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Market and Trade Profile Germany

Market and Trade Profile: Germany

Germany


• Chapter 1: Inbound market statistics provides insights on key statistics about German travellers and who they are. It takes a look at Britain and its competitive set as well as activities of German visitors in the UK.

• Chapter 2: Understanding the market takes a close look at German consumer trends, booking, planning and further travel behaviour of this source market. Perceptions of Britain held by Germans are also highlighted.

• Chapter 3: Access and travel trade shows how Germans travel to the UK, how to best cater for their needs and wants during their stay and gives insights into the German travel trade. Further ways of working with VisitBritain and other useful research resources are pointed out.

2

Overview


ContentsChapter 1:Inbound market statistics

1.1 Key statistics 61.2 Visitor demographics 171.3 Britain & competitors 211.4 Inbound activities 23

Chapter 2: Understanding the market

2.1 Structural drivers 312.2 Consumer trends 352.3 Booking and planning 392.4 Reaching the consumer 422.5 Perceptions of Britain 47

Chapter 3: Access and travel trade

3.1 Access 553.2 Travel Trade 593.3 Caring for the consumer 663.4 Working with VisitBritain 683.5 Useful research resources 69

3


Inbound market statistics

Chapter 1:

4


Chapter summary• The German outbound market is forecasted to exceed 113

million trips abroad with at least one overnight stay by 2020. Compared to all other countries, Germans took the second most outbound trips in 2016 – only US travellers took more.

• Germans rank globally in 3rd place for international tourism expenditure, following Chinese and US travellers, with more than US$81.1bn in 2016.

• Germany was the 3rd most important inbound source market for the UK for volume and 2nd for spend in 2016.

• Ireland was the most considered competitor destination by German visitors, followed by France and Spain.

• The German source market has an above-average regional spread with very good growth potential for the years to come.

• 92% of departing Germans are either ‘Very’ or ‘Extremely’ likely to recommend Britain for a holiday or short-break.

5

Chapter 1: Inbound market statistics

Source: International Passenger Survey by ONS, Oxford Economics, UNWTO, FUR Reiseanalyse 2016, VisitBritain/IPSOS 2016, CAA 2016

2016:£1.5bn

spend in UK


Key insights• Germany is Britain’s 3rd most important source market in

terms of visits and 2nd most important for visitor spending.• 52% of spending came from holiday trips in 2016.• In 2016 the number of business trips remained more than

300,000 lower than it was at its record-level in 2006.• London is the leading destination for a trip to Britain but

South East, Scotland and South West are also popular.• Holiday visits from Germany have an above average

propensity to feature rural and coastal areas of Britain.• The most popular activities undertaken by German travellers

in Britain include sightseeing of famous buildings/monuments; in particular, castles, visiting parks/gardens and shopping.

• One-in-five holiday visits from Germany were bought as part of a package or all-inclusive tour in 2016.

6

Chapter 1.1: Key statistics

Source: International Passenger Survey by ONS

Globally, Germans took second most

outbound trips(2016)


1.1 Key statistics: global context and 10 year trend

7

Source: International Passenger Survey by ONS, UNWTO, Oxford Economics

Measure 2016

International tourism expenditure (US$bn) 81.1

Global rank for international tourism expenditure 3

Number of outbound overnight visits (m) 100.5

Most visited destination Austria

Global context Inbound travel to Britain overviewMeasure Visits

(000s)Nights (000s)

Spend (£m)

10 year trend2007 3,376 19,280 1,2062008 2,900 17,374 1,125 2009 2,780 17,300 1,167 2010 3,004 18,143 1,193 2011 2,947 18,822 1,252 2012 2,967 16,306 1,223 2013 3,048 18,113 1,358 2014 3,220 19,523 1,478 2015 3,249 18,742 1,378 2016 3,341 19,273 1,490 Share of UK total in 2016 8.9% 7.0% 6.6%


1.1 Key statistics – volume and value

8


Measure 2016 Change vs. 2015

Rank out of UK top markets

Visits (000s) 3,341 3% 3

Nights (000s) 19,273 3% 3

Spend (£m) 1,490 8% 2

Inbound volume and value Nights per visit, spend Averages by journey purpose in 2016

Nights per visit

Spend per night

Spend per visit

Holiday 6 £87 £509

Business 3 £126 £415

Visiting Friends/ Relatives 6 £45 £279

Study 58 £38 £2,227

All visits 6 £77 £446


1.1 Key statistics: journey purpose

9

Journey purpose 2016

Germany All markets

Source: International Passenger Survey by ONS; repeat / first time visitors question asked in 2015

• Holiday visits continue to lead growth in the German market. 52% of spending comes courtesy of Holiday trips in 2016.

• In 2016 the number of business trips remained more than 300,000 lower than it was at its record-level in 2006 prior to the financial crisis.

• The highest proportion of repeat visitors (excl. UK nationals) were among those coming for business purposes (92%) or to visit friends or relatives who live in the UK (88%).

46%

26% 23%

1% 5%

37%

24%31%

1%6%

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%

Holiday Business VFR Study Misc.

Shar

e of

vis

its

Journey purpose trend (visits 000s)

• 46% of all visits to the UK from Germany were made for holiday purposes, followed by 26% of visits for business purposes in 2016.

• 62% of holiday visits from Germany to the UK were made by repeat visitors (excl. UK nationals). These repeat visitors came on average between two and three times in the past ten years (a medium average visit frequency compared to other markets) and spent £1,379 in the UK in the past ten years.

1,530

860 767

33 151

0200400600800

1,0001,2001,4001,6001,800

Holiday Business VFR Study Misc.


1.1 Key statistics: seasonality

10

Seasonality 2016

Germany All markets


• 28% and 30% of visits from Germany to the UK were made in the second and third quarter respectively accounting for more than half of German visits in 2016.

• The importance of the spring and summer quarters is reflected in the below graph showing the high volume of visits from Germany to the UK during this time period. The first and last quarter of the year have seen the volume of visits from Germany increase in 2016.

18%

28% 30%

24%20%

27% 28%25%

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%

Jan-Mar Apr-Jun Jul-Sep Oct-Dec

Shar

e of

vis

its

Seasonality trend (visits 000s)

608

942 1,001

790

0200400600800

1,0001,200

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Jan - Mar Apr - Jun Jul - Sep Oct - Dec


1.1 Key statistics: length of stay and accommodation

11


Accommodation stayed in, in 2016 (nights, %share)

• Short trips of 1-3 nights and 4-7 nights are the most popular duration of stay from Germans.

• Two forms of accommodation dominate the picture with ‘hotel/guest house’ being the most popular thanks to a large volume of holiday and business visitor nights. 26% of nights are spent with ‘Friends or relatives’ (free or paid for) with the majority of these being by those on a VFR trip. Rented houses or flats are also popular making up 12% in 2016.

Duration of stay trend (visits 000s)

183

1,360

1,226

403

169 0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

Nil nights 1-3 nights 4-7 nights8-14 nights 15+ nights

35%

26%

12%

8%

6%

5%4%

3% 1% 0%

Hotel/guest house Free guest with relatives or friends

Rented house/flat Hostel/university/school

Paying guest family or friends house Bed & Breakfast

Other Camping/caravan

Own home Holiday village/Centre


1.1 Key statistics: regional spread

Region Nights stayed (000)

Visits (000)

Total 19,273 3,341

Scotland (SC) 2,725 355

Wales (WA) 569 94

Northern Ireland (NI) 42 12

London (LDN) 6,333 1,473

North East (NE) 209 49

North West (NW) 980 210

Yorkshire (YO) 837 113

West Midlands (WM) 788 191

East Midlands (EM) 323 92

East of England (EoE) 825 174

South West (SW) 2,443 347

South East (SE) 3,131 513

Nil nights (Nil) N/A 183

12

Nights (% share)


Visits to the UK (2016)


1.1 Key statistics: regional spread and top towns and cities

13

Source: International Passenger Survey by ONS, FUR Reiseanalyse 2016 and 2017

Town Visits (000s)

London 1,473

Edinburgh 230

Birmingham 93

Manchester 78

Glasgow 74

Top towns and cities visited 2016 • German visitors show an above-average spread across the UK‘s nations and regions. London is the leading destination for a trip to Britain but South East, Scotland and South West are also popular.

