As of: January 29, 2024 1:50 p.m
The booking season for travel in 2024 is in full swing. Many people long for a long-distance or plane trip. But vacations have become expensive. Why is that? And how can you save?
In a survey by the “Vacation and Travel” research group, around a quarter of those surveyed said that they could not afford a trip this year. The German Travel Association (DRV) also expects that fewer people will travel this year than in 2023. But Germans are still happy to travel. Summer vacation is particularly important to many people – if only one trip is possible instead of two vacations for financial reasons, most people prefer to forego the winter trip.
Inflation and high personnel costs – or greed for profit?
In 2023 there were price increases of 20 to 30 percent across the board. And the DRV also expects “moderate price increases” in 2024. Both the DRV and the tour operators blame the increase in prices on inflation, increased personnel costs and higher flight prices.
This is difficult to verify – independent travel experts have little insight into the companies’ price calculations. However, it is obvious that high demand and limited supply stimulate the organizers’ desire for profit, says Professor Rainer Hartmann from the Sustainable Leisure and Tourism Development course at Bremen University of Applied Sciences: “It’s a spiral that turns upwards. And if you… Organizers have the opportunity to squeeze out a little bit of profit after two years of losses…”
Expert: “Greed inflation” primarily drives up flight prices
When companies add something extra to general and external price increases, experts speak of “greed inflation”. There have been bold price increases, especially for flights, says travel agency manager Frank Doll: “When it comes to flight prices, you can speak of a gold rush mentality. The airlines try to increase a little and when the planes are full, they increase even more and then the price screws up almost never ending.” Even the European Central Bank has warned tour operators and airlines not to impose even more inflation on their customers.
What tips can you use to save money?
Despite all the price increases, the tips for saving remain the same as ever: traveling outside of the school holidays is cheaper, booking early is worth it, as are price comparisons online or in a travel agency. Prices sometimes fluctuate from day to day or even within a few hours. However, air travel will not be cheaper in the long term: an additional aviation tax is to be introduced in Germany from May 2024. This makes flights more expensive by around 20 percent. If you book in advance, you can avoid these additional costs.
More sustainability and fair wages: travel behavior is changing
Experts warn that air travel for bargain trips is also bad for the environment. Our travel behavior must therefore change, says tourism researcher Hartmann: “From a sustainability perspective, traveling was too cheap. Not only ecologically and because of environmental factors, but also because we were used to traveling at other people’s expense. The travel industry is characterized everywhere by the fact that People are paid poorly, which drives down prices.”
In the future, tour operators also want to better identify which trips are more sustainable. And maybe it doesn’t always have to be very far away – a trip can also start right on your doorstep.
Further information
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44 Min
The joy of vacationing is often quickly followed by vacation frustration. Jo Hiller informs about the tricks of the tour operators. 44 mins
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NDR Blue | Market | 01/29/2024 | 8:15 p.m