BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - Despite the war in the Middle East, many Germans have so far left their vacation plans unchanged. In a survey conducted by the opinion research institute YouGov on behalf of the Deutsche Presse-Agentur, 54 percent of the approximately 1,750 adults surveyed in March said that international crises or conflicts currently have no influence on their travel planning.
However, geopolitical tensions are not entirely without consequences. Ten percent of respondents stated that they wanted to change their vacation plans due to international conflicts. For seven percent, a trip already booked has become uncertain, and for four percent, a booked trip was canceled or postponed.
Political stability as a travel factor
Security nevertheless plays an important role for many vacationers when choosing a destination. 58 percent say they take the political stability of a country strongly into account, and a further 27 percent at least partially. Only one in ten states that political stability plays no role for them.
In the past, too, conflicts have influenced travel decisions. 17 percent of respondents say they have already changed their vacation destination or canceled a trip because of international crises or security concerns. For the vast majority of 80 percent, this has not been the case so far.
Tourism considered crisis-proof
Despite the crises, the travel industry does not expect a permanent slump in demand. "Tourism is a very resilient industry - as soon as stability returns, people's desire to travel also returns," said the President of the German Travel Association (DRV), Albin Loidl. Geopolitical conflicts could slow down tourism in the short term, but in the long term they do not change the Germans' desire to travel. "Travelers tend to switch to other destinations rather than giving up travel altogether."/kge/DP/zb