• London is the number one international city trip and study holiday destination for Germans according to FUR Reiseanalyse.

• The potential of regional spread from German holiday visitors is very positive. Asked in 2016 in which of the regions they would like to spend a holiday in the next five years, German considerers stated Scotland (57%) and London (48%) as the most desired followed by South England (26%), Wales (19%), North England (13%) and Central England (12%) according to the FUR Reiseanalyse 2016.

• Holiday visits from Germany have an above average propensity to feature rural and coastal areas of Britain.

Regional spread 2016

14%

3%

33%

49%

0.2%8%

3%

40%

49%

1%0%

10%20%30%40%50%60%

Scotland Wales London Rest OfEngland

NorthernIreland

Shar

e of

nig

hts

Germany All markets


1.1 Key statistics: visits to coast, countryside and villages

14


Propensity to visit coast, countryside and villages

13%

10%

18%

14%

2%

2%

17%

13%

18%

15%

26%

23%

4%

3%

19%

13%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%

All journey purposes: Went to countryside or villages

All journey purposes: Went to the coast or beaches

Holiday: Went to countryside or villages

Holiday: Went to the coast or beaches

Business: Went to countryside or villages

Business: Went to the coast or beaches

VFR: Went to countryside or villages

VFR: Went to the coast or beaches

Germany All markets


1.1 Key statistics: use of internal modes of transport

15


Propensity to use internal modes of transport

2%

53%

28%

32%

8%

4%

8%

15%

2%

1%

48%

24%

25%

8%

5%

9%

23%

3%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Domestic flight

Bus, Tube, Tram or Metro Train(within town/city)

Train (outside town/city)

Taxi

Public bus/coach (outsidetown/city)

Private coach/minibus (forgroup only)

Hired self-drive car/vehicle

Car/vehicle you/group broughtto the UK

Ferry/boat

Germany All markets


1.1 Key statistics: purchase of transport and package tours

16

International Passenger Survey by ONS, VisitBritain/IPSOS 2016, base: visitors

Transport services purchased before or during trip (%)

Proportion of visits that are bought as part of a package or all-inclusive tour in 2016

2%

21%

1%

6%

16%

11%

1%

14%

1%

9%

6% 6%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

Business Holiday VFR Study Misc. Alljourney

purposes

Germany All markets

22%

47%

18%

27%30%

20%

13%15%

23%

7%

26%

52%

27%31%

36%

29%

24% 25%27%

15%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Pre During Pre During Pre During Pre During Pre During

Transportwithin

London

Train Travel Airporttransfer

Coach travel Car hire

Germany All markets


Visitor characteristics • Business visitors are four times as likely

to be male than female.• More than half of holiday visitors are making

a repeat visit to Britain.• A high proportion of holiday and business

visitors are German nationals but 19% of VFR visitors were British nationals in 2016.

• 92% of departing Germans are either ‘Very’ or ‘Extremely’ likely to recommend Britain for a holiday or short-break.

17

1.2 Visitor demographics

Source: International Passenger Survey by ONS, CAA 2016

92%‘Very’ or

‘Extremely’ likelyto recommend Britain


1.2 Visitor demographics: gender and age groups

18


Visitor demographics: gender ratio of visits from Germany: 44% female, 56% male

Age group trend

228

476

696

592

792

356

197

50

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016

Visi

ts (0

00s)

0 -15 16-24 25-34

35-44 45-54 55-64

65+ Not Known

20%

51% 56%49% 52%

20%

51% 56% 53%42%

0%

20%

40%

60%

Business Holiday VFR Study Misc.

Female (share of visits by journey purpose)

Germany All markets

80%

49% 44% 51% 47%

80%

49% 44% 47%56%

0%20%40%60%80%

100%

Business Holiday VFR Study Misc.

Male (share of visits by journey purpose)

Germany All markets


HighMediumLow

Visits in 000s | % share of visits

19

1.2 Visitor demographics: origin


Visits to the UK in (000) 2015• The largest proportion of German visitors who

came to the UK live in the South and West of Germany. Gateway airports to the the UK for these areas include Duesseldorf, Cologne/Bonn, Munich and Frankfurt.

• The most densely populated states are the city states of Berlin, Hamburg and Bremen; least densely populated states are Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Brandenburg which are mostly rural areas.


1.2 Visitor demographics: welcome and recommending Britain

20

Source: CAA 2016

Feeling of ‘welcome’ in Britain Likelihood to recommend Britain

35%

56%

10%

0% 0%

39%

49%

12%

0% 0%0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Extremelywelcome

Verywelcome

Quitewelcome

Not verywelcome

Not at allwelcome

Germany All markets

47%45%

8%

0% 0%

45% 45%

9%

1% 0%0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Extremelylikely

Very likely Quite likely Not verylikely

Not at alllikely

Germany All markets


Market size, share and growth potential• Britain was the 8th most visited destination by

Germans in 2016.• Forecasts suggest there is the potential for

steady growth in the number of visits to Britain during the next decade.

• Of those who came to Britain for a holiday, 25% considered Ireland, 19% France and 15% Spain as an alternative holiday destination.

• 21 million, 30% of all holiday trips taken by Germans in 2016 were domestic.

21

1.3 Britain and competitors

Source: Oxford Economics, VisitBritain/IPSOS 2016, FUR Reiseanalyse 2016 and 2017

Britain ranks 8th

for German outbounddestinations by volume


1.3 Britain and competitors

22

Source: Oxford Economics

Britain’s market share of German visits among competitor set

Historic and potential visits to Britain (000s)

1%

4%

5%

6%

6%

18%

17%

20%

22%

1%

3%

5%

8%

8%

17%

19%

21%

18%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%

Ireland

Switzerland

United Kingdom

Poland

Netherlands

Italy

Spain

Austria

France

2016 2011

4,872

0.00

1,000.00

2,000.00

3,000.00

4,000.00

5,000.00

6,000.00


Inbound Britain• Shopping is the number one activity

which features in many German visits followed by going to the pub.

• More than half of holiday visits involve time in a park or garden.

• Built heritage sites, and especially castles, are important attractions for many visitors from Germany.

• German visitors are less likely than other visitors to go to a theatre or live music event while in Britain.

• Walking in the countryside or by the coast is an activity popular with many German visitors.

• About 50,000 German visits per annum feature time watching football.

23

1.4 Inbound activities




24


Propensity to visit museums and galleries

Propensity to visit built heritage sites

28%

6%

48%

23%

29%

7%

46%

24%

0% 20% 40% 60%

All journeypurposes

Business

Holiday

VFR

Germany All markets

28%

20%

6%

4%

48%

35%

23%

18%

36%

25%

7%

5%

60%

42%

24%

17%

0% 20% 40% 60%

All journey purposes: visited castle/historichouses

All journey purposes: visited religiousbuildings

Business: visited castle/historic houses

Business: visited religious buildings

Holiday: visited castles/historic houses

Holiday: visited religious buildings

VFR: visited castles/historic houses

VFR: visited religious buildings

Germany All markets



25


Propensity to attend the performing arts Number who went to watch sport live during trip

17765

0

0

0

312

10560

116

1998

104

2708

6225

403

0

0

0

12435

666

3429

0

952

0 5000 10000 15000 20000

Football

Golf

Rugby

Cricket

Horse racing

Holiday Business VFR Misc.

