A recent study conducted by ForwardKeys showed that German outbound travel for holidaymakers exploring European destinations was higher in 2012 than it was in 2011.
According to the study, as many as 7 percent more Germans traveled to Europe in 2012 than they did in 2011. Clearly, this is a favorable sign for the travel and tourism industry. However, even though the number of outbound German travelers to Europe increased, the amount of money they spent while traveling decreased across the board.
According to the FowardKeys study, Germans spent 4.1 percent less while traveling to European countries in 2012 than they did in 2011. While this may seem unfavorable, the study confirms that spending patterns may be lower because the number of larger groups of Germans traveling to other destinations is on the rise. According to the study, the average individual spends less when traveling with larger groups. This may explain why there is a decrease in the amount of spending. However, without more information outbound German traveler spending patterns should be monitored closely in the future.
However, as confirmed by the study, spending was up in both Russia and Austria. German travelers spent the most in Russia and the second most in Austria. Clearly, these countries were not adversely impacted by the increase in the number of large groups of outbound German travelers. The same was true for non-European destinations. With the exception of China, German travelers spent less while visiting most non-European countries.
While it is too soon to tell how long this trend will last, the downward trend is certainly evidence that German travelers may be watching their budget more than they did in past.