The number of Germans who said they’d be going on vacation this summer dropped just one percentage point, to 56 percent compared to last year, the European-wide poll from the IPSOS research institute said.
After surviving the cold winter and damp spring, almost half of the Germans surveyed said climate was the most important factor in deciding on a destination.
But the sinking economy is still having an impact on German travelers. The average holiday budget sank four percent to €2,150 per household. And the number who said price was the important concern in planning a vacation rose two percentage points to 44 percent.
Compared to the European neighbours, Germans are solidly in the middle of the pack. Three-quarters of Italians say they plan to take a vacation this summer. Austrians spend about €200 more on vacations than Germans, while the recession-mired Spaniards will only spend €1,659 this year.
In recent years, a strong pound coupled with a growing number of budget airlines has spread British tourists far and wide across the continent. But some Europeans may breathe a sigh of relief to know that the weakening sterling and a slow economy might mean fewer marauding British stag parties this summer. Travel budgets of UK travelers have fallen more than 10 percent to €2,230.
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