SURVEY IN HESSEN AND THURINGIA ON TRAVEL BEHAVIOUR DURING THE CRISIS

Erfurt, 16 September 2020 - The longing for holidays is unbroken even in times of pandemic. According to a recent study of the IUBH International University of Applied Sciences with the ADAC Hessen-Thüringen among more than 2,500 ADAC customers and members, almost half of the survey participants feel a great or very great desire to travel. More than 60 percent plan to travel this year. Over 63 percent have already had to cancel or rebook their trip this year.

The car is the most popular means of transport

It is not Germany, but other European countries that rank first in travel plans: around 44 percent are drawn to our European neighbours, 40 percent prefer Germany as their travel destination. The car is the most popular means of transport: just over 60 percent would like to travel by car. The aeroplane comes second with only 16 percent. The motor home is close behind with about 10 percent. Holiday homes and flats are popular as accommodation (45 percent), followed by hotels (36 percent).

Personal counselling in demand: about one third prefer to book at a travel agency

Even though the respondents of the online survey like to go online: about 30 percent prefer to book their holidays at a travel agency, about the same number book via a travel portal or directly at the accommodation. The most popular form of advice in the travel agency is by far the personal conversation (57 percent), online advice and telephony, on the other hand, less so. The Corona pandemic has strengthened the desire for additional services: around 30 percent of the participants surveyed would now be more likely to book travel cancellation insurance, international health insurance or other protective services such as repatriation.

Competent advice and quick information on travel warnings desired

In the current situation, almost 50 percent of the respondents would like to receive immediate information from the travel agency about travel warnings or changes in entry regulations. Furthermore, about 36 percent of the customers would like comprehensive information on the topic of safety in the desired destination. "The results show that stationary travel agencies can score points over online travel agencies with competent and personal advice," said study director Prof. Dr. Peter Neumann,

About the study:

ADAC Hessen-Thüringen is a project partner of the university project "#Rethinking Tourism - Opportunities in the Crisis" of the IUBH International University of Applied Sciences. Creative ideas are developed in the various nationwide project groups so that tourism businesses can find ways out of the Corona crisis. The solution approaches are developed by dual students together with the practice partners and their professors. As part of the project, an online survey on the travel behaviour of ADAC customers and members in Hesse and Thuringia was conducted in cooperation with ADAC Hessen-Thüringen. The online survey took place from 16 to 25 July 2020, 2,629 people participated. The evaluation was carried out by the IUBH. Further information: www.umdenken-im-tourismus.de