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252 Germany
there has been a rapid assimilation in the type and
scope of tourism activity in the former East and
West, data can conceal important differences.
Out of a population of 63 million aged 14 and
over, some three-quarters now take one or more
main holiday trips �of at least five days long) a year.
Although this travel intensity seems to have levelled
off, a significant factor since reunification has been
a rapid rise in the number of second and third
main holidays. In addition to these main holidays,
Germans undertake some 60 million short breaks
per annum. Ten years after reunification, there is
little difference between eastern and western
Germans with regard to the percentage who take
one or more main holidays per year, with roughly
one-third being to domestic destinations �or 20
million holidays) and two-thirds to foreign destinations.
Total expenditure on tourism has risen
consistently since the 1960s and was estimated to
be $780 per person per holiday in 1998. In the
same year, tourism employed 2.6 million people
�more than double the number of any major
manufacturing industry). In addition to providing
some of the world's most active tourists, Germany
offers world class congress or convention facilities,
trade shows �in sectors such as toys, books,
tourism, cars and home electronics) and festivals
�such as `Fasching', Christmas markets, beer and
wine).
With increasing disposable income and foreign
purchasing power, Germans have steadily turned
their backs on their homeland as a destination.
Less than one-fifth of young singles and couples
holiday in Germany �the figure rises to one-half for
senior citizens) and less than one-third of all first
main holidays are spent in Germany �the figure
rises to 50 per cent for third main holidays). When
Germans do holiday in their own country, the
private car is by far the most popular means of
transportation, resulting in huge and predictable
traffic jams at peak periods throughout the
year, despite one of the best motorway networks in
Europe and the German zeal for environmental
awareness. The most popular destination for
domestic tourism is Bavaria, with a quarter of
all domestic main holidays. Most areas have
suffered falling numbers of domestic tourists, but
Mecklenburg-Pre-Pommerania has bucked the
trend with a sizeable increase; it is also the only
area in the former East Germany in which West
Germans holiday in any significant numbers.
The annual exodus to the sun and a predilection
for winter sports have established themselves
as major aspects of German tourism behaviour,
and since reunification residents of the former
East Germany have quickly reached western
levels of foreign travel. The tourism balance of
trade deficit has increased consistently since the
1960s and is expected to reach $27 billion in
1999. Germans prefer holidays abroad because
they see Germany as having poor weather, being
poor value for money compared with cheap
foreign destinations, and being unexciting and
not offering sufficient change from daily routine
and location. Their most popular destinations are
Spain �9 million holidays in 1998), Italy �5.9
million), Austria �4.4 million), France �2.7
million), Turkey �2.3 million), Greece �2.2
million), the Netherlands �1.5 million), Denmark
�1.2 million each) and Switzerland �1.1
million). The most popular long-haul destinations
are the United States �1.8 million), Tunisia
�0.8 million), Canada �0.42 million), Dominican
Republic �0.4 million), Egypt �0.39 million) and
Thailand �0.38 million).
Germany has seen its share of world tourism
drop from fifth place in 1985 to being no longer in
the top ten in 1996. The main countries of origin
are the Netherlands, the United States, the United
Kingdom, Sweden and Japan. The most frequented
destinations for incoming tourists are cities
rich in tradition such as Munich �especially for
American, British, Japanese and Austrian visitors),
Berlin �American, French, Dutch, Swedish and
Italian visitors) and Heidelberg �Americans, British
and Japanese). Although Germany can justly lay
claim to its image of a romantic country with
abundant landscape, architectural heritage and
culture, the German people still have some way to
go in establishing an international image as servicefriendly,
considerate hosts.
There has been a consistent trend since the
1960s towards booking through agencies. Although
Germany has traditionally had a large number of
small family-run hotels, small-scale tour operators
and independent travel agencies, fiercer
competition, investment in technology and a
trend to last-minute booking are squeezing profit