O T A Stud/ of CLorrr\f Volume 2 /f*S U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE/ U.S. Travel Service/ Office of Research and Analysis Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from LYRASIS Members and Sloan Foundation http://www.archive.org/details/studyofgermantraOOgess A Stud/ of German Travel Habits and Patterns Volume 2 Results of a national sampling survey of West German travelers, indicating their travel patterns, attitudes toward the U.S. as a travel destination, demographic and trip characteristics. a o u U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE United States Travel Service Office of Research and Analysis January 1975 & $°\ ^ y O ^ or sa ^ e ky the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office V $ JS rSS * % Washington, D.C. 20402 - Price $1.40 D \f> v5 |VSj4i > Stock No. 0312-00024 WEST GERMANY POLITICAL DIVISIONS AND METROPOLITAN AREAS WEST BERLIN Table of Contents Page I. INTRODUCTION 1 A. Purpose 1 B. Methodology 1 C. Summary of Findings 1 II. SOURCES OF INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE INTERNATIONAL TRAVELER 6 A. Incidence and Sources of Travel 6 B. Characteristics of International Travelers 6 C. Destinations 15 D. Non-U.S. Visitors 18 E. Reasons for Travel 20 F. Companionship During Travel 22 G. Length of Trip 22 H. Tour and Individual Travel 24 I. The Use of Travel Agencies by Individual Travelers 26 J. Means of Transportation/ Airline Use 27 K. Lodging 29 L. Expenditures 31 M. Seasonal Patterns 35 N. Other Details of the Intercontinental Travel Pattern 35 1 . Airline Selection 35 2. Trip Payment 35 3. Prior Planning Time 35 III. ATTITUDES TOWARD THE UNITED STATES AS A TRAVEL DESTINATION 37 A. General 37 B. Desirability as a Vacation Destination 38 C. Desirability for Other Travel Purposes 40 D. Activities of Hypothetical Interest 42 E. Impressions of the United States 43 F. Specific Destinations/Itineraries of Interest 44 G. Other Characteristics of a Hypothetical Trip to the United States .... 47 IV. ACCESS TO INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNITED STATES AND EXPOSURE TO PRINT ADVERTISING MEDIA 48 A. Information about the United States 48 B. Exposure to Print Media 49 V. TECHNICAL NOTES Appendices Appendix A. Definitions 51 Appendix B. Map of "Continental" Area 53 Appendix C. Sampling Methodology 54 Appendix D. Questionnaire 56 iii LIST OF TABLES Page Table 1 .—Origin of German Travelers 6 Table 2.— Demographic Profiles of West German Travelers 7 Table 3.— West German Travel Motivations 9 Table 4.— Incidence of Visits to Major Destinations— Intercontinental Travelers 15 Table 5.— Incidence of West German Travel to U.S. Destinations 16 Table 6. -Demographic Profiles of Visitors to the United States by U.S. Region 17 Table 7.— Destination Shares of the Travel Market Among Different Marketing and Demographic Groups by U.S. Region 18 Table 8. -Profiles of U.S.-Visitors and Non-U.S. Visitors 19 Table 9. -Family Ties With Persons Living Outside of Germany 20 Table 10.— Reasons Spontaneously Given for International Travel 21 Table 1 1.— Tour Travel Characteristics— German Travelers on Most Recent Trip 26 Table 12.— Use of Airlines in Intercontinental Travel 28 Table 13.— Average Total Expenditures for International Travel 31 Table 14.— Amounts Pre-Paid and Discretionary Funds 33 Table 1 5.— Distribution of Expenditures 33 Table 16.— Destination Preferences of West German Travelers 38 Table 17.— Destination Preferences for West German Vacation Travel 39 Table 18.— Characteristics of West Germans Preferring U.S. for Next Vacation 39 Table 19. -Image of the U.S. -West German Travel Market 40 Table 20.— Images of Major Destinations— Intercontinental Travelers 41 Table 21 .—Images of Major Destinations-Continental Travelers 42 Table 22.— Activities Travelers Would Be Interested in on a Trip to the U.S 43 Table 23.— Favorable and Unfavorable Aspects on Most Recent Trip to the U.S 44 Table 24.— U.S. Destinations of Interest to West Germans 45 Table 25.— Awareness of and Interest in Specific U.S. Travel Attractions 46 Table 26.— Ranking of Six Itineraries for a Hypothetical Trip to the U.S 46 Table 27.— Type and Sources of Information, Additional Information Desired, by West Germans Who Visited the United States 49 LIST OF CHARTS Chart 1 .—Incidence of Travel From West Germany 5 Chart 2.— Characteristics of West German Travelers— Sex 10 Chart 3.— Characteristics of West German Travelers— Age 11 Chart 4.— Characteristics of West German Travelers— Region of Residence 12 Chart 5. -Characteristics of West German Travelers-Net Monthly Household Income. . 13 Chart 6.— Characteristics of West German Travelers— Occupation 14 Chart 7. -Characteristics of West German Travelers— Duration of Most Recent Trip ... 23 Chart 8. -Characteristics of West German Travelers— Incidence of Tour Travel 25 Chart 9.— Characteristics of West German Travelers— Type of Lodging on Most Recent Trip 30 Chart 10.— Characteristics of West German Travelers— Distribution of Expenditures .... 34 Chart 1 1 .—Characteristics of West German Travelers-Prior Planning Time for Most Recent Trip 36 IV I. INTRODUCTION A. PURPOSE OF THE RESEARCH The United States Travel Service commissioned Gaither International, Inc., to conduct a per- sonal-interview survey of West Germans to obtain data on their international travel habits and attitudes toward the United States as a travel destination. The study focussed entirely on the international travel market, with primary emphasis on inter- national travelers who had traveled beyond areas close to Germany itself. However, inter- views were also conducted with "Continental" travelers (travelers within Europe), in order to assess their attitudes toward intercontinental travel and toward intercontinental travel desti- nations. B. METHODOLOGY OF THE RESEARCH The universe of study was defined as all adult Germans (18 or older) throughout the country, and including West Berlin. The findings presented in this report were obtained from personal interviews in two stages. The first stage consisted of 38,488 interviews designed simply to locate international travelers and to determine their incidence in various segments of the population. The second in- volved 1,402 interviews in detail with travelers of two different types. A total of 701 inter- views was accomplished with "Intercontinen- tal" travelers; the same number of interviews was conducted among "Continental" travelers. The first stage of the interviewing was com- pleted in the fall of 1973. The second stage of the fieldwork began in the fall of the same year, and was completed in January 1974. A description of the sampling and administra- tive procedures is presented in an appendix to this report, under the title "Technical Notes." An English translation of the questionnaire used is also annexed to this report. C. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS The following market overview summarizes the position of West Germany as a market for travel to the United States. 1. Market Overview German arrivals to U.S. 1973 331,922 Rank among arrivals from overseas countries 3 Percent of overseas arrivals 9.4% Receipts from German visitors (excluding transportation) 137 million Rank among receipts from overseas countries 2 Percent of overseas receipts 9.1% 2. Sources of International Travel International travel from Germany is fairly common— more than one-in-three persons living in West Germany/West Berlin have been abroad during the past two years. However, slightly less than 2% of the population has traveled inter- continental distances* during this time period. The international travel market— and the inter- continental segment of that market— is generally composed of the upper and middle economic segments of the population. Men constitute a disproportionately large share of international *Outside Europe, Northern Africa, British Isles, Scandinavia, and Eastern U.S.S.R. See map on page ii. travelers, although women account for four-in- ten persons taking a trip outside of Germany. The median age of the international traveler is nearly ten years younger than the overall population. This survey focuses primarily on the interconti- nental segment of the travel market, inasmuch as these travelers are considered the "primary market" for travel to the United States. 3. The U.S. Share of the Travel Market The United States dominates the intercontinen- tal segment of the German travel market. Fully one half of all intercontinental travelers visited this country on their last trip abroad; and for most of this group (43%), the United States was the final destination. The Eastern region of the United States is the most important area for tourism from Germany; the West (the Pacific Coast and Rocky Mountain states) is a distant second— but is of considerably greater interest for future travel to this country. The major reason for the U.S.'s strong position in the intercontinental travel market is that one half of all visitors to this country come to visit friends and relatives (VFR). The strength of the VFR market as a source for travel to the United States has a noticeable effect on the demographic profile of travelers. Persons who travel to visit friends and relatives have little in common with either business travelers or those who travel long distances for vacations. 4. Characteristics of Travelers to the United States Travelers visiting the United States for the purpose of visiting friends and relatives have fairly well defined characteristics: tending to be from the middle and lower economic groups, tend to be older and live in rural areas of Germany. Business travelers (11% of all visitors) are predominently men of the upper income level, usually in the middle age group, and reside in the larger metropolitan areas of Germany. Pleasure travelers who visit this country (33% of all visitors) are also more likely to be men, and to be from the upper or middle income levels. However, those who travel for pleasure are generally younger than either the VFR or the business travel markets. 