How to target the German Travelers
Every year, the European Union Statistics Office Eurostat updates its databases about the behaviour of the Europeans, particularly about their preferences as tourists. This study, overlapped with another study about tourist accommodation by the Opinion Way Institute, allows us to paint the distinctive profile of the German travelers.
How are the Germans different when they travel?
Mostly because the Germans are the world champions of tourism, ahead of the Chinese! In 2015, there has been a total of 115 million travels — that lasted more than 4 days and the two thirds abroad — and 132 million short stays (2-4 days).
What are the German travelers’ favourite destinations? Spain, ahead of Croatia and Italy, since the Germans mostly seek for the sun to get away and adore seaside stays. This love for nature is also explained by the fact that more than 36% of them are city-dwellers.
Even if they are ready to spend 10% more than the French on a vacation, but 20% less than the English, they don’t turn to luxury hotels before anything else, unlike the Spanish that do so.
Key figures for the German travelers
So what are they favouring in terms of accommodation?
Even if they are not as demanding as the French and the Spanish, hotels are the Germans’ favourite things (63% of the bookings, mostly in 2 & 3 stars hotels), than 3 & 4 stars campsites and finally guesthouses. In the hotels, their most important criteria is the breakfast buffets size — 81% appreciate it generous. But be careful: not only does this criteria need to be respected to insure their presence, but it also needs to be promoted on social medias. 49% of the Germans trust online recommendations from other travelers to choose their accommodation, when 44% of the Spanish rely on their close family.
The seaside, or at least a pool access (49%), and related services (40%), preferably available in their own language, represent other attractions in their selection criterions.
Are there specific habits to take into account to target the German traveler?
The German travelers appreciate their accommodation catering services to take into account their habits, which are different from the South Europeans ones. Most of them have an invigorating breakfast between 8:30am and 10am, have lunch around 12:30pm and have a light dinner around 7pm. Offering a German-translated menu and, even better, having a German-speaking waiter, are advantages. And for their pleasure, the meals have to be healthy and tasty, since they are sensitive to the natural, the taste preservation and the local cuisine, rather than exoticism.
Once on the spot, how do they spend their days?
91% of German travelers love visiting monuments and castles. 34% appreciate tasting and buying regional products and 30% enjoy bicycle rides on small roads or surrounded by nature. In seaside resorts, the beach is obviously a popular activity, with a preference for beaches that kept their wilderness.
