Germany was the largest outbound source market globally in 2020 due to the impact of COVID-19. Several tourism related organizations will now be looking to attract more German travelers in the ‘new normal’ to accelerate recovery.
Marketing luxury offerings
According to a GlobalData consumer survey, Germany had over a quarter of its respondents earning over €50,000, in terms of their approximate annual household pre-tax income. This is higher than the likes of Belgium, France, and Italy, which are important global source markets.
Ralph Hollister, Travel & Tourism Analyst at GlobalData, notes: “This higher percentage of German households earning more than €50,000 means that more of the German market may be able to afford luxurious products and services on holiday, which bodes well for upscale destinations and travel companies.”
Producing gastronomic experiences
GlobalData reveals that 30% of the German market has either ‘started’ cooking meals from scratch at home or is ‘doing this more’ due to the pandemic. Cooking more meals from scratch at home will give German consumers a greater appreciation for a range of different cuisines and flavors. This greater appreciation could translate to an increased demand for gastronomy trips.
Hollister continues: “Marketing gastronomy experiences to German travelers also adds to a destination’s cultural product. By trying different local and international food recipes and cuisines, it can take German travelers back in time and add to the historical significance of a place.”
Over one fifth (22%) of German travelers typically undertake cultural trips, which means the addition of authentic gastronomic experiences could enhance touristic experiences.
Generating sense of familiarity
GlobalData reveals that 51% of Germans stated that they are now either ‘often’ or ‘always’ influenced by how familiar/trustworthy/risk-free a product/service feels, demonstrating that the need for familiar experiences is substantial.
Hollister explains: “Due to this, countries sharing a similar culture to Germany such as the Netherlands, Austria and Switzerland will be at a distinct advantage when attracting German travelers in the new normal.”
Although other destinations cannot fully replicate German culture, they can keep on top of other trends to make sure the experience that German tourists are receiving is familiar. 42% of German respondents said they will continue – or start – to undertake banking transactions online, or switch to an online-only bank because of the pandemic.
Hollister concludes: “These figures highlight increasing demand for digitization in the German market. Destinations and tourism related companies competing for German tourists need to now ensure that payments for all tourism related products and services can be done online. This will increase familiarity for German travelers and create a more seamless experience in the process.”