Summer holidays 2021: Now the British are starting their vengeance trip - the Germans are threatened with being left behind

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In Great Britain they call it "revenge travel", in German: Vengeance trip.

Quasi in retaliation for endless, dreary months in the corona quarantine, vacation should be taken this summer, so that it crashes.

Longer, further, more expensive: These appear to be the trends for the summer season 2021, after the prospect of rapid tests and the prospect of the digital vaccination certificate have increased the freedom expectations of lockdown-tired Europeans to the extreme.

"We need the vaccination certificate well before summer," urges Norbert Kunz, Managing Director of the German Tourism Association (DTV): "Travel and tourism must be possible again."

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German tour operators had already registered in January that consumers were increasing their travel budget for this year by at least 20 percent compared to the long-term average.

But what impact the trend towards the vengeance journey can develop could be experienced this week in England.

After Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Tuesday that all corona restrictions would be lifted from the end of June, there was no stopping the package tour in the country of birth.

TUI reports an increase in demand of 500 percent

After Johnson's announcement, Easyjet reported a booking increase of more than 600 percent on a weekly basis.

The world market leader from Germany, TUI, which is also prominently positioned in Great Britain, recorded an overnight surge in demand of 500 percent.

Holiday home rental companies and other providers reportedly even registered an increase of 1000 percent.

The fact that Johnson was still cautious about international travel despite his promise to relax was completely drowned out in the euphoria.

A “Travel Task Force” is not due to present a report on opening up international travel routes until mid-April.

The government in London will not make a decision on this before May 17th.

But the expectations are there now.

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Ignoring these expectations is likely to be difficult, especially for German politicians who are also in a super election campaign in the super election year 2021.

Around 60 million Germans vote on the occupation of their parliaments, initially in Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt.

At the same time as the general election, the vote will then follow in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, albeit only after the summer vacation.

Although many people continue to understand the corona-related restrictions in everyday life, it is likely that the promises to open up in the upcoming election campaigns will drown out the health politicians' appeals for common sense and renunciation.

The fear that everything will soon be full

There is still talk of a possible extension of the lockdown.

But looking at the vaccination successes in neighboring countries also increases the panic of those looking for relaxation from Germany.

The fear that soon all the loungers by the pool could be occupied by British or Russian towels is fueling impatience.

The run of the travel-hungry is unlikely to be opposed by a politician who hopes to be elected or re-elected.

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"The blanket taboo on vacation travel is incomprehensible and completely ignores the fact that certain types of vacation and travel destinations can now be realized again without any significant risk," says Mario Köpers, managing director of the tourism consulting firm KC3: "Why should vacation in a vacation home in North and the Baltic Sea, where you probably have fewer contacts than at home, not be possible?

Why not a vacation on Mallorca, where the 7-day incidence is already below the threshold of 35 set by the federal government? "

DTV managing director Kunz considers the criticism of the privileges that beckon the vaccination certificate holder to be wrong: "It is neither conveyable nor comprehensible to restrict the basic rights if there is no longer any risk of infection," said the head of the association: "If we vaccinate supplemented with a broad test strategy, it is a big step towards a return to freedom rights in all areas of business and life, not just in tourism. "

This is probably one of the reasons why TUI boss Fritz Joussen gives little attention to the ongoing cautious opening discussion in Germany.

He is convinced: "Travel in Europe will be possible in summer 2021 - safely and responsibly."

Southern European countries have long had concepts

With the prospect of easy-to-use rapid tests and digital vaccination certificates, the world market leader apparently no longer wants to wait for decisions and initiatives by the federal government and has long been pursuing its own foreign policy.

TUI is "already in close coordination with Greece, Spain and Cyprus," said Joussen.

"The talks are to be extended to other holiday destinations in the western and eastern Mediterranean in the next few weeks."

In particular, the governments of the southern European countries have developed and presented good concepts for the new start in recent weeks, explains the group boss.

The core of these plans are rapid tests, vaccinations and standardized proof of immunity.

"A European vaccination certificate can help to restore freedom of travel, there is no doubt about that," emphasizes Joussen: "With a uniform EU certificate, politicians can now create an important basis for traveling in summer."

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As long as not everyone can be vaccinated, “rapid tests are the second important component for a safe vacation.

They are reliable and are now available in sufficient numbers. "

Lufthansa plans to fly to more than 30 new destinations this summer

A persistence of travel restrictions would wreak havoc on the tourism industry.

Many of the 11,000 travel agencies and 2,300 tour operators in Germany are “running out of breath”, warns the President of the German Travel Association DRV, Norbert Fiebig.

“Federal aid cannot adequately compensate for the economic losses for companies in the travel industry, especially not when we go from one lockdown to the next.

An extension of the aid beyond June must already be initiated. "

According to initial evaluations of booking inquiries, Greece and Spain are likely to become the most popular holiday destinations for Europeans this summer.

The Greek island of Crete ranks first in TUI's list.

Gran Canaria, Rhodes, Tenerife and Antalya are also in the top five.

The entire industry is preparing to serve these target countries.

Lufthansa has already announced that it will fly to 33 new holiday destinations from the Frankfurt and Munich hubs this summer.

The focus is on the Canary Islands, Greece and the Caribbean, which, among other destinations, will be served by the new long-haul company "Eurowings Discover" from Frankfurt.

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