5. General Characteristics of International Travel Pleasure is clearly the most significant reason for international and for intercontinental travel as a whole (not necessarily travel to the United States). Trips taken with the object of visiting friends and relatives occupy second place; those for business and study are relatively unimpor- tant. Travel within the Continental* area is almost totally dominated by the pleasure motive. Reasons for travel to the United States have already been mentioned. Forty-six percent of those who visit this country do so primarily for the purpose of visiting friends and relatives. Only one-in-three are taking pleasure trips— and very few of these are "vacationing" in the traditional sense of the word. Instead, visitors who come to the United States for pleasure are learning . . . about the country, the people, etc.; they are not resting, visiting beaches or the like. The average intercontinental trip is a relatively long trip, lasting an average of 31 days. Visitors to the United States usually take an average of 34 days for trips outside of Germany, of which 29 are spent in this country. These trips may be taken at any time of year, but tend to be concentrated (60%) in the four-month period from June to September. Individual travel is more popular than are tours. However, either travel agencies or tour opera- tors are involved in approximately seven out of ten trips taken intercontinentally, since most individual travelers use an agency at least for arranging transportation. The data suggest quite strongly that affinity groups were an important factor in travel to the United States from Germany. ! See map on page ii for definition. Virtually all intercontinental travel is by air (92%). Lufthansa and its charter subsidiary, Condor Flugdienst, are the strongest carriers in the market, (an estimated 43% combined) but certainly are not dominant. Pan American enjoys a significant market share (estimated at 19%). Non-scheduled air transport is quite strong in Germany, accounting for an estimated 25% of total West German/U.S. air travel. Hotels face serious competition from private homes in lodging Germans who travel intercon- tinentally— especially those visiting the United States. Other types of lodgings are secondary. The average intercontinental traveler from Germany estimates that he spent approximately DM 3110 on his last trip. This is roughly equivalent to US$ 1 150. The average trip to the United States costs somewhat less: DM 2920 (US$ 1080). Importantly, (especially when considering continental travelers as a potential market for "selling up" to intercontinental travel) there is a great gap between these expenditures and those made for a trip on the continent. Travelers estimate expenditures of only DM 1611 (US$ 600) for trips within the continental perimeter. (All expenditure figures include transportation.) Approximately six dollars and fifty cents of every ten travel dollars available to the inter- continental traveler are committed or pre-paid in Germany. The balance is available as discre- tionary spending. Although very few intercontinental travelers are leaving Germany for the first time, the majority of this group take only one trip abroad during a given year. The proportion of all intercontinen- tal travelers that can be identified as multiple intercontinental travelers (in one year) is only 4%. A considerably large number take more than one international trip in a given year, but do not leave the continental area. The share of market that the United States represents, on the basis of all trips taken during a given year, is estimated at 1%. On the basis of intercontinental trips only, the United States was named as the final destination for 43%. When stopover traffic is included, the United States is included in 50% of all intercontinental trips taken from Germany. 6. The Image of the United States The United States is a place many Germans express some desire to visit— but it is clear that this country is not especially attractive to the majority of international travelers. The image of the United States is largely the image of a technological, business society. It is a place one should see, because of its impor- tance—not necessarily a place one would be attracted to for personal pleasure. It is under- stood to offer a wide variety of travel attrac- tions, but it is not a place that Germans feel motivated to visit "for a vacation," or to rest. It is in this context that, aside from the "technological" motivation for visiting the United States, the reason believed most plau- sible by intercontinental travelers for going there is also the reason that dominates actual travel: to visit friends and relatives. The destinations thought most attractive to German international travelers are those most remote from their own country and experi- ence—in terms of both distance and culture. Japan/China, Mexico/Central America and Australia/Oceania all stand out in this regard. It is interesting to note that the United States is preferred as a hypothetical vacation destination over these areas only by travelers who have already been there. Those who have not actu- ally visited the United States rank it much lower in preference. German travelers are very well acquainted with the major and most-publicized attractions in the United States, such as Niagara Falls, New York City. German travelers are interested in sight- seeing and "experiencing the scenery." But their primary interest in travel to the United States would apparently be to visit a few of the larger cities, and then to have an opportunity to experience the country's natural attractions: the Grand Canyon, the Rocky Mountains, national parks, and the like. Man-made attrac- tions such as the Statue of Liberty, Cape Kennedy, Disney World and so forth, were indicated to be of lessor interest. Among the cities of the United States, those that appeared to have the greatest interest were San Francisco and New York City. 7. Planning Process Approximately one half of the intercontinental travelers make their decisions regarding travel in consultation with someone else. In 54% of the cases in which air transport is used, the choice of the airline is not the traveler's. In three out of ten cases, all or part of the cost of the trip is being paid by someone else— usually the trav- eler's family, but his employer in some cases. Intercontinental travel is rarely taken on short notice. An average of three months' planning is involved; and 25% of travel to the United States involves a planning period exceeding six months. Slightly more than one half (53%) of those who visited the United States in the last two years obtained information about this country prior to their departure. The information was of a very general nature: general brochures and leaflets (62%), traveler guide books (33%), and general information on the country and the people (26%). (Multiple answers were possible in this case.) Moreover, the slight majority who did obtain prior information obtained it primarily from travel bureaus or agencies (57%), bookshops (31%) or friends and relatives in Germany (14%). U.S. government sources— the U.S. Embassy and the United States Travel Service Office— combined furnished 12% of the infor- mation to those who did obtain information. The information which was obtained was gen- erally sufficient. Of those who did obtain information, only 17% said that they would have liked more information before they began their trip. Of these, half would have liked general information on this country and the people, and 22% would have liked information in their own specialized fields. CD > CD > z CM < (0 CD LU * (D £ h- O ■ M co i2 LU £ 3 o I a. o c cc 03 «- IX. E it. 0) CD Ml CD < «^ LL o O LU o o c a) Z ■■■■ LU D a X O LU z __ > cu II. SOURCES OF INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE INTERNATIONAL TRAVELER A. INCIDENCE AND SOURCES OF TRAVEL International travel from West Germany/West Berlin is relatively common— slightly more than one-third (35%) of the country's adult popula- tion is estimated to have taken one or more trips outside of Germany during the years 1972/73. Of course, international travel from Germany includes destinations within Europe and nearby areas, as well as those more distant. Those who have traveled intercontinental distances repre- sent a small proportion of this travel market: about 2% of the adult population, during the same period (see accompanying chart 1). There is considerable variation in the incidence of international and intercontinental travel from one region of Germany to another. Based on the "screening" phase of this survey, through which travelers were located, these variations are shown below. They reflect the reported incidence of continental and inter- continental travel during 1972 and 1973— a two-year period. A prior survey on the incidence of West German travel, covering the period, 1971-72, was published in "Summary and Analysis of International Travel to the U.S.," January 1973, and may be a useful reference for comparative purposes. This information is summarized in the Appendix to this volume. Table 1.— Origin of German Travelers Incidence of Travel by Region During 1972/1973 Inter- Region of Germany "Continentally" continentally Schleswig-Holstein . . . 33.5% 3.5% Hamburg 73.3 9.0 Lower Saxony 30.0 1.9 Bremen 37.2 3.0 North Rhine- Westphalia 31.5 1.6 Hesse 34.0 1.7 Rhineland-Palatinate . . 22.9 0.7 Baden-Wurttemberg . . 30.3 1.1 Bavaria 31.7 1.5 Saar 36.9 1.8 West Berlin 42.2 3.3 Total, West Germany . 32.7 1.9 B. CHARACTERISTICS OF INTERNA- TIONAL TRAVELERS With respect to most "traditional" demographic characteristics, the profile of international travelers differs considerably from the profile of the German population as a whole. Interna- tional travelers may be characterized as: • considerably younger— with a median age in the mid-30's, as compared with a general population median of close to 44 years. • more likely to be men, rather than women. Women represent slightly more than one- half (52%) of the population, but only between 41% to 45% of international travelers. • considerably more affluent. Although international travelers were drawn from all economic levels within Germany, the average monthly income of the traveler is approximately DM 2000, whereas the aver- age for the population as a whole is nearer DM 1500. While the international traveler can be distin- guished from the entire German population through these basic demographic characteristics, it is interesting to note that differences in the demographics of intercontinental and continen- tal travelers are considerably less marked. In- deed, with the exception of a somewhat younger profile among continental travelers, the similarity of the demographic profiles of inter- continental and continental travelers is striking: • 59% of intercontinental travelers are men, as are 55% of continental travelers. • in terms of median ages, intercontinental travelers are somewhat older: 37 years versus 34 years. • differences in household income level be- tween the two groups are minimal: inter- continental travelers have an average household income of DM 2000; continen- tal travelers, an average of DM 1990 per month. Broad similarities between intercontinental and continental travelers extend beyond these three "basic" demographic indicators. Thus, three-in- four travelers in each group live in an urban environment; levels of education are virtually identical, and the ability to speak or to under- stand major foreign languages (English and French) is equally common among both groups (approximately three-in-four speak/understand English; four-in-ten speak/understand French). Because of the high degree of similarity be- tween these two groups of international trav- elers, the few differences in personal character- istics stand out. These include place of residence, with specific reference to the city- state of Hamburg (much more important, relatively as a source of intercontinental trav- elers); and the ability to speak English (as opposed to speak/understand)— an ability claimed by 63% of the intercontinental group, and by 53% of the continental travelers. Perhaps more importantly, there are indications that continental travelers have greater travel experience than do intercontinental travelers: only 4% of the former group, but nearly three times this proportion (1 1%) of the latter group, report that their last trip abroad was also their first trip outside of Germany. Table 2 summarizes the major characteristics of these two categories of travelers, and of the German population as a whole, with regard to certain demographic characteristics. Table 2.