14%

4%

2%

1%

8%

3%

9%

3%

9%

4%

2%

0%

6%

3%

6%

3%

0% 10% 20%

Holiday: Went to thetheatre/musical/opera/ballet

Holiday: Attended a festival

Business: Went to thetheatre/musical/opera/ballet

Business: Attended a festival

VFR: Went to the theatre/musical/opera/ballet

VFR: Attended a festival

All journey purposes: Went to thetheatre/musical/opera/ballet

All journey purposes: Attended a festival

Germany All markets



26


Propensity to go for a walk or cycle Propensity to visit a park or garden

20%

1%

8%

28%

2%

11%

5%

0%

1%

26%

2%

11%

25%

2%

13%

35%

3%

13%

4%

0%

1%

38%

2%

20%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

All journey purposes: Walking in the…

All journey purposes: Cycling

All journey purposes: Walking along the coast

VFR: Walking in the countryside

VFR: Cycling

VFR: Walking along the coast

Business: Walking in the countryside

Business: Cycling

Business: Walking along the coast

Holiday: Walking in the countryside

Holiday: Cycling

Holiday: Walking along the coast

Germany All markets

32%

7%

50%

32%

36%

7%

55%

35%

0% 20% 40% 60%

All journeypurposes

Business

Holiday

VFR

Germany All markets



27


Propensity to go to restaurants, pubs, night clubs and socialise with locals

Propensity to purchase selected items (%)

41%

10%

9%

12%

13%

9%

24%

5%

3%

3%

16%

38%

35%

6%

6%

8%

12%

6%

29%

5%

2%

3%

17%

41%

0% 20% 40% 60%

Clothes or Shoes

Personal accessories e.g. jewellery

Bags, purses etc

Cosmetics or toiletries e.g. perfume

Books or stationery

Games, toys or gifts for children

Food or drink

CDs, DVDs, computer games etc

Electrical or electronic items e.g. camera

Items for your home e.g. furnishing

Other holiday souvenir (not mentioned…

None of these

Germany All markets

46%

34%

61%

32%

15%

49%

50%

36%

70%

54%

50%

62%

47%

29%

58%

32%

11%

43%

54%

31%

68%

53%

52%

62%

0% 50% 100%

All journey purposes: went to pub

All journey purposes: socialising with the…

All journey purposes: dining in restaurants

Business: went to pub

Business: socialising with the locals

Business: dining in restaurants

Holiday: went to pub

Holiday: socialising with the locals

Holiday: dining in restaurants

VFR: went to pub

VFR: socialising with the locals

VFR: dining in restaurants

Germany All markets



28


Propensity for visit to include an English language course (%)

3% 1% 2%

63%

6%6%2% 3%

61%

4%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Holiday Business VFR Study Misc

Germany All Markets


Understanding the market

Chapter 2:

29


Chapter summary • Germany has the largest and second oldest population in Europe.• Holidays tend to be an important part in the life of German people.

Nearly one in three holiday trips they took in 2016 was a domestic holiday but they are keen outbound travellers, too.

• Germans tend to start thinking about their trip to Britain early and have a long lead-in time which can exceed half a year.

• Bookings are made most commonly in the three to six month window prior to the start of the trip. Only a small proportion book their travel arrangements in the month leading up to their departure.

• Friends, family and colleagues are the most important influences on destination choice.

• Germans rate Britain highly for cultural and built heritage, contemporary culture, vibrant cities and sports and associate museums and music most strongly with Britain.

30

2.Understanding the market

Source: World Bank, Oxford Economcis, FUR Reiseanalyse 2016 and 2017, VisitBritain/IPSOS 2016, GfK Anholt Nation Brands Index 2017

CultureMost important

draw for Germanvisitors


Demographics & society• Population of around 82.6 million, the most populous nation

in Western Europe.• Germany is a Federal Republic with the legislative elections

due in 2017. There are 16 Bundesländer (federal states). The most densely populated states are the city states of Berlin, Hamburg and Bremen; least densely populated are Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Brandenburg which are mostly rural.

• Most Germans live in cities (75% according to World Bank Estimate).• The official language is German; English often is the first or second

foreign language Germans learn in school.• German full-time employees receive 30 days annual leave plus have

up to 10 public holidays/year; European average is 35.3 days in total.

31

2.1 Structural drivers

Source: Oxford Economics, CIA World Factbook 2017, World Bank

82.6mGerman

population


2.1 Structural drivers: population and economic indicators

32

Source: Oxford Economics, CIA World Factbook 2017

Measure 2016 estimate

Total population 82,551,000

Net No. migrants per 1,000 population 1.5

Overall growth rate per annum 1.0%

Population dynamics

Indicator 2016 2017 2018

Real GDP 1.8 2.0 1.6

Consumer spending 1.9 1.3 1.3

Unemployment rate 6.1 5.8 5.7

Average earnings 2.8 3.5 3.4

Consumer prices 0.5 1.9 2.1

Economic indicators (% growth unless stated)


2.1 Structural drivers: general market overview

33

Source:, Oxford Economics, Statistisches Bundesamt, Capgemini World Wealth Report 2016

Key demographic and economic dataMeasure (2016 data) Germany Eurozone

Population (m) 82.6 336.8GDP per capita PPP (US$) 43,799 38,070Annual average GDP growthover past decade (%) 1.2 0.6

Annual average GDP growth in 2016 (%) 1.8 1.7

General market conditions

• Germany is Britain’s 3rd most important source market in terms of visits and 2nd most important for visitor spending.

• The German economy is Europe’s largest and generally speaking fairly robust and remains on track to grow at a solid pace in the near term, before slowing in the medium term. Unemployment is currently at a record low and consumer confidence and spend are very strong (Oxford Economics).

• Legislative elections are set for 2017. The current German government is a ‘Grand Coalition‘ formed after the 2013 elections with Angela Merkel continuing as Chancellor.

• The country has the second oldest population in Europe and the third oldest globally with a median age of 46.

• Germans enjoy a high standard of living with GDP per capita in purchasing power parity terms of around US$44,000, forecasted to increase in the years to come.

• According to the Capgemini World Wealth Report 2016 there were 1,199,000 High Net Worth Individuals (HNWI) resident in Germany, these being people with investible assets worth more than $1 million, representing an increase of 5% on 2014. This represents the third largest HNWI population behind the US and Japan.


2.1 Structural drivers: exchange rate trends

34

Source. Bank of England

Exchange rate trends (cost of GBP in EUR)

1.00

1.10

1.20

1.30

1.40

1.50

1.60

1.70

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Please find the most up-to-date exchange rate trend based on monthly averages at visitbritain.org/visitor-economy-facts.

https://www.visitbritain.org/visitor-economy-facts


• 98% of Germans aged 14-29 and 96% aged 30-49 access mobile internet (Reiseanalyse2017).

• E-commerce is very popular in Germany: 75% of Germans aged between 20-29 and 80% of Germans aged between 30-39 have bought goods or services online (HDE-Prognose 2015 and AGOF Internet Facts 2015-07).

• One of the strongest current trends in the market is the sharing economy with e.g. city car-sharing schemes being hugely popular (about 2 million users). Uber and Airbnb and local competitors Wimbdu and 9flats are, as the sharing economy in general, facing legal challenges in most German cities.

35

2.2 Consumer trends

Source: FUR Reiseanalyse 2017, HDE-Prognose 2015, AGOF Internet Facts 2015-07

98% of Germans aged 14-29 use mobile internet access


2.2 Consumer trends: overall travel trends

36

Source: FUR Reiseanalyse 2017, DRV Kreufahrtenmarktstudie

Travel trends• The total number of holiday travellers (53.4 million in

2016) was stable and the total number of holiday journeys taken (68.7 million in 2015) slightly declined (Reiseanalyse 2017).

