The current geopolitical situation in the Middle East is affecting the travel behavior of Germans, with 7 out of 10 adjusting their travel plans. However, German holidaymakers are not turning down holidays, as the desire to travel remains despite the uncertainty caused by the war between the US-Israeli coalition and Iran, but they are choosing safer destinations in Europe and are mainly opting for organized trips, as revealed by a new representative survey conducted on behalf of HolidayCheck.
According to the research findings, 70% of Germans say that the current political situation affects their travel plans. More specifically, 40% report that the political situation affects their holiday planning strongly or very strongly, while 30% report partial influence.
Adaptation instead of abstention is the choice of the Germans
The majority of travelers do not react with complete self-control, but adjust their plans by changing destinations, dates or type of travel. 40% say they are ready to turn to other destinations, 35% are looking for more flexible prices and about one in five are willing to change travel dates or type.
Surprisingly, one in three people thinks about traveling even to a country for which there is a travel warning.
32% of respondents said they would definitely or probably travel to an affected country despite the existence of a (partial or full) travel warning. At the same time, many people are looking for information about the destinations they plan to visit, with 63% always or usually checking if a travel warning is in effect.
“Summer vacationers are dealing with the current situation in very different ways: While many pay particular attention to safety when planning, the desire to travel remains a decisive factor for others, so destinations with travel warnings are not ruled out for some,” notes HolidayCheck’s travel expert, Nina Hammer.
German holidaymakers prefer Europe
The results paint a clear picture of Germans’ preference for closer, safer destinations, with Europe being the reference point.
Germany, Austria and Switzerland are considered the safest destinations by 70% of Germans, followed by Western Europe with 56%. Southern Europe and the Mediterranean region account for 48%, with Germans considering both options as extremely safe. Scandinavia, Central and Eastern Europe follow with 40%, and the Canary Islands are at 39%.
Meanwhile, North America, as well as Central and South America, account for 20%, while Asia is at 24%, Africa is limited to 10%, and the Arabian Peninsula is considered a safe travel destination for only 3% of the Germans who participated in the survey. This proves that the sense of security is significantly lower for the more remote areas.
“Overall, the research shows that well-known and easily accessible travel destinations are considered particularly safe. The sense of safety decreases with increasing distance. Short and medium-distance destinations could therefore benefit particularly this year,” Ms. Hammer said.
Organized trips are gaining more importance
Organized trips are making a strong comeback, with 73% of respondents considering them safe or very safe, compared to only 53% for independent trips, in an environment of uncertainty.
In particular, organized trips offer travelers a greater degree of safety and a sense of protection. Clear points of contact, repatriation options, and destination support in the event of a crisis are increasingly coming to the forefront when making travel decisions.
High fuel prices affect travel decisions
Apart from geopolitical tensions, rising fuel prices are also having a significant impact on German travel planning, with 47% of respondents saying that the increase in fuel prices is strongly or very strongly affecting their plans, and another 33% saying that it is affecting them to some extent.
The Germans approach the problem in various ways, with 28% wanting to switch to other means of transportation, 26% planning to choose a different travel destination, 18% changing the type of trip, the time or duration of the vacation, while only 17% are considering not traveling at all.
In total, 83% of Germans expect that traveling will become more expensive in the future, a finding that reflects the concern of the German travel market.
The research was conducted online by Media Market Insights in collaboration with the market research institute KANTAR, on a sample of 1,000 employees aged 16 to 69 years, between 21 and 27 April 2026.