— Demographic Profiles of West German Travelers Total Intercontinental Continental Travelers population travelers travelers to the U.S. Age Groups 29 or less 23% 35% 39% 34% 30 to 49 37 35 30 37 yrs. 43 18 34 yrs. 34 Over 50 40 32 Median age 44 yrs. 38 yrs. Sex: Men 48% 59% 55% 56% Women 52 41 45 44 Table 2.— Demographic Profiles of West German Travelers— Continued Total Intercontinental Continental Travelers population travelers travelers to the U.S. Income Level (net monthly household income) : $555 or less 54% 33% 30% 34% $556 to $925 32 31 39 29 $926 or more 7 28 25 28 Not reported 7 8 6 9 Average income (converted at DM 2.70 = U.S. $1.00) $548 $741 $737 $737 Educational Level: Primary and vocational or less 33% 33% 38% Secondary school 27 27 23 Higher school 22 25 22 University attendance 18 16 17 Foreign Languages: Speak/Understand-English 77% 74% 77% French 41 42 41 Speak-English 63% 53% 63% French 21 21 21 Travel Experience: Last trip/first trip abroad '.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'. 11% 4% 12% Repeat traveler 89 96 88 Place of Residence: Metropolitan areas-Hamburg 17% 8% 17% Rhine 12 13 8 West Berlin 6 5 5 Munich 6 10 7 All other urban areas 34 39 35 Total, urban areas 75% 75% 72% Total, rural areas 25 25 28 Because this broad picture emphasizes the relatively high degree of similarity between intercontinental and continental travelers, the examination of differences in the motivations for travel is of considerable interest. Discussed in greater detail in a following section, the principal travel motivations are summarized in Table 3 below: Table 3.— West German Travel Motivations Inter- Travelers conti- Conti- to the Primary Travel Motivation nental nental U.S.* Pleasure in general 49% 83% 33% Visit friends/relatives (VFR) 33 7 46 Business 10 4 11 Study 6 4 7 *This corresponds roughly to the trip purposes recorded for 331,922 German arrivals to the U.S. in 1973, based upon visa categories: Visa Category % Pleasure (Includes VFR) 85 Business 13 Student/transit 2 The "VFR" segment of the travel market clearly stands out as a major difference between intercontinental and continental travelers; a difference which relates directly to the propor- tions in each group who in fact have relatives outside of Germany— 63% in the case of inter- continental travelers and only 46% in the case of the continental travel group. The special characteristics of the VFR segment of the travel market are referred to in the balance of this summary. Finally, it should be noted that because of the high incidence of continental travel and the relatively low incidence of intercontinental travel, no attempt has been made to present a "combined total" of all international travelers. Rather, the intercontinental travelers form the main focus of this summary, since they are the "primary market" for potential tourism to the United States. This is particularly true in the sections immediately following, which deal with the characteristics of international travel. The following charts 2-6 summarize the demo- graphic characteristics of German travelers. CM (CD O X UJ CO CO cc LU LU > < CC cc LU (D H CO LU LL O CO o H CO cc LU o < cc < I o ^9 ^ CD ^t LO s ^^ m CD < & DC ^ CO _. LU OC o Z LU r>. 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CO CD k_ O c CO 03 CD 03 CD _ 1- 03 o ^ C CO k_ _0> CD > ^ i- r* 75 " P CD r °° CD CD C jq C o CJ 13 CD 03 (J < Q. D O O o ! CO DC LU LU > < dc r < cc LU I- CO LU CO o H CO DC LU H a < DC < X o o ii CO c E c o a F^ o CO CD -Q 01 l_ _0 > 03 C £ c o o w. +-» c 21 CN LO 00 CO 03 .Q < c/) 3 m _0 > 03 CO CO _g = "C .<£ ^ § r C/) 5 CO — O > T3 — T3 T3 ^ C CO > _0 ■a *—> DC £ D) O CD *-" C ° O 5 2 in CO > CO C o CO Q. > CO ■*— > C CD > CO CO ■t— I c. CD .c o E C 'c CD O CO i— ^ O 14 C. DESTINATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS The United States is the major destination for the small group of German international trav- elers who travel intercontinentally. Fully one half of this group visited the United States on their last trip abroad— nearly two times as many as visited the second-most popular interconti- nental destination (Africa and the Middle East beyond the "continental" definition). The United States was the final destination for 43% of all intercontinental travelers. The re- maining 7% of all intercontinental travelers visited the United States en route to other destinations. Logically, this stopover tourism results in most cases from travelers who visit other places in the Western Hemisphere. Nearly one-in-three persons traveling to other destinations in this hemisphere also stop in the U.S. for one day or more; and this pattern is most likely to be found among persons visiting (as a final destina- tion) the Mexico/Central America/Caribbean area. (Four-in-ten of the intercontinental trav- elers who ended their trip in that area visited the U.S. en route.) Stopover tourism to the United States from Germans traveling to or from the Orient ac- counts for only one percent of all interconti- nental travelers. Other intercontinental destinations of impor- tance include: • those parts of Africa and the Middle East outside of the continental perimeter- final destination for 26% of all intercontinental travelers. • other countries in the Western Hemis- phere: Canada (final destination to 9%), Mexico/Central America/Caribbean (6%) and South America (5%). A much larger group than these intercontinental travelers, of course, is the group that visited areas within the continental perimenter on their last trip abroad. Table 4 summarizes the percentages of inter- continental travelers who report having visited each major destination area on their last trip during the past two years, either as their final ("most distant point") destination or as an interim or stopover destination. Table 4.— Incidence of Visits to Major Destination Areas— Intercontinental Travelers Final destination All visits (most distant (including Destination areas point) stopovers) United States (net) .... 43% 50% Eastern U.S 16 13 32 Western U.S 16 Central U.S 7 12 Southern U.S 12 Africa, Middle East (not "continental") 26 28 Canada 9 13 Mexico, Central America, Caribbean 6 c ) South America 5 5 All other destinations . . 10 n./a. 15 Destinations Within the United States The Eastern region of the United States (in- cluding New England, New York, and the Mid-Atlantic states) is the area most visited by Germans who travel to this country. Sixty-three percent of all visitors to the United States stop or stay in the East; for 32%, the Eastern region is a final destination. Inasmuch as virtually half of the travelers who visit the East go on to another final destination, these data indicate clearly that the East plays an important role as a "gateway" to either the remainder of the United States or to other destinations in the hemisphere. It is interesting to note, however, that 37% of all visitors to this country do not stop in the East when they visit the country, preferring instead to go directly to another destination, or to make an immediate- less than 24 hours— connection to another destination. It is evident that the Western United States (the Pacific Coast and Rocky Mountain states) is also an attractive travel destination for Germans visiting the United States. Approximately one- in-three visitors to the country reach this region; and for 25%, the West is a final destination. However, the two coastal areas are not the only attractions to Germans who visit the United States. Both the Southern United States (through Texas and Oklahoma) and the Central region (Ohio to the Dakotas) receive important proportions of visitors: fully a fourth of all Germans who visit the United States. And these regions are the final destinations of 14% and 15% of the travelers to this country— less important than either the East or the West, but accounting for a total of three-in-ten visitors. Table 5. -Incidence of West German Travel to U.S. Destinations— Con. (Multiple responses included) Table 5.— Incidence of West German Travel to U.S. Destinations (Multiple responses included) Final Visited destination German travelers to U.S. base-352 100% 100% Final destination 32% 25% Visited Eastern U.S., 63% New York 50 Washington 15 Western U.S., 32% San Francisco 17 Los Angeles 12 Central U.S., 25% 15% Chicago 13 St. Louis 1 Southern U.S., 25% 14% Miami 8 New Orleans 1 U.S. Pacific Islands 2% Most Popular Destinations in U.S. for West German Travelers I New York 2 San Francisco 3 Washington, D.C. 4 Chicago 5 Los Angeles 6 Miami 7 U.S. Pacific Islands The data outlined above might suggest that Germans visiting the United States move con- siderably from one region to another, traveling around the country: all four regions appear to be interim destinations for high proportions of total visitors. However, this does not in fact seem to be the general pattern of travel— the average number of regions touched by the typical visitor is only 1.4 of the four regions outlined. Additionally, variations in the profiles of the visitors to the four sections of the United States tend to suggest that each region may service a slightly different combination of market segments, and that only a minority of German visitors can be characterized as truly "traveling around" the country. 