NeuseelandNews Travel & Lifestyle

GERMANS PREFER TO MAKE THEIR OWN HOLIDAY CHOICES

Result: growing demand for information

German holidaymakers are increasingly planning the best weeks of the year themselves and making their own holiday arrangements. According to ADAC Reisemonitor, this year (2010) 61.7 per cent of those polled intend to organise their holiday trips themselves, 5.1 per cent more than in 2007 (56.6 per cent).

“German behaviour patterns have significantly changed. For many people planning and organising one’s own holidays is a perfectly natural thing. As a result there is a growing demand for information. This is reflected by the rise in attendance by the general public on the open days at ITB Berlin. The fact that visitors are increasingly booking directly after ITB Berlin is a clear indication that they are making use of the world’s largest travel trade show to obtain their own information to make their holiday decisions themselves“, is how Dr. Martin Buck, Director Competence Center, Travel and Logistics at Messe Berlin commented the latest findings of ADAC Reisemonitor. According to the survey, at over 85 per cent Germany is the country with the highest number of people booking their own holidays.

GROWING VISITOR NUMBERS FROM GERMANY

6.6 percent plus and high spending - Most satisfied of all international visitors

German visitors continue to come to New Zealand and open their wallets: to the year ending March 2010 more than 66 000 travelled to Aotearoa, a plus of 6.6 % to the previous year. The total spend was NZ $ 293 m p.a. "We are getting a higher value visitor," said Ray Salter, Ministry of Tourism´s managing director. During 2008/09 visitors from Germany were among the most satisfied of all international visitors. They rated their New Zealand holiday experience 9.2 out of 10 and most are likely to recommend New Zealand as a holiday destination.

According to Tourism New Zealand (TNZ), demand in Germany for international travel remains high with outbound travel expected to see further growth in 2010. Also Medium-term demand for New Zealand remains strong. "Germany as the second largest market for New Zealand in Europe continues to perform well," said a TNZ-spokesperson.

GERMANS THE BIGGEST SPENDERS WHEN TRAVELLING

2009: US $ 90 billion in total from that market

It seems the Germans really love to travel, with a new report (24 Feb 10) finding that they are the country which last year spent the most on travel products, forking out US$90 billion in total. Second were the Americans who as a nation spent US$79.9 billion, 4.4% higher than the 2008 figure, while the British came in third spending US$ 68.5 billion, also 4.4% higher, says online flight comparison site Skyscanner.

"It will be very interesting to see how tourist spending changes since the downturn," said Barry Smith, Skyscanner Co-founder and Business Director.

"So far, the latest figures show that only the Japanese spent less on international tourism than the previous year... Meanwhile, it's the Germans who remain the world's biggest spending tourists, and there would have to be significant change for anyone else to catch up with them."

Amongst the top spenders China is growing the fastest, coming in at 5th and spending US$36.2 billion, the nation managed to jump 21.4% when compared to 2008 figures.

Top ten spenders (compared to last year):

1. Germany - $91.0 billion (+2%)
2. USA - $79.7 billion (+4.4%)
3. UK - $68.5 billion (+4.4%)
4. France - $43.1 billion (+9.6%)
5. China - $36.2 billion (+21.4%)
6. Italy - $30.8 billion (+4.9%)
7. Japan - $27.9 billion (-7.9%)
8. Canada - $26.9 billion (+8.4%)
9. Russia - $24.9 billion (+11.8%)
10. Netherlands - $21.7 billion (+9.2%)