The rapid increase in energy prices and the risk of a shortage of aviation fuel are affecting the Germans‘ plans for their Easter holidays, with 14% already making adjustments. Meanwhile, EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen openly calls on Europeans to save energy when it comes to car and plane travel, confirming that the industry is on high alert.
“The more we can do to save oil, mainly diesel and especially aviation fuel, the better we will be,” Mr. Jørgensen told Politico. The Commissioner from Brussels wants to encourage Europeans to travel less. This is due to Europe’s massive dependence on the Persian Gulf, as more than 40% of the EU’s kerosene and diesel imports come from this region, according to the Commissioner.
Many Germans are changing or canceling their Easter holidays
The fact that the crisis has long affected consumers is proven by a representative survey of the online broker XTB, conducted by the market research institute TGM, among more than 1,000 respondents in Germany. According to the results, the war in Iran affects the Easter holiday plans of one in four Germans. 10% have already changed their destination or route, 10% are considering changing their travel plans, and 4% have completely cancelled their holidays.
“The conflict in the Middle East is not only a geopolitical and military issue. It also affects the economy, not just the stock market, but also people’s everyday lives – in this case, the cost of Easter holidays,” explains Jens Chrzanowski, head of XTB Germany.
The increase in petrol and air ticket prices is the main factor behind this caution: 20% of German holidaymakers are considering more economical options, such as a trip to a destination closer to the one they had initially planned, while 15% are thinking of cancelling their trip altogether. Only 20% insist on their plans, regardless of the cost.
For travelers who choose long-distance trips, uncertainty is even greater: almost 50% of Germans are thinking of replacing their trip with a shorter one, either in Germany or in Europe, if the situation worsens. 15% insist on their original destination, but may choose a different route or airline. Postponing or cancelling the trip would be an option for 14% of the respondents. While 22% do not intend to make any changes to their travel plans.
A simple calculation shows the size of the problem: Anyone who drives 1,000 kilometers by car and consumes eight liters of diesel per 100 kilometers, pays with the current price of 2.30 euros per liter in Germany 184 euros, instead of 120 euros that he paid previously with a price of 1.50 euros per liter. For the return journey of 2,000 kilometers, the additional cost is 128 euros. A sum that for many families can be decisive for the decision to travel or cancel the trip.
Industry representatives warn of damage to added value
However, Jørgensen’s request has been met with strong criticism in the tourism industry. Marcel Klinge, a representative of the board of the think tank “Zukunft der Gastwelt” (DZG), believes that general calls for abstention are counterproductive. “Tourism and mobility are not luxury goods that can be omitted, but central components of value creation and social stability,” Mr. said. Klinge, according to the German website Reisevor9. In Germany alone, approximately six million jobs depend directly or indirectly on tourism.
Instead of general abstention, targeted incentives for energy efficiency, electric mobility and modernization are needed. This way, better results could be achieved at a structural level. “A general boycott of travel would mainly destroy value creation, without reducing energy consumption to the same extent,” says Marcel Klinge.