16 The demographic characteristics of the visitors to these four regions are broadly similar, but there are some shadings of difference in terms of their age, sex, and economic class. The Central Region seems to attract fewer young people than do the other regions, more women, more travelers who are traveling abroad for the first time, and more who live in the rural areas of Germany— a pattern that seems to suggest that VFR travel is, for this region, an especially important factor in attracting visitors. The Southern Region presents a more mixed picture. Like the Central, it draws a higher proportion of women than do the other sec- tions of the country. But they tend to be experienced travelers, in the sense that all but 6% have been abroad before. And the South appears to attract both more young travelers and more older travelers, with fewer in the middle age (30 to 49) category. A higher proportion of less affluent visitors is found in this region than in the others, though the differences are small. The VFR market appears to affect the pattern of visitors to this part of the country, but there is an obvious inter- mixture of other elements as well. Visitors to the Eastern and Western Regions are broadly similar to each other in demographic terms. The most distinctive feature of the visitors to these regions is that men predomi- nate, representing six out of ten travelers. They may be slightly younger than the visitors to other regions (especially in the West). The demographic profile of the visitors to both of these regions suggests that there is a broader mixture of types of travel to them than to the others— VFR travel of course, but substantial proportions of travel for business and pleasure as well. Data on the profiles of visitors to the different sections of the United States are presented in Table 6. Table 7, immediately following, shows the "share" each destination commands among the different segments of the German popula- tion studied. Table 6.— Demographic Profiles of Visitors to the United States, by U.S. Region Region of destination Eastern Age Groups: 29 or less 37% 30 to 49 31 Over 50 32 Sex: Men 58% Women 42 Income Level: DM 1499 or less 32% DM 1500 to DM 2499 29 DM 2500 or more 31 Not reported 8 Travel Experience: First trip 11% Repeat traveler 89 Southern Central Western 39% 33% 38% 25 38 37 36 29 25 49% 48% 58% 51 52 42 38% 32% 28% 25 30 29 28 29 29 9 9 14 6% 17% 9% 94 83 91 17 Table 6. -Demographic Profiles of Visitors to the United States, by U.S. Region-Con. Region of destination Place of Residence : Urban area Rural area Eastern 75% 25 Southern Central 75% 25 69% 31 Western 75% 25 Table 7. -Destination Shares of the Travel Market Among Different Marketing and Demographic Groups by U.S. Region -Intercontinental Travelers Visitors including stopover travelers Age Groups: 29 or less 30 to 49 Over 50 Sex: Men Women Income Level: DM 1499 or less DM 1500 to DM 2499 DM 2500 or more . . . Travel Experience: First trip Repeat traveler .... Place of Residence : Urban areas Rural areas Total United States Eastern Southern Central Western 48% 33% 14% 12% 17% 49 28 9 14 17 54 34 15 12 13 48% 31% 10% 10% 16% 54 32 15 16 17 51% 31% 14% 12% 14% 48 30 10 12 15 49 35 12 13 17 57% 32% 7% 20% 13% 49 32 13 12 17 48% 32% 10% 7% 16% 57 32 12 11 16 D. CHARACTERISTICS OF NON-U.S. VISITORS Germans who travel intercontinentally, and who did not visit the United States on their last trip abroad, are considerably different in terms of personal characteristics and travel motives from the typical U.S. visitor. The differences outlined below are of interest because the possibility exists that tins group of interconti- nental travelers may not be likely visitors to the United States in the future. The German intercontinental traveler who did not visit the United States on his last trip abroad is somewhat more likely to be a man— 62% versus 56% for U.S. visitors— but is no 18 more likely to be traveling for business because of this. This traveler is just as affluent as the U.S. visitor (perhaps a bit more affluent, in fact), and is younger by two years, in terms of median age (36 years versus 38 years). However, the non-U. S. visitor is most different in that his primary reason for traveling abroad is pleasure— mentioned by two of every three (64%) of the travelers in this group, but by only one-in-three (33%) U.S. visitors. This difference in travel motive, taken together with opinions of the United States as a destination for pleasure travel (examined in a later section), strongly suggests that other Germans who travel intercontinentally are not likey prospects for travel to this country in the future unless their opinions of the United States are altered. Data relevant to this discussion are presented in Table 8. Table 8.-Profiles of U.S.- Visitors and Non-U.S. Visitors Age Groups: 29 or less 30 to 49 Over 50 Median age 38 yrs. Sex: Men 56% Women 44 Income Level: DM 1499 or less 34% DM 1500 to DM 2499 . 29 DM 2500 or more 28 Not reported 9 Average income DM 1 989 Travel Experience: First trip 12% Repeat traveler 88 Place of Residence: Urban area 72% Rural area 28 Primary Travel Motive: Visit friends/relatives 46% Pleasure in general 33 Business 11 Study 7 All U.S. Non-U.S. Total visitors visitors intercontinental 34% 37% 35% 34 36 35 32 28 30 36 yrs. 37 yrs. 62% 59% 38 31 32% 33% 32 31 2 ( ) 28 7 8 M2005 DM 2000 9% 11% 91 89 79% 75% 21 25 21% 33% 64 49 10 10 4 6 19 E. REASONS FOR TRAVEL Considerable emphasis has already been placed upon the relationships between travel motive and destination, and it is clear that reasons for travel are an extremely important determinant of destination selection with regard to the United States. And although the primary reason for travel to this country from Germany is to visit friends and relatives, it is important that when all international travelers are considered, pleasure is by far the most significant reason for travel outside of Germany. The general category of "pleasure" travel of course covers a broad variety of activities. Those of most interest to both non-U.S. visitors and to continental travelers are "rest" and "vacations." "Seeing how others live" is a secondary reason for pleasure travel among these groups. However, pleasure travel to the United States does not conform to this general pattern. Curiosity about the country is the dominant attraction. "Seeing how others live" is the principal travel motive for 15% of those who visit this country, and obtaining "general knowledge" is second in this respect (7%). The idea that a traveler can find "rest" in the United States, or take a "vacation," is extremely limited (to 2% and 3% of all visitors, respec- tively). And, of course, as has been mentioned, pleasure is not the principal travel motive of those who visit the United States-only 33% mention activities related to pleasure travel in this context. People come to the United States for a concrete reason, not just for a general or ordinary vacation. The VFR market is clearly quite strong in Germany. It is the major contributor to travel to the United States from that country. But it is an important reason for intercontinental travel to other destinations— only among continental travelers can the VFR market be said to be really secondary. The strength of the VFR market is clearly related to the degree to which Germans have family ties with persons living abroad. As shown in Table 9 a relatively high proportion of the population under study does in fact have relatives living outside of Germany- even among international travelers, for whom visiting these relatives is a secondary travel motive. And within this context, the United States emerges as the major residence of persons of German descent outside of the continent. Table 9.— Family Ties With Persons Living Outside of Germany All inter- Conti- continental U.S. nental travelers visitors travelers Do have relatives living abroad .... IN: United States . Europe Canada Latin America . Do not have relatives living abroad .... 63% 35 24 1 ! 6 37 73% 53 25 9 5 27 46% 19 25 6 3 54 (It is interesting to make a rough estimate of the proportion of international travelers with rela- tives in the United States. This is achieved by "up-weighting" the continental group of trav- elers by a factor of approximately 18. The size of the weighting factor is the reason for using this type of estimate with some caution. None- theless, it may be estimated that 20% of all international travelers studied have relatives in the United States. Only approximately one-in- fourteen— 7%— of these Germans have visited their relatives in the United States during the last two years. Although the VFR market is the primary contributor of travelers to the United States, it is clear that the market is not exhausted.) Other reasons for travel are relatively minor when compared to those described above. Ten percent of all intercontinental travelers (1 1% of U.S. visitors) took their last trip primarily for business reasons. Six percent went abroad to study. A very few decided to take advantage of low fares on transportation. The major reasons for travel find differing levels of emphasis among different types of travelers as well as among different destinations. Among 20 intercontinental travelers, for example, the following key differences are noted: Visiting Friends and Relatives • mentioned by 47% of the lower income group, but by only 19% of the upper income group. • the primary reason for one half of the older travelers, and for only one-in-four (23%) of the travelers under 30. • more important to women (43%) than to men (26%). • by far the most important reason for first-time travelers— mentioned by two- thirds (66%) of this group, and by only three-in-ten repeat travelers. • the primary travel motive for only 29% of those who live in urban areas, but for as many as 45% of those living in rural areas of Germany. Pleasure Travel In broad terms, the profile of pleasure travelers is the opposite of the VFR market— middle and upper class; very much the younger traveler and the repeat traveler. Business Travel The picture is completed when the character- istics of business travelers are examined. They tend to be upper income level men, most usually in the 30 to 49 year age group. Virtually all are repeat travelers. Table 10 summarizes the most important reasons given for travel outside of Germany. A second tabulation of both primary and second- Table 10.