• Short holiday breaks continue to be very popular amongst Germans and have increased : 80.5 million short breaks of up to 4 nights were taken in 2016; 75% of these were domestic breaks. Austria, the Netherlands, Italy, Britain and France were the most popular international destinations for short breaks in 2016. London was the most popular city destination. Domestic city trips and city trips abroad have both declined in market share amongst short holiday breaks year-on-year (Reiseanalyse 2017).

• The German cruise market is still showing strong growth; the number of Germans who have taken an ocean or river cruise has grown by 19% to 2.2 million in 2015 (estimate, DRV Kreuzfahrtenmarktstudie).

• Reliance on traditional retail agents for travel bookings is much stronger than in many other European countries. In 2016 33% of all trips were booked through a traditional travel agent.

• The share of Germans booking their holidays online is increasing: 37% booked their holidays (or parts of it) online in 2016 (only 14% in 2006, FUR Reiseanalyse 2007 and 2017).

• Green destinations are increasingly popular: apart from Britain, Ireland, Iceland, Sweden and Norway have also seen significant growth from Germany. Active holiday types incl. activities such as walking and cycling and exploring destinations through a touring holiday are on the rise (Reiseanalyse 2014).

• The trade currently reports a mixed picture for bookings in general. Bespoke packages have seen growth (e.g. Dertour) whereas full packages have become less popular. This shows that the lines between bookings through tour operators and individual direct bookings have become increasingly unclear.


2.2 Consumer trends: motivation and attitudes to holidays

37

Source: Oxford Economics, FUR Reiseanalyse 2017, Flash Eurobarometer 432 by EC 2016: During 2015, how many times did you travel for professional or personal reasons where you were away from home for a minimum of one night?

Number of overnight trips away from home for all journey purposes (%)

20%

16% 16%

12%

17%

11%

7%

1%0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

None 1 2 3 4-5 6-10 10+ DK

• The volume of outbound trips overall in 2015 was the highest of all source markets globally.

• The majority of Germans like to take more than one trip per year.

Motivation and attitudes to holidays• Holidays are very important to Germans as they are

considered necessary to escape from the pressure of life or the natural rewards for success and hard work.

• Germans are fairly unlikely to amend their holiday plans due to the economic situation (76% reported that it has had no impact on their 2015 holiday plans, EC Study).

• Amongst the most popular holiday destinations are typical sunshine locations such as the Mediterranean with Spain being most popular. Turkey has become a very popular destination for families due to its all-inclusive offers but has, like Northern Africa seen recent decline in German visitor numbers after political unrest and terror attacks.

• Neighbouring countries including Austria, Switzerland, France, Poland and the Netherlands are very popular for trips taken by car and rail and short trips.

• Destinations like Britain (outside London), Ireland and the Scandinavian countries tend to attract travellers seeking slightly more adventurous activities. They often tend to have an above-average income and education, often from older groups.


2.2 Consumer trends: reasons for holidaysMain reasons for going on holiday (%)

38

Reasons to return to the same destination for a holiday

• Asked for reasons which would make them come back, Germans tend to value natural features and the quality of accommodation is also found to be key for 1 out of 3.

• Amongst the main reasons for going on a holiday for Germans are: sun/beach, nature, visiting family/friends and relatives followed by nature, culture and city trips

39%

13%

27%

12%

31%

26%

38%

9%

37%

14%

24%

15%

30%

26%

36%

5%

0% 20% 40% 60%

Sun/beach

Wellness/Spa/health treatment

City trips

Sport-related activities

Nature

Culture

Visiting family/ friends / relatives

Specific events

Germany EU28

32%

45%

24%

21%

20%

31%

6%

33%

44%

18%

17%

13%

28%

3%

0% 20% 40% 60%

The quality of the accommodation

The natural features

The general level of prices

How tourists are welcomed

The activities/services available

Cultural and historical attractions

Accessible facilities

Germany EU28

Source: Flash Eurobarometer 432 by EC 2016: What were your main reasons for going on holiday in 2015? Firstly? And then? and Which of the following would make you go back to the same place for a holiday? Firstly? And then?


• German visitors tend to have a long lead-in time in comparison to other markets. They start thinking about their trip early with the majority as early as half a year or more in advance.

• The most common time for German visitors to make a booking is in the three to six month window before their arrival in Britain. Only a small proportion of visitors book their trip to Britain less than a month before.

• Most bookings to Britain were made online; however, when travel and accommodation are booked together, one in three visitors made the booking face-to-face. This is a fairly large share in comparison to other European markets.

39

2.3 Booking and planning

Source: VisitBritain/IPSOS 2016

6 months+Germans tend to start

thinking about their trip to Britain early


2.3 Booking and planning: booking channels and ticket sales

40

Source: VisitBritain/IPSOS 2016, base: visitors (online survey), FUR Reiseanalyse 2017

How trips to Britain were booked Propensity to make a purchase before or during trip

19% 19%

9%6%

17%

22%

16%

25% 24%

37%

30%

23% 24%

11%

28%

22%

28%

19%

31%

41%

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%

Pre During Pre During Pre During Pre During Pre During

Theatre /Musical /

Concert tickets

Sporting eventtickets

Guidedsightseeing

tours in London

Guidedsightseeing

tours outside ofLondon

Tickets / passesfor other tourist

attractions

Germany All markets

• German visitors have become increasingly comfortable with booking their trips to Britain online, especially when they booked travel (i.e. transport to Britain).

• More than one in three bookings were made face to face when booking a holiday arrangement (i.e. travel and accommodation combined) which is higher than in many other source markets.

• Prior to trip: Nearly one in five Germans booked theatre/musical/concert tickets before their journey and nearly one in four bought tickets/passes for miscellennaneous tourist attractions in advance.

• During the trip: More than one in three bought tickets/passes for miscellennaneous tourist attractions. One in four purchased guided sightseeing tours outside of London.

82%72%

58%

14%

10% 36%

4%

5%

5%13%

1% 1% 1%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Travel Accommodation Holiday(travel and

accommodation)

Don’t know

Did not book – stayed with friends / relatives

By phone

Face to face

Online


2.3 Booking and planning: lead-times

41

Source: VisitBritain/IPSOS 2016, base: visitors

Decision lead-time for visiting Britain

57%

28%

9%5%

1%

38%40%

13%

7%

2%

24%

46%

17%

11%

2%

15%

44%

17%19%

5%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

6+ monthsbefore trip

3-6 monthsbefore

1-2 monthsbefore

Less than 1month before

Don't know

% starting to think about trip at each stage

% deciding on the destination at each stage

% looking at options/prices at each stage

% booking the trip at each stage

• Germans tended to start thinking early about their trip to Britain and had a longer lead-time than the all market average. Nearly three in five started thinking about their trip six months or more in advance, while 28% did this in the three to six month window.

• Roughly two in five decided to travel to Britain either six months or earlier. A similar proportion of travellers knew at least three months prior to the actual journey; both are above the all market average.

• Almost half of German visitors looked at options and prices between three and six months ahead of their trip and also made the booking in the same time frame. Only one in five were more spontaneous and booked the trip to Britain less than a month before travelling to Britain.

• The majority of Germans who booked travel and accommodation separately booked it directly with the service provider e.g. airline (76% and 62% respectively). When they bought travel and accommodation together as a package 70% chose to book it through a travel agent, tour operator or travel comparison website.


• The most influential source for destination choice for Germans are friends, relatives and colleagues followed by information from search engines and price comparison websites.

• Whilst travel providers and online sources such as social media are popular for researching and making a destination choice, one in three Germans consult travel guidebooks.

