Enlarge image
Skiers in the Zillertal: Germans want to travel shorter and less often in winter
Photo: Friday / photo booth / IMAGO
The Germans want to spend less money on winter holidays.
This is shown by a study by the Vienna Economic Research Institute WIFO on behalf of the Austrian Hoteliers' Association, which is available to SPIEGEL.
Around 22 percent of Germans who traveled in winter in the two years before the pandemic intend to do without it completely this year.
Just over two-thirds of those who plan to stay at home this time cite inflation as the main reason.
The prices for ski passes in particular have risen significantly this season.
Subdued demand
The pandemic, on the other hand, plays a much smaller role.
Around 40 percent give them as a reason for staying at home.
"The results indicate a restrained demand," says WIFO economist Oliver Fritz to SPIEGEL.
According to the study, inflation also has an impact on travel habits.
More than two thirds of those surveyed plan to travel less frequently overall and to shorten the length of their stay.
Christmas and Easter holidays would be combined into one long weekend.
And a large proportion of those who still travel want to save on vacation.
Adjusted for inflation, the majority would like to spend even less than in previous years – and cut back on ski huts or umbrella bars, for example.
According to WIFO economist Oliver Fritz, this is mainly due to increased costs for energy and food.
In return, savings are made on vacation.
This naturally applies more to households with lower incomes.
The researcher therefore expects that more expensive tourism companies will come through the crisis better.
Germans are by far the largest and most important group in Austrian winter tourism.
Around 27 percent of those who want to take a vacation want to travel to the neighboring country this time.
However, the majority would like to stay in Germany.
Early bookers are rewarded
According to Fritz, surveys of Austrian hotels have shown good booking figures for Christmas and New Year's Eve, but very weak figures for January and February.
The sales expectations of Austrian companies are also pessimistic.
This fits in with the trend that vacations are booked at increasingly short notice.
Hotels would therefore adjust their price model and reward early bookers with lower prices.
TSC