— Reasons Spontaneously Given for International Travel Intercontinental travelers U.S. visitors Primary Travel Motive : Pleasure 33% Take a rest 2 Take a vacation 3 See how others live 15 Visit friends/relatives 46 Business 11 Study 7 All Reasons, Primary and Secondary, Spontaneously Given: Pleasure: Take a rest 7% Take a vacation 11 See other cultures, people 40 Visit friends/relatives 55 Business 13 Study 11 Base (352) Non-U.S. visitors 64% Continental travelers 83% 17 25 14 22 12 13 21 7 10 4 4 4 26% 38% 23 32 37 32 28 13 12 5 5 7 (349) (701) 21 ary travel motives together shows the even greater importance that pleasure-related activi- ties hold as secondary reasons for traveling. F. COMPANIONSHIP DURING TRAVEL Nearly 60% of intercontinental travelers have the companionship of family or friends when they go abroad. However, two-in-three of those who do have companions, usually travel with just one other person— their spouse or a friend, in most cases. A few travel with two or three companions, but a group as large as four or more traveling intercontinental distances together is relatively rare (10%). The average size of the intercontinental travel group is 1.9 persons. Continental travelers, on the other hand, follow a markedly different pattern with regard to companionship. Nearly 80% are accompanied by family or friends, and those who have companions usually travel in a large group. Thus, the average size of the travel group within the Continental area is 2.6 persons. Traveling alone is more common among visitors to the U.S. than among those intercontinental travelers who do not visit this country -45% and 38% respectively. These data would appar- ently suggest once again the importance of VFR travel to the United States-travelers are less likely to have company on the trip because they travel to visit friends or relatives here. Few demographic or travel characteristics distinguish "accompanied" travel from the per- son who travels alone. Travelers from the middle and upper income groups are somewhat more likely to travel with companions (lower income groups tend to be VFR travelers). The same is true of both younger (29 or less) and older (over 50) travelers. But no differences are reported in terms of men vs. women travelers, nor in terms of travel experience. Note: This study was confined to adults only — 1 8 years of age or over. G. LENGTH OF TRIP The average international trip outside of Germany is a relatively long one; more so of course, for intercontinental travel than for continental travel, but generally long in both cases. Intercontinental travelers spent an average of 31 days outside of Germany on their last trip. Continental travelers spent an average of 20 days abroad. An average is, of course, easily affected by extremes— in these cases, travelers who took very long trips. However, even median travel time is considerable: 22 days for intercontinental trips and 15 days for trips within the continental perimeter. In terms of specific time periods, only one-in- five intercontinental travelers take a trip which is two weeks or less in duration. This propor- tion applies to both U.S. visitors and non-U.S. visitors. At the other end of the scale, consider- able numbers of travelers spend more than one month away from Germany— specifically, 37% of all U.S. visitors, and as many as 25% of the intercontinental travelers who visited another destination. The data indicate that even travelers who visit to the United States is a stopover en route to another place, tend to spend a fairly long period of time in this country. Thus, only 3% of all visitors to the United States stay in the country for three days or less, and only 15% (a proportion equivalent to the proportion of stopover traffic) leave the country after only a week's visit. Given these figures, it is interesting to note that the group of intercontinental travelers who visited the United States on their last trip spent a total of 34 days for their entire trip (on the average), and that fully 29 of these 34 days were spent inside the United States. Trip duration is illustrated in the following chart 7. 22 CO DC LU —I LU h ^ LU tr o LU LU ^C/) CO roiu o U- LL OO 0) z 2o CO LT LU I- o < < I o < cc s - CO o^ m CO CO o >. CN co TJ CO r— >- CO CD "O s - s - LD CO LD 2 O C CO |^ g V li ■^ CD CD C > co ° 2 2 s - O 6 s - CN :a9 s - CO CN ls9 s - LO CN s CD r- NO s - CN s - TO c ,_ l_ o +-> CO r*» c i_ o CD II o CD CD CD > CD CO CD c i .Q CD C ^" CO O) O CD '£Z CO CD CD £ "D 3-S CO _c ^5 s - CO more than mont CM £ 2. 6 s - c c s - 03 « c ID CN CO r- co co _* -* s - CD CD O CD r^ CM CO "-P. s - 1 week to 2 weeks JXL CD ^ CD ^t £ J* \P tf)C J s - CO CD $ CD < c o m '+- > =) CD , u. O CN =3 +* ID Q CO CO »_ v * _ Q. CD || i_ CD CD H > CO CO CD L_ jQ 23 H. TOUR AND INDIVIDUAL TRAVEL Individual rather than tour travel is more common among German international travelers. However, the market for tours is substantial: 38% of all intercontinental travelers and 34% of those who traveled within the continental area, travel via tours. (See chart 8.) There appears to be some relationship between the use of tours and acquaintance with the area to be visited. Thus, in the case of visitors to the United States (many of whom are expecting to meet relatives or friends), individual travel is as high as 68%. Similarly, two-thirds of those who do not venture outside of the continental area, travel as individuals. However, for those inter- continental travelers who visit destinations other than the United States, the proportion who choose to travel by themselves falls to 57%. This reflects the differing nature of travel to different destinations, of course; but it may also reflect a difference in the relative emphasis that is given to the different destinations by the large German tour operators. The use of tours varies somewhat, but not to a high degree, among demographic sub-groups. Thus, within the intercontinental travel seg- ment, the middle economic class is more likely to use tours (44%) than are either the lower (33%) or the upper (39%). Of course, travelers from the lower economic group are consider- ably more likely to visit friends or relatives. A similar variation exists with regard to age- younger travelers prefer more than older travelers not to travel by tour. In this case, other reasons are probably of influence, since young travelers are less likely to be influenced by VFR travel patterns. The most outstanding difference in preferences for individual and tour travel does clearly relate to the VFR travel motive, however: first-time travelers are quite unlikely to use tours— only 26% do so— despite the fact that tour operators generally are geared toward this type of trav- eler. In the case of first-time intercontinental travelers, of course, the reason for this situation is that fully 66% cite visiting friends and relatives as their main reason for traveling. Only 29% of the group of repeat travelers state that this is their major travel motive. Tour travelers usually spend considerably less time traveling intercontinentally than do per- sons who travel individually— an average of only 22 days, versus an average of as many as 37 days for individual travelers. Tour travel from Germany to the United States— which does account for one out of three visitors to this country— is apparently heavily dominated by affinity group arrangements. Thus, 22% of all U.S. visitors (or 69% of those on tours) state that the tours they took were limited to specific groups of people— either club members, company (or government depart- ment) employees, experts in specific areas or members of a team of some type. These data are confirmed, to a great degree, by the identification of the sponsors of tours to the United States: 9% of all visitors to this country mention tours identified with private organiza- tions or clubs, and 8% mention tours arranged by companies or trade unions. The large German travel retailers— TUI and Neckerman— do not play a significant role in travel between that country and the United States. These organizations do, however, clearly dominate the sale of tours to intercontinental destinations other than this country. Thus, 45% of the intercontinental travelers who took a tour to a non-U. S. destination, identify TUI as the tour sponsor. In the case of Neckerman, identification on the same basis is 24%. But, in the pattern of tour travel to this country, both TUI and Neckerman are mentioned by only 3% (apiece) who took tours to the United States. A set of four characteristics emerges as the principal criteria for tour selection, when trav- elers are asked to choose between several alternative reasons for using a particular tour. The four most important reasons include the specific purpose of the tours, the destination countries it includes, price, and the variety of things that the tour covers. Visitors to the United States, however, place relatively more emphasis on the specific purpose of the tour and on its price. These criteria are mentioned 24 CO cc LU j LU > < CC 1- J z < LU > < cc DC H LU O CC D 1- CO 00 LU O CD *** Li. O £ u- u O LU O CO z o LU H D CO O cc Z LU ^ H O < CC +-> < c X 03 W o ost r p wa s - CN CO 8 s - CO CD >5 O^ 00 CO "-9 s - CN CD 6 s - CO 6 s - CD CD ............ O o 5 > O i- LD "CD 3 "D __ "> CD > T3 CD C O cN 3« " 2 CD CD c T i^o L r^ r ii o o ?s ka 4-J •-5 CD co O £ CD r^ — r cd ii nti rav 0) O H- ro O _L2 25 by between 29% and 39% of all intercontinental travelers. Recommendations by other people and by travel agents are relatively less important as reasons for tour selection -although by no means negligible, as these secondary criteria are mentioned by 1 6% and 8%, respectively, of the intercontinental group. Table 1 1.— Tour Travel Characteristics— German Travelers on Most Recent Trip Base Incidence of tour travel Tour travel characteristics Base Major Tour Themes or Purposes (multiple answers) Vacation tour Sightseeing tour Study trip Vocational tour Meeting/convention Incidence of Tours Limited by membership, etc. . . Major Reasons Tour Selected Tour theme or purpose Destination countries Price Variety of things included Continental travelers 701 32% 235 15% Intercontinental travelers 701 38% 264 37% Travelers to U.S. 352 32% 113 82% 67% 41% 13 20 33 8 9 17 1 5 6 -. 