Germans change holiday plans in face of political crises

Many Germans are changing their travel plans for Easter and the months ahead on account of war, crises and political uncertainty, according to a survey conducted for the tourism sector published on Saturday.

The survey by the German Institute for Tourism Research commissioned by the DTV German Tourism Association found that 16% of the 1,124 people polled between March 25 and 30 had changed their plans for the next three months on account of the global political situation.

Among those who did change their plans, 46% decided against travelling and 32% cancelled their trip.

"Going on holiday is not unpolitical," Julian Reif, the head of the institute, said, adding that political conditions in the destination were a major component of holiday decisions.

Two thirds saw political conditions at their destination as important or very important, and 79% said they would avoid destinations with political instability or social unrest.

DTV head Reinhard Meyer said the current political situation in the world was having an evident impact on travel plans, at least in the short term. "Our survey clearly shows the uncertainty that prevails among German holidaymakers on account of global crises and the resultant price increases," he said.

Nevertheless, 72% of Germans are planning to travel on holiday, whether at home or abroad, in the April-June period, with Bavaria a popular domestic destination. Spain and Italy lead the rankings for foreign travel.