exploring remote destinations in Asia and northwestern Europe,which seem to have potential for growth.

German holidaymakers still prefer sea and sun, followed by rest and relaxation as well as nature travel and are now more interested in holidays that offer a range of activities.

Some 55 million tourists went on over 70 million trips in 2014. Seventy-seven (77) percent of the population took at least one trip in 2014.

Overall, the report finds, Germans spent a record 67 billion euros in 2014 on trips that lasted at least five days, recording a 5 percent increase compared to 2013. In 2014, German tourists spent 958 euros per person recording a new record high.

For this year, the report finds, 12 percent of German travellers are expected to spend more on their holidays while 9 percent said they would limit their travel budget.

Package holidays remain the top choice for German travellers, who still prefer to book through travel agencies.

Conducted annually, the ReiseAnalyse is considered the leading study of the German holiday market.

FUR is an independent association of domestic and international users of tourism research in Germany, and a non-profit organization commissioning tourism research projects.