3 6 67% 40% 40% 44% 30 36 23 34 30 43 32 29 31 Traveler Profiles -Compared to Overall Intercontinental Travelers Characteristics Tour travelers more likely to be: Individual travelers more likely to be: Income More than DM 1500 Less than DM 1500 Age 30 or more 29 or less Sex Men Women Travel experience Repeat travelers First time travelers Metroarea Rhine Hamburg, Berlin, Munich Size Rural Urban I. THE USE OF TRAVEL AGENCIES BY INDIVIDUAL TRAVELERS Travel agents are commonly used, even when tours are not involved. Thus, 37% of all intercontinental travelers reported that they had traveled independently but had used an agency to make their arrangements. In the case of U.S. visitors, this practice is common to 56% of those traveling individually to this country— 26 indicating that the travel agencies or tour operators are directly involved with seven-in-ten visitors to the United States— 32% in promoting tours, 38% in making arrangements for non-tour travelers. Intercontinental Travelers travelers to U.S. % % Tour travel 38 32 Individual travel, uses agency 37 38 Individual travel, no agency 25 30 Two specific segments of the market are the least likely to use the services of a travel agency: lower income travelers and younger travelers. Even in the case of both of these groups, however, it should be noted that the majority (55% in each case) either take a tour or use a travel agency for arrangements. The intercontinental travelers who do use a travel agency most typically request its help only with arranging transportation (9 1 % of the intercontinental travelers traveling individually, did use an agency). However, a minority (20%) also ask for help with lodging— typically upper income travelers from major metropolitan areas, or most likely, business travelers. elers is the private car— mentioned by 29% of all of this group, and by as many as 41% of all U.S. visitors. Inter-city buses and trains (17% and 9%) are also important modes of supplementary transportation. The private car is also the major category of other transportation for U.S. visitors, by 41%. Means of transportation used is another charac- teristic which distinguishes the continental traveler from the intercontinental group that is the primary focus of this study. Very nearly one half (45%) of all continental travelers state that a private car was their principal means of transportation on their last trip. Air travel accounted for only 34% of these travelers. The above figures refer to inter-city (or inter- country) transportation. While at a specific destination, 43% of the intercontinental trav- elers report the use of taxis, and 42% the use of buses. As many as 34% state that they used a private car, and 15% mention a rented car. Use of secondary transport by visitors to the U.S. is shown below: Private car 41% Bus 17 Train 6 Ship 3 Airplane 4 Rented car 4 J. MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION Virtually all intercontinental travel from Germany is by air (92%). Only 8% reported using some other means of principal transport, and 4% use ships, specifically. (The remaining 4% report having used surface transport— cars, buses or trains— to areas of Africa or Asia outside of the continental perimeter.) But air transportation is clearly dominant, and half of the small group that does not use air travel as their principal mode of transport, does use air at some point in their journey. The principal mode of transport to the U.S. is air, at 94%. Supplementary transportation is, of course, also widely used. The principal means of supplemen- tary transportation for intercontinental trav- Airlines Used and Airline Preferences Lufthansa and its fully-owned subsidiary, Condor Flugdienst, are the most important carriers for intercontinental travel from Ger- many. But the German national carrier is not without serious competition from American and other European carriers, as well as from a variety of charter operators. Thirty-five percent of the intercontinental travelers reported that Lufthansa/Condor was the airline "used most" on their most recent trip. Pan American was indicated to rank second (14%). No other single scheduled airline was mentioned by more than 3%. Thus, the principal competition to Lufthansa/Condor is the group of non-scheduled carriers, which accounted for 19% ("used most") of the entire intercontinental traveler group. 27 As might be expected, American carriers— Pan American, and TWA— ranked considerably better among travelers who visit this country than they do among intercontinental travelers as a whole. Thus, 32% of all U.S. visitors mention an American carrier as "used most" on their last trip (Pan American-25%; TWA-6%), and only 30% of this group mention Lufthansa/Condor (principally Lufthansa, in this case). Non-scheduled carriers still, however, accounted for an important proportion of travel among U.S. visitors (18% "used most"). Of course, the figures cited above refer only to airlines "used most." Other carriers become more important when attention is directed to all airlines used during the last trip. (For example, only 1% of the visitors to the United States mention American Airlines as the airline "used most," but as many as 6% mention using this carrier at some point of their last trip.) Table 1 2 shows the proportions of interconti- nental travelers reporting each leading airline as having been flown "most" and having been flown at all during the last trip taken. As a general rule, American carriers tend to achieve slightly better shares of market among experienced (repeat) travelers, among older travelers and among middle and upper income travelers. But the differences in preference are also fairly small (ranging from four to six percent). Perhaps more important, airline preferences for future travel definitely show a more negative picture for the American carriers. Nearly half of all international travelers would prefer to fly to the United States on Lufthansa, and only one-in-five state a preference for Pan American. These proportions also apply to the group of travelers who visited the United States on their last trip abroad, despite the fact that Pan Am's actual share was 25% on that occasion, among these visitors. Table 12.— Use of Airlines in Intercontinental Travel All inter- continental U.S. Non-U.S. travelers visitors visitors Used Used Used Airlines Used most Used most Used most Lufthansa 30% 23% 34% 27% 26% 19% Condor 13 12 3 3 23 21 Subtotal 1 35 30 40_ Pan American 19 14 32 25 6 3 Trans World Airways 6 3 11 6 1 American Airlines 3 (*) 6 1 United Airlines 2 (*) 4 (*) Subtotal 2 18 32 _3_ Other major European carriers 10 _9 jj. Other scheduled air transport 19 10 16 7 22 13 Non-scheduled air transport , 25 19 22 18 28 20 Sub-totals give approximate share figures. Some travelers reported using two airlines over equal distances, and the above figures do not show net mentions. A few mention of U.S. carriers may be omitted from this sub-total and included in "other scheduled air transport." Of course, non-scheduled U.S. transport is included in the final category shown. ^KLM is the most popular of the other European flag carriers. Many others were mentioned, including: Air France, Iberia, Swissair, SAS, Sabena, British Airways, Alitalia, Finnair, and Aeroflot. *Equivalent to less than one half of one percent. 28 K. LODGING Two different types of lodging are used by German intercontinental travelers when abroad. Sixty-three percent mention that they stayed in a hotel at one or more of their destinations, and as many as 46% report that they stayed once or more in a private home. Other types of lodging are used by small percentages of interconti- nental travelers: motels (10%), boarding houses (4%), and hostels (2%). The effect of the VFR market can be clearly seen in the types of lodging selected by visitors to the United States. More visitors to the United States stayed in private homes than in any other type of lodging. Hotels were visited by 55%, motels by only 15% (see accompanying chart 9). For other intercontinental destinations, the picture is the reverse— nearly 60% non-U. S. visitors reported staying in hotels, and only 30% mentioned stopping at private homes. Inside the United States, the relationships be- tween a traveler's personal characteristics and travel experience, and the types of lodgings utilized, also reflect the effects of VFR travel. Thus, lower income travelers, older travelers, women, first-time travelers and those who live in rural areas of Germany, all are considerably more likely to stay in private homes. For example, as many as 77% of first-time travelers to the U.S. stayed in private homes, and only 23% stayed in hotels. On the other hand, only 55% of the repeat traveler group reported staying in private homes during their visit to the United States. 29 CO cc LU —I LU > < cc oc LU m ^ CO o co cc LU o < cc < I o Q. CC h- K Z LU *— » O 0) LU -Q CC ' J (0 c < 5. ra ID --5 O o c c o Q CD 3 O O >- X c CD 3 o o 0) +- 1 o CO V, X § E ■Z o a. x Q) +-> o X 30 L. EXPENDITURES The average intercontinental traveler estimates that he spent (including transportation) a total of approximately DM 3110 on his last trip outside of Germany. The continental traveler is obviously different from the long-haul group in this respect, and it should be remembered that the continental traveler is a closer reflector of the "typical" German international traveler. The latter group spent an average of only DM 1610 on their last trip aboard. These amounts convert into roughly US$ 1150 and US$ 600, respectively.* Within the intercontinental travel group, those who visited the United States tend to spend less than non-U.S. visitors— approximately 13% less, or DM 2920 versus DM 3300. Demographic characteristics have some bearing on trip expenditures. Men, for example, spend somewhat more (14%) than women; travelers in the middle age group spend slightly more than older travelers, and older travelers spend more than do the youngest group. And the inter- continental travelers from urban areas in Germany report having spent 10% more than did those whose place of residence is a rural area. One demographic variable which clearly corre- lates with expenditures on intercontinental trips is, as could be expected, the income level of the traveler. The upper income traveler spends 60% more than does the lower income traveler, and 37% more than the amount spent by the middle income traveler. It could be estimated that the upper income traveler accounts for as much as 36% of all expenditures on trips aboard, although this group represents only 28% of all travelers. Other major differences in expenditure levels relate to mode of travel and to travel experi- ence. Persons who prefer to travel by them- selves, rather than take tours, spend 22% more on their trips than do tour travelers. (However, it is interesting to note that on a per day basis, individual travelers spend considerably less—as much as 25% less than do tour travelers.) Travel experience also relates clearly to expend- iture: first-time travelers spend only 85% as much as what is spent by repeat travelers. Table 13 reflects the total expenditure levels reported for each of these segments of the German travel market. All figures shown are averages. An average can, of course, be somewhat mis- leading—in that this single measurement hides a wide spectrum of specific individual costs. A small but significant group of visitors to the United States spends less than DM 1000 (US$ 370) on trips to this country. Qn the other hand, 16% of this group report spending as much as DM 5000 or more (US$ 1851 +). The range of individual expenditure is as wide as the range of travel purposes and traveler character- istics. Table 13.