Germans on Holidays
April 16, 2007
As the world's undisputed traveling kings, checking out the ultimate holiday deal is virtually a national pastime here in Germany. In fact, if a German doesn't have a massive pile of dog-eared guide books and glossy travel brochures about the world's best beaches, mountains and museums in their lounge room, their friends will probably take his or her temperature and book an emergency appointment at a travel agency.
And although Germans can be found swarming around tourist highlights all around the world, it seems the one place they don't like to visit is the east of their own country.
According to a poll by the TNS-Emnid Institute, nearly 90 percent of eastern Germans had visited the west but just under half of all western Germans (or Wessies as they are called here) have never been to the former DDR.
It seems former communist East Germany has a bad reputation despite its picture-postcard towns, wealth of art and culture and beautiful countryside.
Hard to shake off communist past
"The buildings are old and everything is run down," said one Cologne woman happy to share her opinions about her country's east, although she'd never been there. "Nothing is new there."
Some parts of eastern Germany had some bad press because of far right attacks on foreigners and an increase in support for extreme right wing parties. This doesn't go down well with Wessies who pride themselves on their tolerance.
"They are unemployed and have no motivation for the future so they are racist," said another Wessie. Though high unemployment doesn't seem to stop Germans visiting other countries such France or Romania.
Those that do take a look at eastern Germany 17 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall are the elderly with the majority of German visitors to the region over 50.
Where do Germans go?
Within their own country, it seems Germans are just suckers for one-liter beers steins, men in leather pants and mountain scenery -- more than 20 percent of the 212 million domestic trips made last year were to Bavaria.
Otherwise, the preferred German holiday destination is Spain, Spain and Spain. After all, lazing on Majorca's beaches is more relaxing, cheaper, and warmer than wearing out your feet taking a tour of Dresden’s Royal Palace.