Crises, war, Corona – nothing can spoil the Germans' desire to travel. What are the motives? What is it that draws people so inexorably into the distance?
Cross-country skiing and skiing in the Kleinwalsertal in Austria – the perfect winter idyll
Martin Lohmann knows exactly what drove him when he was planning his winter holiday in Kleinwalsertal, which has just ended. “It was a whole bundle of motives,” he says. “I needed a change of location to escape the gray winter in northern Germany, to just get out, to exercise in nature in the fresh air and to spend time together with my wife and children.” Lohmann is one of more than 50 million Germans who go on vacation every year. But he is also a qualified psychologist and for many years was head of the Institute for Tourism and Spa Research in Northern Europe (NIT), where he was also responsible for the annual travel analysis of the research community Holidays and Travel. In short: hardly anyone knows as well as he does why Germans travel.
Tourism researcher Martin Lohmann has been investigating the question of why people travel for many years
Most of them want to lie in the sun on the beach
The survey on the holiday motives of Germans, which was carried out as part of the travel analysis, probably comes closest to their motives. The ranking gives a clear picture: At the top there are statements such as “gain distance from everyday life”, “fun, joy, enjoyment”, “sun, warmth, have nice weather”, “gain fresh strength, recharge your batteries” and “time for each other have”. Motifs such as “gain new impressions”, “experience a lot”, “being on the move”, “experience other countries”, “do something for culture and education” or even “actively do sports” followed with a clear lag. To put it bluntly: the vast majority of people obviously want to lie on the beach in the sun and have a good time. According to Lohmann, this has not fundamentally changed in the past 50 years. “The self-referential motives prevail,” he says. “People are primarily concerned with changing their situation.”
Good weather, have fun and don't stress: This is what the holiday wish list of Germans looks like. This is Rio de Janeiro's Ipanema Beach
Christina Miro, psychologist, travel therapist and “passionate explorer of the world” sees it the same way. “Personally, I'm attracted to the foreign and the unknown,” she says. She is particularly interested in the culture, language and way of life of the people. “I find it exciting to discover how different countries are and to learn more about them.” For the vast majority of people, on the other hand, vacation trips primarily served to leave their familiar surroundings and – both physically and mentally – to gain distance from everyday life. That is not so easy in your own four walls, since there are many commitments waiting at home. “After a stressful work phase, you long for relaxation and recreation on vacation. This is mainly associated with warmth, sun, beach and sea.”
According to travel therapist Christina Miro, most travelers want to get away from everyday life
Crises only temporarily slow down the tourism industry
Similar to previous crises, the corona pandemic has not been able to dampen the Germans' desire to travel. Just as terrorist attacks or environmental disasters only temporarily slowed down the tourism industry, the holiday business quickly picked up speed again after the Corona travel restrictions were lifted. In many places, the numbers last year were almost the same as in 2019. Christina Miro is not surprised. “During the pandemic, there was a lack of positive experiences,” she says. The need for leisure activities, social contacts and variety could only be satisfied to a limited extent, just as the desire to leave the familiar environment and travel remained unfulfilled. “It's all going to be made up for now.”
Regardless of what motivates people to travel, there is no doubt that travel has a significant impact on the mind and body. “The fact that so many people travel again and again must have something to do with the fact that it was good for them,” says tourism researcher Martin Lohmann. The short-term effects include the recovery. “However, this is usually over after three or four weeks.” The special moments of happiness are of even shorter duration, but they can be saved and recalled later. “According to the motto: Oh, how beautiful it was, this sunset!” The effects on health are more long-term, says Lohmann. A cure, for example, is actually helpful in many cases. But there are also effects that last a lifetime, such as getting to know a new culture. “This knowledge accompanies you forever.”
Travel brings us moments of happiness that are fondly remembered, such as a romantic sunset
< h2>Who doesn't like to hear admiring words?
Social recognition also plays a role as a possible consequence of a holiday trip. Who doesn't like to hear admiring words from others about the adventures they have experienced? “What, you climbed that mountain?! People enjoy this effect, even if it's not the reason why they made the trip,” explains Lohmann. This also applies to the effects on self-confidence that a challenge faced on vacation can have. For example, if you got along well with the foreign language. Or has mastered a physical exertion. Just like him in Kleinwalsertal. “We did a pretty challenging snowshoe hike there,” he says. “It was a great feeling to be able to say: Great! I can do it, I can still do it.”