— Average Total Expenditures for Intercontinental Travelers German Dollar* marks equivalents DM $ Intercontinental travelers . . . . 3110 1150 U.S. visitors . . 2920 1080 Non-U.S. visitors . . 3300 1220 Continental travelers . . 1610 600 *(Dollar values should be evaluated with some caution. A standard exchange rate of DM 2.70 to US$ 1.00 is used throughout this report, but fluctuations in the exchange rates have occurred with some frequency during the period covered by this survey.) Analysis of Intercontinental Travelers By Travel Mode: Tour travelers 2730 Individual travelers 3340 By Income Level: DM 1499 or less 2540 DM 1500 to DM 2499 2950 DM 2500 or more 4030 By Age : 29 or less 2800 1010 1240 940 1090 1490 1040 31 Table 13. Average Total Expenditures for Intercontinental Travel (Continued) By Age (Continued) 30 to 49 3380 Over 50 3160 By Sex : Men 3280 Women 2860 By Travel Experience: First-time travelers 2680 Repeat travelers 3160 By Place of Residence : Urban area 3180 Rural area 2890 1250 1170 1210 1060 990 1170 1180 1070 *A11 DM figures are converted to U.S. dollars at a standard rate of DM 2.70 to U.S. $1 .00. Transportation costs are a major part of the overall expenditure for all international travelers. But intercontinental travelers spend as much as 50% more on transportation than do those who do not leave the continent; and non-U. S. visitors spend approximately 10% more on transportation than do travelers who visit the United States. Since lodging is often booked in advance for tour travel, and is also booked by significant numbers of individual travelers, a substantial proportion of the overall cost of the average trip is committed or paid prior to leaving Germany. In the typical case, about six and a half dollars out of every ten spent are pre-paid in this way: between three and four dollars con- stitute the discretionary fund from which the traveler can spend at his choice while overseas. As a general rule, tour travelers tend to have a lower proportion of their funds available to them once they actually travel they pre-pay approximately seven of every ten dollars spent. (One exception is the group of intercontinental travelers who do not visit the United States. In this specific case, individuals tend to pre-pay about the same proportion as tour travelers.) The ways in which discretionary money is spent differ between the two groups— tour and indi- vidual travelers-and also between continental and intercontinental travelers. In the first case, the differences are obvious. For instance, the tour traveler spends only 12% of his total funds on lodgings and food aside from his tour price; the individual traveler must devote a proportion twice as large. Expenses for other items tend to be similar between the two groups, however. Both spend 1 1% of their total budgets on purchases— gifts, souvenirs, and the like. Certain variations exist with regard to different traveler groups. Upper income travelers, for example, are likely to dedicate slightly more of their budget to lodgings and food (24% versus 16% for the lower income group). The same is true of men traveling intercontinentally— suggesting a relationship with business travel. First-time travelers clearly spend much more of their budgets on transportation (67%) than do repeat travelers (59%), and less on lodgings and food. Of course, many of these data correlate with other findings— travel motives, for exam- ple. Lower income travelers and first-time travelers, for instance, are likely to travel to visit friends and relatives, and are thus in a position to minimize expenditures on lodging and food. Table 14 shows the proportions and amounts of discretionary funds available to both tour and individual travelers to different destination areas. Table 15 and Chart 10 summarizes the general distribution of the expenditures that are made. 32 Table 14.— Amounts Pre-Paid and Discretionary Funds Pre-Paid in Discretionary Germany Funds DM $ % DM $ All Travelers: Intercontinental travelers 2110 781 68 1000 370 U.S. visitors 1910 707 65 1010 374 Non-U.S. visitors 2310 856 70 990 367 Continental travelers 1010 374 63 600 222 Tour Travelers: Intercontinental travelers 1930 715 71 800 296 U.S. visitors 1730 641 73 650 241 Non-U.S. visitors 2070 767 69 930 344 Continental travelers 1190 441 69 530 196 Individual Travelers: Intercontinental travelers 2220 822 66 1120 415 U.S. visitors 1990 737 63 1 190 441 Non-U.S. visitors 2510 930 71 1030 381 Continental travelers 850 315 55 700 259 Total (DM) 32 3110 1152 35 2920 1081 30 3300 1222 37 1610 596 29 2730 1011 27 2380 881 31 3000 1111 31 1720 637 34 3340 1237 37 3180 1178 29 3540 1311 45 1550 574 (Totals may not add precisely due to conversion and rounding.) Note: Exchange rate of DM 2.70 to U.S.$ 1.00. Table 15. -Distribution of Expenditures Intercontinental travelers Total Tour Individual As Percentages of All Expenditures: % % % Tour price/primary transportation 60 69 56 Local transportation 5 4 6 Lodging 9 2 12 Food/drink 12 10 12 Purchases 11 11 11 Miscellany/sightseeing 5 4 5 As Average DM Amounts : * DM DM DM Tour price/primary transportation 1880 1930 1850 Local transportation 210 140 270 Lodging 270 60 400 Food/drink 360 260 420 Purchases 330 270 370 Miscellany/sightseeing 160 120 180 *The figures shown in this section of the table are independent averages of each type of expenditure, and therefore do not add precisely to the overall totals shown in table 10 and 1 1 , nor to the exact percentage distribution shown above. 33 CO .C u CO DC UJ LU > < cc I- LU CD I- co CO o I- co DC LU I- o < oc < CO LU DC G c ■ MM c CD a E o o o 05 0) © x 1 O - i- 8 E " i- £ o 5-° C/> o O i c C CO 8 o CD C CD o (1) Q_ C 0) o 1— Q_ C\J QL O ill-BBB- o CO o CM O CO O CM H Q. >- O C D Co o ■>_ -^ h- Q_ CD — I CD C O O CD C Q. CO o o COh- COh- c o c a CO c 2c O Q-O CO CD if Q. D C/) CD »- C CD -C Q. 3 00 *- ll Z co + - CD t- -Q CO ^ CD co > 2 CM C CD _C ■«— i c o a i_ CD CO II CO CD -Q CD ^T > ^ CD «~ 03 || C CO C CD ■■J= a c o u UL O L-L ^J -H- X c/)ll co a. Olu 34 M. SEASONAL PATTERNS For international travel from Germany there is a fairly well-defined season of travel-most notable among continental travelers, also appli- cable to visitors to the United States, and least important in the case of intercontinental trav- elers to destinations other than this country. The season clearly most popular for inter- national travel is the four-month period from June to September: Month of last trip June- October- Traveler Groups September May Continental travelers . . . 72% 28% U.S. visitors 60% 40% Non-U.S. visitors 43% 57% Specifically low months for international travel from Germany are January and February— true even for the group which least follows the general patterns described above. Travel by certain segments of the travel popula- tion are even more heavily concentrated in the summer months— these are younger travelers (29 years or less) and travelers of the lower income group (household income of under DM 1500 per month). N. OTHER DETAILS OF THE INTERCON- TINENTAL TRAVEL PATTERN Nevertheless, a relatively high proportion of individual travelers are apparently not that interested in which airline is selected for their flight— as many as three-in-ten left the selection of the airline to another party. 2. Trip Payment The majority of the intercontinental travelers interviewed had paid for their trip themselves— only 29% report that others were involved in paying for their trip. And, in 14% of this 29%, the traveler did pay at least a part of the expenses himself. When travel expenses are not paid by the person who is taking the trip, the two most likely sources of payment are: • the traveler's family (14% of all travelers). • the traveler's employer (10%). Travel to the United States follows this same pattern. As might be expected, however, be- cause of the importance of the VFR market, families are involved in the payments of all or part of the travel expenses for two-in-ten (18%) of all visitors to this country. Employers pay for all or part of the expenses of 11% of the visitors to the United States. The overall proportion of visitors to the United States who receive help with the payment of travel ex- penses is not that much higher than is the case for all intercontinental travelers (33% versus 29%). But VFR visitors are of course assisted by indirect contributions, such as room and board, even if they themselves pay the actual air fare. 1. Airline Selection Slightly more than half (54%) of the intercon- tinental travelers who used air transport as their principal means of reaching their destination did not specify in advance which airline was to be used. Of course, this relates in the main to the use of tours for intercontinental travel— a characteristic of 38% of the Germans who went outside of the continental area. Tour travelers rarely have the opportunity to specify which airline they will take. (Only one-in-ten were able to do so, and it is probable that these are tour travelers who select an airline-package.) 3. Prior Planning Time Very few intercontinental trips are undertaken on the spur of the moment. Only 15% of all intercontinental travelers report having spent a month or less in the planning of their last trip abroad. And for the majority of travelers (52%), more than three months' planning is involved— in one-in-four cases, more than six months. The median planning time for all intercon- tinental travelers is slightly over three months. Planning time shown in the following chart 1 1 . 