• Germans, on average, watch more than 3.5 hours of TV per day and listen to the radio for more than 4 hours per day.

42

2.4 Reaching the consumer

Source: Oxford Economics, VisitBritain/IPSOS 2016, FUR Reiseanalyse 2016 and 2017

Friends, family & colleagues#1 Influence for the destination choice

of Germans


Broadcast media• Germans watch TV for 223 mins. on average each day

(AGF/GfK, 2015).• Biggest national public TV channels are ARD, ZDF and

their regional subchannels e.g. SWR, SR, WDR, RBB, NDR and BR.

• Commercial TV landscape: RTL group and ProSiebenSAT1 media group, pay TV: Sky, some local TV channels and teleshopping channels.

• Dedicated travel programmes: “Da will ich hin…” (SR), “Service Reisen” (HR), “Reisewege” (SWR) and “Nordseereport” (NR) as well as inter-cultural travel programmes on the German-French quality channel ARTE.

2.4 Reaching the consumer: broadcast media, radio and papers

Source: AGF/GfK 2015, die-zeitungen.de 2015,

Radio• There are >100 major radio stations in Germany and a

large number of smaller private channels; hardly any of them have any dedicated travel programmes but they still offer good media opportunities and they often have apps for smartphones and tablets to increase their audience.

• >56 million Germans listen to the radio on average 4 hours/day.

Newspapers• The German newspaper market is the biggest in

Europe: 45.3 million read newspapers each day (=65% of the population; die-zeitungen.de, 2015); local papers make up a large part of this market.

• The main publishing houses are spread across the country with Berlin being one of the most prominent media centres.

• The biggest national titles include: BILD, Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ), Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), Welt, Frankfurter Rundschau (FR), Tageszeitung (Taz), Tagesspiegel, Neues Deutschland (ND) with BILD being the highest-selling tabloid in Europe (circulation: 2.57 million).

• All newspapers have weekly travel or lifestyle sections with the content being a compilation of internally produced travel features (often the result of press visits) and articles from news agencies and freelance journalists.


Magazines• Almost 1,600 titles – more than 32.7 million Germans

read a magazine at least weekly with TV magazines having the highest circulation; the market is highly competitive and not saturated despite the large number of magazines.

• Top 5 German travel magazines by circulation: “ADAC Reisemagazin” (circulation: 94,838), “Geo Saison” (88,638), “Reise und Preise” (72,060), “Abenteuer Reisen” (58,494) and “Lonely Planet Traveller Magazine” (55,000).

• Ongoing trend topics:- Rediscovery of men as promising target group:

Freeman’s World (adventure, travel, life style) and Tweed (British lifestyles)

- DIY magazines (COUCH, D.I.Y)- Blog style magazines (I LIKE BLOGS)- New titles: EASY (weekly women’s magazine), SALON

(hospitality, interior design, lifestyle, food)- Country-style magazines are also a great media

platform; the market leader is “Landlust” (1 million sold copies)

Online media• Growing usage of apps and mobile enabled websites

(MEW) resulted in an increase in the number of registered online media: 1,067 online media suppliers are registered subject to a regular official and independent review – these are a mixture of “classic” online media suppliers and online versions of traditional media, apps or MEWs (http://asuweisung.ivw-online.de).

• Print goes digital:- E-paper circulation of 780,134 overall in 2015- choice of more than 600 apps- traffic is growing- 2/3 of internet users from 14 years of age consult online

newspaper sites; most popular versions: bild.de, Focus online and Spiegel Online

• Travel blogs are less popular than in other European countries with a limited number of them available. Many of them include social media presences; www.planetbackpacker.de was the most influential German travel blog in 2015 (Top Blog Ranking). The German language can act as a barrier to obtaining a large global following.

• The importance of YouTube has increased and some German vloggers are very popular with hundreds of thousands of followers – they might not focus on travel in particular but are trusted amongst their young followers.

2.4 Reaching the consumer: magazines and online media


2.4 Reaching the consumer: social media on holiday

45

Source: VisitBritain/IPSOS 2016, base: all respondents: Have you used social media in any of the following ways whilst on your last holiday to Britain (visitors) /on your last holiday to a foreign destination (considerers)?

Use of social media on holiday • Germans tend to have below-average usage of social media (whilst on holiday) but still roughly one in three use it to keep in touch with people at home and one in five use it to post or upload photos of their holiday.

• The social media channels most used in the German market are YouTube, Facebook, Google +, Twitter, Instagram and Pintererst.

• 63% of Germans regard a smartphone as essential whilst they are on holidays.

• 84% of Germans love to take photos when they are on holidays which is above average compared to all other markets and only topped by Italian respondents when compared to other European markets.

• Germans have a below-average propensity to share their photos whilst on holiday and are less likely to share video content whilst on holidays in comparison to other markets.

19%

20%

23%

25%

29%

29%

30%

39%

44%

6%

11%

11%

11%

13%

47%

15%

22%

31%

0% 20% 40% 60%

Share my own advice or recommendations about visitingwhere I am

Ask for advice on where to go or what to do

To help you plan / decide where to go or what to see or whatto do

To let people know where I am at a given moment (e.g.checking in on Facebook)

Share with others where you are / what you are doing whileon holiday

I have not used social media at all on this type of holiday

Look for recommendations for places to eat or drink

To post / upload photos of my holiday

To keep in touch with people at home

Germany All markets


6%

6%

9%

9%

11%

12%

12%

14%

14%

15%

15%

15%

16%

16%

17%

18%

18%

19%

19%

22%

25%

25%

26%

26%

30%

31%

33%

40%

3%

4%

6%

4%

8%

12%

12%

8%

11%

13%

15%

10%

15%

23%

21%

16%

16%

15%

20%

17%

24%

32%

28%

27%

29%

36%

44%

51%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Information in radio advertsTravel programme on radio

Images / information on billboards / poster advertsSeeing social media posts from celebrities talking about their holiday destinations

Images / information in TV advertsArticles on an online encyclopaedia e.g. Wikipedia, Wikitravel

Images / information in adverts in a magazine or newspaperTravel app

Images or videos from a photo/video sharing social network siteA special offer or price deal you saw advertised offline e.g. in a newspaper, magazine or on TV

Images / information in online advertsImages or videos your friends or family have posted to social media

Direct advice from a travel agent/tour operator (face-to-face, over the phone)A travel feature / article in a magazine or newspaper

An official tourist brochure for the country / city / regionAn official tourist organisation website or social media site for the country or destination

Travel agent or tour operator brochureA special offer or price deal you saw advertised online

Travel programme on TVTravel blogs / forums

Travel agent or tour operator websiteA travel guidebook

An accommodation provider/ hotel websiteTalking to friends or family in your social network (e.g. via Facebook / Twitter)

Websites providing traveller reviews of destinations [e.g. TripAdvisor]Looking at prices of holidays/flights on price comparison websites

Information from search engines [e.g. Google]Talking to friends / relatives / colleagues

Germany All markets

2.4 Reaching the consumer: influences

46

Influences on destination choice

Source: VisitBritain/IPSOS 2016, base visitors & considerers. Which of the following sources influenced your choice of destination? (Market scores have been adjusted so that the sum of all influences for each market is equivalent to the global total, to enable meaningful comparisons)


• Germans rate Britain highly for cultural and built heritage, contemporary culture, vibrant cities and sports, but less so for scenic natural beauty and welcome; Britain is rated 26th and 22nd out of fifty nations respectively on these two attributes.

• Museums and music are the cultural products or services most strongly associated with Britain among Germans.

• A trip to Britain would be expected to be ‘Educational’ and ‘Fascinating’ by Germans.

• Australia and to a lesser extent the USA are the destinations that Germans consider the ‘best place’ for delivering the things they most want from a holiday destination.

