Germany/ How the pandemic changed the travel industry

2023-08-25 09:05:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

It took a while, but the COVID-19 pandemic could not permanently diminish the Germans' love of travel. On the contrary, vacations are still a top priority for many people, according to a recent survey.

This is confirmed by Professor Ulrich Reinhardt, a tourism researcher who heads the Foundation for Future Studies. "Many Germans are not prepared to give up relaxation, to break away from the routine of their daily lives, to enjoy new experiences, the sun, the beach and the ocean," Reinhardt told DW.

The trip remains popular in Germany

Domestic tourism is also back. The German hospitality industry recorded 47 million overnight stays in May this year, which marks an increase of 5.8% compared to the period before COVID-19. The German Travel Association also reports that travel is returning to pre-pandemic levels.

"There is much more demand for travel abroad, although many families are very price conscious and favor all-inclusive packages," he says .

There is also a tendency to book holidays in advance. It is worth noting that the COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly changed how and when people travel for work.

"The changes caused by the coronavirus are most visible and perhaps most lasting in the field of business travel," says a spokeswoman for the Federal Association of the German Tourism Industry (BTW).

She adds that "in particular, digitization and the use of video-conferencing has meant that there are far fewer business trips now than there were before the COVID-19 pandemic".

The pandemic increases the drive for digitization

According to BTW, the pandemic triggered a rapid digitization movement in the travel and hospitality industry. Today, there are many more opportunities to request online customer service and book restaurant tables or tourist attraction tickets online. Additionally, many companies have significantly revamped their overall online presence.

The long-term impact of the pandemic may also be felt in the aviation sector. According to the latest statistics from the German Airport Association (ADV), the number of passengers at German airports in the first five months of 2023 was still 27% below the same period in 2019. The most affected area is domestic flights. While 2.1 million passengers took domestic flights in May 2023, this figure was more than double in May 2019. Among other things, a reduced number of flight connections within Germany is the reason for this shortage, says ADV. Moreover, more people are opting for rail services.

High demand for travel

Në të gjithë industrinë e aviacionit, sot ofrohen më pak lidhje fluturimesh, sesa në vitin 2019. Në të njëjtën kohë, kërkesa është rritur në qiell, duke rritur tarifat e fluturimit. Sipas të dhënave nga Zyra Federale e Statistikave të Gjermanisë, biletat ishin 52,6% më të shtrenjta në gjysmën e parë të 2023 sesa në gjysmën e parë të 2021. Paketat e pushimeve janë bërë gjithashtu më të kushtueshme. Paketa të tilla kushtojnë rreth 10.2% më shumë në gjysmën e parë të 2023 se në të njëjtën periudhë të një viti më parë.

Pavarësisht kostove të tilla në rritje dhe inflacionit, njerëzit janë ende të prirur për të udhëtuar tani që pandemia ka mbaruar, thotë studiuesi i turizmit Ulrich Reinhardt. Kjo reflektohet, për shembull, në kohëzgjatjet e pushimeve. Në vitin 2022, gjermanët kaluan mesatarisht 13 ditë pushime, që është pothuajse dy ditë më shumë se në vitin 2021. Në vitet para pandemisë, gjermanët kishin bërë pushime gjithnjë e më të shkurtra. E kundërta duket se po ndodh tani.

Siguria e udhëtimit tani është një dëshirë kryesore

In the wake of the pandemic, vacationers place much greater importance on safe travel, Reinhardt says. Niche markets like camping vacations, which have become very popular since the pandemic, can benefit from this. Whether demand for long-haul travel will remain as high as it currently is, on the other hand, is debatable, he says. High prices and discussions about natural resources and pollution will have more of an impact on international travel in the future, he thinks. However, Germans will most likely continue to enjoy exploring the world./ DW