The distances, which the Germans traveled has decreased by 62% compared to the previous year, but the Bavarian destinations such as Berchtesgaden and the health resort Bad Reichenhall have become the most popular places in summer 2020. This is what an evaluation from Booking.com says. In addition to rural regions, city trips were also popular.
Booking.com looked at travel behavior this summer and found that the average distance Germans traveled (June through August) decreased by 62% compared to the same period last year, which is the global average of 63 percent. If you look back on summer 2019, German travelers covered an average of 1,149 kilometers per booking. This summer this distance has decreased to just 440 kilometers per booking, which is little more than the distance from Berlin to Frankfurt am Main.
Mountains and the local sea are in the trend
44% of the total distance traveled by Germans between June 1 and August 31, 2020 was accounted for by Germany, compared with only 14% in the same period of 2019. Mountain landscapes and the beaches and cliffs of the Baltic Sea have made the list of those booked by Germans Destinations listed as many took the opportunity to travel to meet family and friends who were separated due to travel and contact restrictions.
Italy and Austria come second and third of the popular destinations
While Germany topped the list of the most popular countries booked by Germans this summer, the next most popular country booked by Germans was Italy, followed by Austria, the Netherlands, and France, which shows that some adventurous Germans are still going abroad. However, still feeling comfortable in their own country and familiar surroundings.
Berchtesgaden and Cochem in the trend
Many Germans have rediscovered Germany’s charm, with traditional German travel destinations in the south of the country seeing a relative increase in traveler interest. The domestic travel destinations that are among the most popular this year are Berchtesgaden/Bayern, Cochem/ Reinland-Pfalz, Bernkastel-Kues/Rheinland-Pfalz, Bad Reichenhall/Bayern and Rust /Baden-Württemberg.
City trips continue in
While some more rural travel destinations are trending, the long-established and popular urban favorites are still high on the list of popular travel destinations. The most booked travel destinations this summer show that Germans are still big proponents of city breaks, with Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Dresden and Cologne topping the list in this regard.
Cottage instead of hotel
When it comes to choice of accommodation, Germans are more likely than last year to opt for a holiday home, followed by camping, holiday apartments, boats and holiday parks, which topped the list of popular accommodation types for German travelers this summer. This shows a shift in travel types. Looking back at the end of 2019, before it was clear that travel plans for 2020 would be clouded by a global pandemic, only seven percent of Germans had the intention of staying at a campsite, while 68 percent expected a stay in a traditional hotel .
Although the events of the year caused major changes in travel behavior and destination choices, travel has still found a way to appease the wanderlust of many travelers. At the end of 2019, Germans dreamed of beautiful beaches (51 percent) and lively city trips (48 percent). Some (28 percent) also dreamed of traveling to visit family and friends before realizing that contact with them would have been limited that year.