• Areas of strength for Britain include being somewhere to see ‘famous sites’ and for ‘lots of history’ while very few consider Britain is the ‘best place for ‘food and drink’.

• Activities that appeal to potential visitors from Germany include a visit to Buckingham Palace and spotting wildlife in the Scottish Highlands.

47

2.5 Perceptions of Britain

Source: GfK Anholt Nation Brands Index 2017, Arkenford 2013

Areas of strength for Britain:Culture, history

and famous sites



48

Source: GfK Anholt Nation Brands Index 2017

Measure Germanrespondents

Allrespondents

Overall Nation Brand 10 3Culture (overall) 4 5The country has a rich cultural heritage 6 7The country is an interesting and exciting place for contemporary culture such as music, films, art and literature 4 3

The country excels at sports 6 4People (overall) 18 6If I visited the country, the people would make me feel welcome 22 13Tourism (overall) 11 3Would like to visit the country if money was no object 17 6The country is rich in natural beauty 26 24The country is rich in historic buildings and monuments 6 5The country has a vibrant city life and urban attractions 5 4

Britain’s ranking (out of 50 nations)


16%

13%

14%

23%

23%

29%

29%

36%

37%

39%

45%

27%

7%

4%

16%

13%

30%

23%

30%

30%

40%

40%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

None

Circus

Street Carnival

Opera

Sculpture

Pop videos

Modern Design

Sports

Films

Music

Museums

Germany All respondents


49

Source: GfK Anholt Nation Brands Index 2017

Cultural associations Adjectives describing a potential trip to Britain

17%

5%

7%

7%

8%

8%

16%

17%

30%

32%

33%

21%

6%

6%

6%

6%

5%

17%

15%

27%

32%

37%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

None

Depressing

Boring

Risky

Stressful

Spiritual

Relaxing

Romantic

Exciting

Fascinating

Educational

Germany All respondents



50

Holiday wants and % saying destination is best place for…Best place to get…

Source: VisitBritain/Arkenford 2013

Importance GB FR IT AU US NL6.15 Enjoy the beauty of the landscape 14% 35% 35% 53% 31% 14%6.14 Have fun and laughter 15% 13% 17% 23% 30% 10%6.02 Soak up the atmosphere 9% 19% 28% 30% 17% 7%6.01 Explore the place 15% 18% 17% 33% 33% 12%5.97 Enjoy local specialities (food and drink) 6% 53% 48% 15% 10% 6%5.96 Do what I want when I want spontaneously 6% 10% 11% 24% 37% 15%5.95 Offers good value for money 9% 13% 21% 10% 13% 21%5.95 The people are friendly and welcoming 15% 20% 28% 34% 28% 23%5.89 Do something the children would really enjoy 13% 20% 28% 32% 37% 14%5.88 Enjoy peace & quiet 10% 20% 21% 36% 11% 15%5.80 Broaden my mind/ Stimulate my thinking 19% 20% 22% 39% 37% 10%5.75 Get some sun 3% 20% 48% 49% 21% 9%5.71 Experience things that are new to me 9% 10% 12% 58% 42% 9%5.60 See world famous sites and places 38% 40% 47% 35% 44% 12%5.60 Be physically healthier 9% 20% 26% 25% 14% 14%5.60 Have dedicated time with my other half 20% 38% 37% 33% 28% 23%5.59 It offers unique holiday experiences 19% 24% 27% 60% 55% 14%5.58 Feel connected to nature 8% 25% 17% 49% 20% 16%5.48 Chill/ slow down to a different pace of life 7% 17% 23% 24% 11% 12%5.38 Visit a place with a lot of history/historic sites 41% 48% 52% 20% 27% 11%5.36 Meet the locals 11% 11% 18% 30% 21% 10%5.33 Provides a wide range of holiday experiences 21% 27% 31% 47% 54% 15%5.27 Get off the beaten track 7% 14% 9% 40% 23% 9%5.26 Experience activities/places with a wow factor 22% 17% 16% 63% 66% 10%5.17 Feel special or spoilt 8% 21% 22% 27% 31% 10%5.05 Revisit places of nostalgic importance to me 21% 27% 37% 17% 19% 21%4.98 Good shopping 34% 27% 32% 15% 59% 14%4.92 A good place to visit at any time of year 15% 23% 25% 37% 37% 16%4.88 Easy to get around by public transport 19% 23% 19% 7% 14% 28%4.86 Enjoy high quality food and drink (gourmet food) 7% 66% 42% 18% 10% 7%4.55 Do something environmentally sustainable/ green 28% 31% 19% 35% 24% 29%4.53 Meet and have fun with other tourists 16% 8% 17% 51% 45% 28%4.53 Visit places important to my family's history 10% 18% 25% 23% 21% 11%4.52 To participate in an active pastime or sport 12% 22% 29% 35% 31% 19%4.18 Experience adrenalin filled adventures 18% 11% 14% 41% 37% 9%3.98 Fashionable destination 15% 27% 34% 42% 45% 13%3.93 Go somewhere that provided lots of laid on entertainment/nightlife 23% 24% 27% 23% 55% 18%3.66 Watch a sporting event 33% 18% 26% 27% 29% 17%3.64 Party 13% 23% 22% 23% 43% 27%3.50 Do something useful like volunteering to help on a project 15% 29% 11% 23% 22% 25%


2.4 Reaching the consumer

51

Source: VisitBritain/IPSOS 2016, adjusted data

Motivations for choosing Britain as a holiday destination

8%

9%

10%

12%

12%

13%

13%

16%

16%

17%

18%

18%

18%

19%

19%

21%

22%

22%

22%

22%

22%

23%

25%

42%

2%

5%

5%

7%

7%

13%

16%

18%

15%

9%

15%

17%

13%

21%

16%

17%

18%

33%

20%

31%

31%

24%

42%

44%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%

Easy to visit with childrenVisit a film/TV location

Watching sportCost of staying in the destination

The climate / weatherWide range of holiday activities

Meeting localsEasy to get plan/organise

Accommodation (variety & quality)Security / safety

A good dealTry local food and drink

Contemporary cultureA mix of old and new

A culture different from ownEase of getting to the country

Visiting friends or relativesSomewhere English-spoken

Easy to get aroundCountryside/natural beauty

Vibrant citiesWanted to go somewhere new

Wide variety of places to visitCultural attractions

Germany All markets


9%

11%

10%

11%

12%

16%

9%

14%

13%

17%

17%

19%

25%

18%

16%

18%

27%

29%

0

2%

2%

3%

3%

3%

4%

4%

4%

5%

5%

5%

6%

6%

6%

7%

8%

12%

13%

0

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

Enjoy traditional afternoon tea & cakesTake a leisurely steam cruise in the Lake District

None of theseRelax in Bath rooftop spa overlooking Roman baths

Go on the Harry Potter studio tourHave fish & chips at the seaside

Watch a musical in London's West EndEnjoy a night out in Newcastle's bars

Visit 16th c. historic Chatsworth House & gardensGo walking in Yorkshire's moors & hills

Tour around quaint Cotswold villagesVisit Edinburgh castle

Dine by the fire in a cosy Welsh pubShop on London's Oxford Street

Go to a Premier League football matchView London from Shard tower / London Eye

Spot wildlife in Scottish HighlandsVisit Buckingham Palace

% first % any


52

Sought-after Britain activities

Source: GfK Anholt Nation Brands Index 2013; If you went on a holiday/vacation to Britain which of the following activities would you most like to do? Please choose a first, second and third choice


Access and travel trade

Chapter 3:

53


• It is possible to reach many destinations in Britain by air from Germany. There are also direct coach services and a simple change of train in Brussels enables visitors to reach Britain by rail.

