Germans confidently prefer to make their own holiday choices – long-haul travellers continue to book package tours.

According to ADAC Reisemonitor, this year (2010) 61.7 per cent of those polled intend to organise their holiday trips themselves, 5.1 per cent more than in 2007 (56.6 per cent).

"German behaviour patterns have significantly changed. For many people planning and organising one's own holidays is a perfectly natural thing. As a result there is a growing demand for information. This is reflected by the rise in attendance by the general public on the open days at ITB Berlin. The fact that visitors are increasingly booking directly after ITB Berlin is a clear indication that they are making use of the world's largest travel trade show to obtain their own information to make their holiday decisions themselves", is how Dr. Martin Buck, Director Competence Center, Travel and Logistics at Messe Berlin commented the latest findings of ADAC Reisemonitor.

According to the survey, at over 85 per cent Germany is the country with the highest number of people booking their own holidays. Only six per cent said they would book a package holiday in Germany. The majority of holidaymakers also make their own arrangements for travelling in Europe.

More than 50 per cent said they would plan their own trip, with 36 per cent willing to book a package tour within Europe. The picture is different for long-haul travel. More than 47 per cent of the respondents said they would book all-inclusive tours, while 31 per cent would make their own arrangements.

Dr. Martin Buck: "Package tours have long been declared dead and buried, but for tour operators they remain the main source of income. Nonetheless, a new pattern is emerging. Tourism professionals are offering new types of travel and creative services, and as a result are reaching people who have their own ideas about holiday trips. Many organisers are advertising holiday modules which can be individually combined, enabling customers to tailor their own personal holiday packages."

4Hoteliers.com is covering the ITB Berlin 2011 live with our own reporters on site. The news is eblasted daily globally and can be viewed via the dedicated news channel www.4Hoteliers.com/itb (currently still live with ITB Berlin 2010 coverage).

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