Martin Lohmann knows exactly what motivated him when he decided to spend his winter holidays in Kleinwalsertal, in the Allgäu Alps in Austria. “It was a whole bunch of motives,” he says. “I needed to change places to get away from the gray everyday life in northern Germany, to just play outdoor sports and spend time with my wife and children.”
Martin Lohman is one of more than 50 million Germans who go on vacation every year. But he is also a qualified psychologist and for many years headed the Institute for Tourism and Spa Research in Northern Europe (NIT). He was responsible for the annual travel analysis of the research community Holidays and Travel. In other words: does he not know why the Germans love to travel?
Most Germans love the beach
A survey among Germans conducted as part of the travel analysis is also likely to reveal motives more accurately. Most often, the desire is expressed to “get away from everyday life”, “fun, joy, enjoyment”, “sun, warmth, good weather”, the desire to “gain strength, recharge with new energy” and, finally, take time “to each other”. Less common were reasons such as “get new experiences,” “be on the move,” “get to know life in other countries,” “improve one’s cultural and educational level,” or even “get active in sports.” Let’s face it: the vast majority of people clearly want to lay on the beach and warm up, and also have a good time. According to Loman, over the past 50 years, the picture has not fundamentally changed. “Personal motives prevail,” he emphasizes. “People are primarily concerned with improving their situation.”
Christina Miro, a psychologist, travel therapist and self-described “passionate explorer of the world,” is seeing similar trends. “Personally, I’m drawn to the unknown,” she says. Christina is especially interested in the culture, languages and way of life of different peoples. “I’m interested in learning as much as possible about different countries,” she says. On the other hand, for the vast majority of Germans, vacation trips are primarily an opportunity to leave their familiar environment – both physically and mentally – and move away from everyday life. It is not so easy to stay within your own four walls for a long time, as there are many different responsibilities and tasks waiting for us at home. “After a busy working phase, you want to relax and unwind on vacation. And he is primarily associated with warmth, sun, beach and sea,” says Christina Miro.
Crises only temporarily slow down the tourism industry
Like previous crises, the coronavirus pandemic has not dampened the Germans’ passion for travel. Terrorist attacks and environmental disasters have also only temporarily slowed down the growth rate of the tourism industry. The travel business quickly gained momentum again after post-pandemic travel restrictions were lifted. According to statistics, last year’s numbers were almost the same as in 2019. Christina Miro is not surprised. “During the pandemic, there was a lack of positive experiences,” she says. “The need for leisure, social contact and diversity could only be met to a limited extent, just as the desire to leave the familiar environment and go on travel remained unsatisfied. All this is catching up Now”.
No matter what motivates people to travel, there is no doubt that a vacation has a positive effect on the mind and body. Short-term effects include restoration of strength and energy. “However, vacation usually ends in two to three weeks.” Special moments of happiness are even shorter, but they can be saved and remembered later, looking at the photos: “Oh, what a beautiful sunset that was!”
According to Martin Loman, the beneficial effects on health are more long-term. Rest is undoubtedly useful in many cases, but there are also effects that accompany people for many years. For example, getting to know a new culture. “This knowledge will always accompany you,” the expert is sure.
Social recognition also plays an important role in the possible reaction of others to our travels. Who doesn’t love hearing admiring words from your vacation stories? “Did you really climb this mountain? Many people like this reaction from relatives and friends, even if conquering the mountain was not the reason why they went on a trip,” Loman explains. This kind of feedback also has a positive effect on a person. “We did a rather difficult snowshoe hike in Kleinwalsertal,” recalls Martin Lohman, not without pride, and continues: “It was great to admit this not only to myself: it’s great that I can still do it.”
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