• Monthly airline seat capacity from Germany to Britain has grown in recent years. Many airlines operate flights from Germany to Britain with Lufthansa being the largest carrier followed by British Airways.

• The German travel market is very mature, there are a few big players dominating the market but also a fair number of small specialist operators with comprehensive Britain programmes.

• Although in Germany retail agencies are still more important than in other European countries they are now increasingly facing competition from Internet travel portals.

54

3. Access and travel trade

Source: Apex Rdc 2016

~800,000Monthly airline seat

capacity from Germany to Britain in early 2016


3.1 Access: key facts

• Most Germans travel to the United Kingdom by plane. It is a very short non-stop flight: usually about 1-1.5 hrs flight time.

• The destination can also be accessed by direct coach services, by car through the Channel Tunnel, by ferry or by a simple change of train in Brussels or Paris.

• Seat capacity has steadily increased in recent years.

• German visitors departing Britain by air pay £13 in Air Passenger Duty.

• The above average regional spread of German visitors is supported by the connectivity to many regional airports in the United Kingdom.

• The small annual share of some regional airports can be due to seasonal connectivity e.g. Frankfurt-Hahn – Newquay which only runs in the summer schedule.

55

Most Germans travel to the UK by plane.

Source: Apex RdC 2016, non-stop flights only

Measure 2016

Weekly aircraft departures 1,263Weekly seat capacity 180,948Airports with direct routes in Germany 23Airports with direct routes in Britain 22

Access to Britain


3.1 Access: mode of transport

56


Visits by mode of transport Sea and tunnel travel (000s) in 2016

182 275

591

0100200300400500600700800

Visi

ts (0

00)

Air Sea Tunnel

71%

22%

6%

74%

14% 12%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

Air Sea TunnelGermany All markets

Annual share by mode (2016)

376

308

15

51

68

43

54

37

0 100 200 300 400

PrivateVehicle

Coach

Foot

Lorry

Visi

ts (0

00)

Tunnel Sea


3.1 Access: capacity

57

Source: Apex Rdc 2016: non-stop flights only

Annual airline seat capacity trends Origin airport annual seat capacity

21.1%

17.6%

12.2%11.8%

8.3%

6.9%

5.5%

5.2%

3.0%

1.8%1.7%1.3%1.0% 2.8%

Frankfurt International Munich - Franz Josef StraussDüsseldorf Berlin - Schönefeld AirportHamburg Berlin - TegelStuttgart Cologne/BonnHanover Frankfurt - HahnBremen DortmundDüsseldorf - Niederrhein Others

9,409,315

7,000,000

7,500,000

8,000,000

8,500,000

9,000,000

9,500,000

10,000,000

2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016

Airports with less than 1% annual seat share: Nuremberg, Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden, Memmingen, Leipzig/Halle, Friedrichshafen, Muenster Osnabrueck, Dresden, Erfurt , Hamburg Blankenese


3.1 Access: capacity

58

Airline seat capacity by carrier (2016)

Source: Apex Rdc 2016: non-stop flights only

Destination airport annual seat capacity

41.1%

14.1%

11.7%

7.8%

7.5%

4.3%

3.5%2.8%

1.6%1.3% 1.0% 3.4%

London - Heathrow London - StanstedManchester International Birmingham InternationalLondon - Gatwick EdinburghLondon City London - LutonBristol Glasgow InternationalAberdeen Others

24%

22%

16%

15%

14%

5%

1%1% 1% 1%

Lufthansa British Airways Eurowingseasy Jet Ryanair Flybebmi Regional Norwegian Air Int. Singapore AirlinesOther airlines

Airports with less than 1% annual seat share: East Midlands, Leeds/Bradford, Liverpool, Newcastle, Cardiff, Doncaster Sheffield, Cornwall Airport Newquay, Jersey, Belfast, London Southend, Guernsey


• The German travel market is very mature. The top five players have just over half of the market share. Medium-size and cruise operators have seen strong growth in the past few years.

• For Britain a range of smaller and specialist operators are also important.

• Distribution through retail agencies in Germany is still more important than in other European countries. Especially for bookings of individual elements (e.g. transport and accommodation) online booking channels are also seeing growth.

• Growth rates of OTAs have slowed down in the past two years

59

3.2 Travel trade: general overview

Source: fvw Dossier, Deutsche Veranstalter 2016, 23rd December 2016 & fvw Dossier, Deutscher Reisevertrieb 2016, 10th June 2015

16%

4%

13%

10%

8%6%5%

4%

34%

Markets share by turnover 2015/16

TUI Deutschland

TUI AG (TUI Cruises& HLKF)

Thomas Cook

DER Touristik

FTI Group

Aida Cruises

Alltours

Schauinsland

Others


3.2 Travel trade: German tour operators

60

Source: fvw Dossier, Deutsche Veranstalter 2016, 23rd December 2016

Top Ten Tour Operators Turnover €m Pax

TUI Deutschland 4.400,0 6.000,000

Thomas Cook Group 3.500,0 6.100,000

DER Touristik 2.800,0 5.400,000

FTI Group 2.210,0 3.900,000

Aida Cruises 1.500,0 908,000

Alltours Flugreisen 1.330,0 1.620,000

Schauinsland Reisen 1.100,0 1,370,000

TUI Cruises 821,0 413,752

Phoenix Reisen 327,2 154,058

Hapag-Lloyd Kreuzfahrten 296,7 28,898

Top ten operators in Germany in 2015/16 The major tour operators with a comprehensive Britain programme are:

Owned by DER Touristik

Owned by TUI Deutschland Partly owned by Thomas Cook


3.2 Travel trade: online travel companies

61

Source: fvw Dossier, Deutscher Reisevertrieb 2017, 9th June 2016, *estimated figures

Company Name Turnover 2016 (€m)*

Platform(s)

Booking.com 2,000.0 Booking.com

Expedia 1,400.0 Expedia.de, Hotels.com, ebookers.de

HRS 1,300.0 Expedia.de

Unister Travel 1,100.0 Ab-in-den-Urlaub.de, Fluege.de, Reisen.de, travel14.com, Flug24.de

Seven Travel 1,000.0Weg.de, Tropo.de, Reise.com, Etraveli.com(Seat24.de, gotogate.com, Überflieger.de), Billiger-Mietwagen.de, Mydays.de

Check 24 850.0 Check24.de

Holidaycheck 770.0 Holidaycheck.de

TUI Deutschland 750.0 TUI.com, TUIfly.com, LtuR.com, 1-2-Fly.com, Airtours.de

Edreams Odigeo 730.0 Opodo.de, Govelo.de, Edreams.de

Schmetterling Reisen 717.2 Schmetterling24.de and partner platforms

Top ten online travel companies


3.2 Travel trade: German holidays

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Date National Holiday

1 January New Year’s Day

14 April Good Friday

17 April Easter Monday

1 May Labour Day

25 May Ascension Day

5 June Whit Monday

3 October Day of German Unity

31 October Reformation Day (only in 2017 due to Luther anniversary)

25-26 December Christmas

National public holidays in 2017

Public and local holidays

Date Local Holiday

Federal State

6 January Twelfth Day Baden Württemberg, Bavaria, Saxony-Anhalt

15 June Corpus Christi

Baden Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony-(only certain counties), Thuringia (only certain cities)

15 August Assumption Day

Bavaria, Saarland (only certain towns)

1 November All Saints Day

Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland

22 November RepentanceDay Saxony

Local Holidays in 2017


3.2 Travel trade: practical information

General practical information:• Business hours are usually 09:00 – 18:00

(with 45 minute lunch break).• A firm handshake is the most traditional form of greeting.

Titles are important and denote respect. You should say Herr or Frau and the person's title and their surname until invited to use their first name. In general, when entering a room, shake hands with everyone individually.

