Which federal state has summer holidays and when?
There is traditionally a dispute between countries over this question. The plan is fixed by 2024, and the vacation dates from 2025 to 2030 will be decided in a conference of ministers of education on December 9th.
Then there should be a lot of trouble between the countries!
Background: In the current plan from 2018 to 2024, the summer holidays start on June 20th at the earliest and end on September 13th at the latest.
The states have been discussing the new holiday plan from 2025 to 2030 for two years now, but have not yet been able to reach an agreement. A unanimous decision in the Standing Conference (KMK) is necessary. But: The topic has already been postponed several times.
This is how the summer holidays are pieced together
In order to avoid traffic jams and fully booked accommodations, the summer holidays begin on a regional basis. The federal states are divided into five groups that are supposed to roll.
In other words, every country starts its vacation sometimes earlier and sometimes later. In principle, a period between June 20th and even September 15th can be used.
But: Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg insist on a special role. Neither country is taking part in the “rolling system”, is basically the last to go on vacation and does not want to change anything.
The bizarre origin reason: The students would be needed for the harvest.
In addition, the southern Germans are the only ones to have long Whitsun holidays, which sometimes don’t end until mid-June. It makes no sense to start the summer vacation right away, so the argument goes.
At the beginning of the vacation in Bavaria, state chief Markus Söder (54, CSU) last said in 2019: “We’re sticking to our vacation dates. It has worked so well, and it is firmly anchored in Bavarian culture, ”he said when the debate boomed for the last time. The other countries can only grudgingly accept the whole thing.
Criticism from tourism associations
The President of the German Travel Association (DRV), Norbert Fiebig, accused the southern Germans of a “blockade attitude”. Nationwide holiday agreements are not “make a wish” events.
In previous drafts for the new vacation planning, the summer vacation lasts an average of 79 days, three days less than the 82 days in the current plans. The tourism industry criticizes that.
Families with school children would suffer from the narrow corridor, because: “During the summer holidays, there is a lot of outward and return traffic on individual days – the result is overcrowded airports and rising prices,” says Norbert Fiebig. He calls for the possible period between June 20 and September 15 to be used to the full.
This is supported by the German Tourism Association (DTV). Managing director Norbert Kunz fears “overcrowded vacation spots and beaches” if the time frame is too short.
Zoff between northern federal states
When drawing up the new summer vacation plan, there is obviously a problem, especially between the countries in the north: Berlin and Hamburg want to let the vacation begin for a long time at the earliest on July 1, so that the annual postponements are less large and there is enough time for the exams.
The coastal states of Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania are against narrowing the holiday corridor too much because they fear a slump in tourism. In this group of countries there is still a need for coordination, it was recently said …
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