• Check your trip does not coincide with a public holiday as many Germans take a long weekend around these, especially in the spring and summer. Check on whether there is a large trade fair happening in the city you are visiting, as it may be impossible to find a hotel room.

• Punctuality is important. If you expect to be delayed, telephone and offer an explanation. It is considered rude to cancel a meeting at the last minute and it could jeopardize your business.

• Dress code: Business dress tends to be understated and conservative.

• Business Meeting Etiquette: Appointments are mandatory and should be made one to two weeks in advance. An introductory email or letter is essential (not necessarily in German) with relevant background information. Most meetings are formal and initial meetings are used to get to know each other. Meetings tend to adhere to strict agendas, including starting and end times. At the end of a meeting, some Germans signal their approval by rapping their knuckles on the table.

• Communication tends to be formal and you should expect written communication, both to back up decisions and to maintain a record of decisions and discussions. Following the established protocol is critical to building and maintaining business relationships. Once a firm business relationship has been established it is appropriate to relax rules and to become more informal.

• Business often is hierarchical and decision-making is held at the top of the company. Final decisions are translated into comprehensive action steps.

• Make sure your printed material is available in both English and German.

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3.2 Travel trade: sales calls

Sales callsGermany is a large regionalised country with the travel trade concentrated around several cities, often with large distances between them. Therefore, before you embark on what could turn out to be a very costly and time-consuming sales visit to Germany, VisitBritain recommends that you take the following steps: • Provide the operators you are visiting with a

comprehensive information pack (preferably in German) about your product. On your return to Britain ensure that you follow up quickly and renew contact regularly.

• Keep in touch with VisitBritain; let us know about your progress. Regular market intelligence is essential for our future plans and activities.

• It is also important to note that a significant number of the key Britain players attend the VisitBritain’s ExploreGBworkshop, Best of Britain, BIM Marketplace and VisitScotland Expo. Please contact VisitBritain London for details of those attending. Some operators also visit World Travel Market but register with the organisers independently.

• Bear in mind that it is not going to happen overnight! Germany is a huge, complex and very competitive market that requires hard work and commitment. It may take several years to become established.

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mailto:[email protected]


3.2 Travel trade: hospitality etiquette

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Hospitality etiquetteIf there is the opportunity it is definitely a good idea to take your German business partner out for a meal –either to build up a relationship or to thank for business given in the past. Here are some practical tips to help you plan this:• When choosing a restaurant ensure beforehand that

credit cards are accepted or bring enough cash. Many German restaurants do not take credit cards (either cash or German debit cards).

• If you order water, you will be asked whether you wish still or carbonated mineral water. It is uncommon to order tap water.

• Service and VAT are included in the menu price in restaurants and bars all over Germany. Still, it is typical to "round up" the amount to some more-or-less round figure. A rule of thumb is to add 5-10%, generally ending with a full Euro amount.

• If you are not paying for all, splitting a bill in Germany is quite common. Simply tell the waiter/waitress when paying what you are paying for, s/he will readily add up your amounts and present you with a personal total, which you should round up, as explained above. The waiter/waitress is likely to come up at the end of the meal and ask "All together?" or, in German “Zusammen?"


3.3 Caring for the consumer

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Language basicsEnglish German

Please Bitte

Thank you Danke

Yes Ja

No Nein

Sorry! (apology) Entschuldigung!

Excuse me! Entschuldigen Sie, bitte!

Sorry, I do not speak German.

Entschuldigung, ich sprecheleider kein Deutsch.

Caring for the consumer• Very few German visitors expect their British hosts to

speak German, with the majority of younger Germans speaking English.

• German visitors are likely to have planned their itinerary in some detail, but younger visitors may be more spontaneous, but all will welcome local recommendations for things to do and see.

• Germans often try to find accommodation that has ‘character’.

• German vegetarians are often impressed by the range of choices on offer in Britain.


3.3 Caring for the consumer: German language tips

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Language tips for arrival and departureEnglish German

Hello Hallo

My name is… Ich heiβe…

Welcome to Britain Willkommen in Großbritannien

Pleased to meet you! Ich freue mich Sie kennenzulernen.

How are you? Wie geht es Ihnen?

Enjoy your visit! Genießen Sie Ihren Aufenthalt!

Goodbye! Auf Wiedersehen!

Did you enjoy your visit? Hatten Sie einen schönen Aufenthalt?

Have a safe journey home! Ich wünsche Ihnen eine sichere Heimreise!

Hope to see you again soon! Auf ein baldiges Wiedersehen!


We can help you extend your reach through:• Digital and social media such as through

Twitter, our Facebook page – Love GREAT Britain, or Pinterest.

• Press and PR by sending us your newsworthy stories or hosting our journalists and broadcast crew

• Leisure, and the business travel trade via our programme of sales missions, workshops and exhibitions or promotion to our qualified Britagents and supplier directory

• Print advertising in targeted media/Britain supplements

• Retailing your product through the VisitBritain shop

• Or as a major campaign partner

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3.4 Working with VisitBritain

We are here to support you and look forward to working with you.

To find out more browse our opportunity search (visitbritain.org/opportunities)or trade website(trade.visitbritain.com)or contact the B2B events team (Email: [email protected]) or campaign partnerships team (Email: [email protected])or trade support team(Email: [email protected])

http://www.visitbritain.org/opportunities

http://trade.visitbritain.com/en





We have dedicated research and insights available which include:• Latest monthly and quarterly data from the

International Passenger Survey by ONS(visitbritain.org/latest-monthly-datavisitbritain.org/latest-quarterly-data-uk-overallvisitbritain.org/latest-quarterly-data-area)

• Inbound Tourism Trends by Marketvisitbritain.org/inbound-tourism-trends

• Sector-specific researchvisitbritain.org/sector-specifc-research

• 2017 Inbound Tourism Forecastvisitbritain.org/forecast

• Britain‘s competitivenessvisitbritain.org/britains-competitiveness

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3.5 Useful research resources


To find out more about Germany or other inbound markets browse our markets & segments pages or(visitbritain.org/markets-segments)our inbound research & insights or(visitbritain.org/inbound-research-insights)contact us directly(Email: [email protected])

https://www.visitbritain.org/latest-monthly-data

https://www.visitbritain.org/latest-quarterly-data-uk-overall

https://www.visitbritain.org/latest-monthly-data



https://www.visitbritain.org/inbound-tourism-trends

https://www.visitbritain.org/sector-specific-research

https://www.visitbritain.org/forecast

https://www.visitbritain.org/britains-competitiveness

https://www.visitbritain.org/markets-segments

https://www.visitbritain.org/inbound-research-insights



We have dedicated research and insights available which include:• Planning, decision-making and booking cycle of

international leisure visitors to Britainhttps://www.visitbritain.org/understanding-international-visitors

• Technology and social mediahttps://www.visitbritain.org/understanding-international-visitors

• Gateways in England, insights on overseas visitors to England's regions, participation in leisure activities, multi-destination trips and morevisitbritain.org/visitor-characteristics-and-behaviour

• Food & drink researchvisitbritain.org/inbound-food-drink-research

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3.5 Useful market-specific research resources


To find out more about Germany or other inbound markets browse our markets & segments pages or(visitbritain.org/markets-segments)our inbound research & insights or(visitbritain.org/inbound-research-insights)contact us directly(Email: [email protected])

https://www.visitbritain.org/understanding-international-visitors

https://www.visitbritain.org/understanding-international-visitors

https://www.visitbritain.org/visitor-characteristics-and-behaviour

https://www.visitbritain.org/inbound-food-drink-research

https://www.visitbritain.org/markets-segments

https://www.visitbritain.org/inbound-research-insights



Market and Trade Profile: Germany

market profile germany - visitbritain.org · market and trade profile germany • chapter 1:...

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