35 CD sz Q CO OC LU -J LU > < DC H CC LU CD I- co LU a. cc H h- Z LU O LU CC co o CC O LL LU (3 LL O CO O I- % CO z LU S O < CC < X o CC g CC a. ^8 CM 00 CD CM •^9 ^9 LD *>9 03 ^9 LD CN ^9 CM o 00 (0 S 52 O Q) (D n C — ._ CD a) §* CO O 4- o CJ h- ^5 00 ^9 ^9 00 LD CM ^9 CD CNI CNI 00 00 LD ^9 00 J?2 o «> CO JZ CD *-* CO o CO oo £ I c *- o •9> o CM r- co CD CO CD C .Q < CD c/) b D h- o CM r +-> LD o CO 00 '■)-' CD II CD CD fl) CD > (0 Q. CD CD CD 1— 1- J2 Q_ 36 III. ATTITUDES TOWARD THE UNITED STATES AS A TRAVEL DESTINATION A. GENERAL There is considerable interest among German international travelers in additional travel aboard. To a large extent, these travelers want to move further afield than they have in the past. Few view West Germany as a highly desir- able vacation destination, although many recognize that their own country does offer certain advantages to the traveler. As is the case with travelers in other countries, the emphasis of the German international traveler is usually on a continuing expansion of travel experiences. Most, however, are realistic about their means, and tend to think primarily of international travel closer to home. Interest in intercontinental travel is nevertheless quite strong. It is not by any means limited to intercontinental travelers, although it is more sharply felt by this small group. When asked to select one hypothetical gift from a list (the list included a trip outside of Europe, a trip through Europe, a new car and other articles of this nature), both continental and intercon- tinental travelers ranked "a trip outside of Europe" in first place. Continental travelers did so with a vote of 37%; intercontinental trav- elers, with a majority of 53%. In contrast, the proportions selecting a "trip through Europe" were only 17% and 9%, respectively. Of course, many different factors affect the determination of preferences for potential travel destinations— as suggested by the com- binations of motives for the actual "last trip" destinations. Europe itself is a destination of interest to many, and is recognized as offering unique advantages to the German who wishes to travel outside of his own country. But, Europe is not visualized as the prize that it usually is to non-European travelers. The United States is a place many Germans express a desire to visit- but it is clear that this country is not viewed as outstandingly attractive by the majority of international travelers. Rather, the United States is viewed as a destination which probably "should" be visited, but which offers few attractions outside of business and a different style of life. Pleasure travel, travel for cultural pursuits and just general vacationing, are not associated with travel to the United States. In summary, the most highly prized destina- tions for German international travelers are the somewhat more remote, and clearly more distinctive, areas: Japan and China, Mexico/ Central America and the Caribbean, Australia and Oceania, and other such places. Among the factors which seem to play a role in determining this rough progression of desir- ability among the different destinations men- tioned, are some which are common to travelers in other countries: the continuous experience. expansion of travel • the effects of traveling to new places, and then "discovering" even more interesting places for travel. • the current fashion or vogue (or, of course, the "rejection" of the fashion by some travelers). • the realities of cost and distance. However, German travelers do appear to weigh the advantages and disadvantages offered by each potential destination— at least insofar as 37 they are aware of them. The image that is held of the United States is not a wholly favorable one. B. DESIRABILITY OF DESTINATION 'NEXT" VACATION Among German international travelers, as expected the United States does not rank par- ticularly high as the "next" vacation destina- tion. Europe stands in a clear first place as the destination travelers say they will go to on "their next vacation." When, hypothetically, cost is removed from consideration, the attrac- tion of Europe falls dramatically, interest in the United States rises considerably— but interest in destinations which are even more "foreign" (in terms of both distance and culture) reveals that these destinations are still more prized by Germans. Germany itself is considered a likely vacation destination for one-in-ten of the international travelers studied. Austria, Iberia and Italy are the other European countries which are attac- tive to fairly large proportions of travelers. Europe as a whole is given as the likely "realis- tic" vacation preference by 51% of the inter- continental travel group, and by an over- whelming 80% of the continental travelers. But when asked to ignore cost considerations, many of these travelers immediately ignore Europe as a destination: the area drops in choice from 51% to 19% among intercontinental travelers, and from 80% to 33% among continental trav- elers. The United States is mentioned by small but still significant numbers as a preferred travel destination— and this is particularly true for persons who visited the United States on their last trip abroad. Still, only one out often inter- continental travelers mention the United States as the likely destination for their next vacation, and the proportion rises only to 1 9% when the cost factor is removed. Among the continental travelers, the change is more dramatic, but the global figures indicate even less interest (2% and 14%). Table 16 ranks the top five major destinations by type of traveler. As indicated the United States ranks 1st only among those travelers who have been to the United States and varies be- tween 10th and 13th for the other groups. Table 17 reflects the major destination areas that travelers say they will pick for their "next vacation," together with those picked under the condition that cost were not a factor. These Table 16.— Destination Preferences of West German Travelers (Major destinations ranked) Intercontinental travelers Rank Continental travelers Been to U.S. 1 West Germany United States 2 Spain, Portugal .... West Germany 3 Austria Italy 4 Italy Austria 5 Yugoslavia, Albania, Yugoslavia, Greece Albania, Greece (U.S. rank: 13) All Not been to U.S. Total travelers West Germany United States West Germany North Africa, West Germany Spain, Portugal Middle East Austria Austria Austria Spain, Portugal North Africa, Middle East Italy Yugoslavia, Yugoslavia, Other Africa Albania, Albania, Greece Greece (U.S. rank: 10) (U.S. rank: 13) 38 data show clearly that three areas are highly attractive as destinations but are considered likely to be too expensive to plan to travel to: the Orient, Latin America, and Australia/ Oceania. The United States is ranked ahead of these three areas only by those who have actually been to the United States themselves. Those who have not been to the United States hold it in much lower regard. Table 17.— Destination Preferences for West German Vacation Travel Intercontinental travelers Non- Conti- U.S. U.S. nental visitors visitors travelers "Normal" Preference Europe (total) 48% West Germany 9 Austria 5 Iberia 4 Italy 7 UNITED STATES 18 Latin America 5 Africa, Middle East ... 5 Japan, China, Far East 4 Australia, Oceania .... 1 "Hypothetical" Preference With All Expenses Paid Europe (total) 19% West Germany 1 Austria 1 Iberia 4 Italy 2 UNITED STATES 28 Latin America 13 Africa, Middle East ... 11 Japan, China, Far East 16 Australia, Oceania .... 7 54% 80% 11 9 8 11 7 13 4 10 4 2 4 2 16 7 5 1 1 (*) 19% 33 1 2 1 2 1 6 1 3 9 14 20 16 13 14 19 13 8 7 Interest in visiting the United States for a vaca- tion does vary from one demographic segment of the travel market to another. These varia- tions are usually consistent with the profiles of U.S. visitors and non-visitors, as would be expected from the data shown in Table 18. Thus, lower income travelers, older travelers, women and repeat travelers all report somewhat higher interest than do others in the U.S. as a vacation destination— suggesting that it is among these groups that there has been more actual exposure to the United States, and that it is this exposure rather than demographic factors which are instrumental in creating a more favor- able image of the United States. Table 18.— Characteristics of West Germans Preferring United States for Next Vacation (Choice of United States for Next Vacation, Demographics) Inter- conti- Conti- nental nental Characteristics travelers travelers Income: DM 1499 or less 40% 47% 1500-2499 31 29 2500 or more 15 18 Age: 29 or less 28 35 30-49 27 47 50 or more 45 18 Sex: Male 45 53 Female 55 47 Travel: First time 20 Repeat 80 100 Metro area: Hamburg 16 Rhine 9 18 Berlin 4 6 Munich 5 18 Size: Urban 69 88 Rural 31 12 Base 75 17 39 C. DESIRABILITY PURPOSES FOR OTHER TRAVEL The attraction of the United States as a destina- tion for sixteen hypothetical travel purposes was measured, relative to other areas of the world, in a series of free-response questions. The image of the United States that emerges from these questions is not as favorable as for other destinations. The strongest image associ- ated with the United States is one of technol- ogy and business. It is ranked first as a country that would be visited to see a "modem, advanced country"-an attitude common to both intercontinental and continental travelers. And the same is true of the concept that the U.S. should be visited if the purpose of the trip is to be "helpful to a business or career." Additional positive aspects to the image of the United States as a travel destination include the variety of places and sights available, and the concept that friends will be interested in hearing about a trip to this country. And, of course, the United States was recognized as a place for visiting friends and relatives, as seen below in table 19. But on the negative side, especially considering the basic pleasure motivation for most inter- national travel from Germany, the United Table 19. -Image of the United States-West German Travel Market "If you were to take a trip for ... . what place or what countries would you prefer to visit? " Inter- continental Continental Total travelers travelers travelers The United States Was First Choice— 1. To get to know another modern, advanced country 2. To learn things helpful to business or career 3. To see a wide variety of different places and sights of interest .... 4. For making purchases 5 . To visit friends and relatives 6. To meet foreign people and to know them better 7. To see places other people will be interested in hearing about .... 8. To go somewhere friends have not been to 9. To enjoy exciting night life 10. To see beautiful scenery 1 1 . To learn about other cultures and ways of life 12. To visit museums 13. To visit places of historic interest 14. For a tranquil and restful vacation 15. To visit beautiful beaches 16. To enjoy good food For all German travelers, United States is chosen most for: 1 . Seeing another modern country 2. Helpful to career 3. See a wide variety of sights 4. Tied between VFR, and see places others would like to hear about 37% 35% 36% 22 16 19 22 1 1 16 3 1 2 22 6 14 17 7 12 16 12 14 11 8 10 10 7 8 10 6 8 7 3 5 6 1 4 3 1 2 3 — 2 10 7 9 2 — 1 40 States is ranked exceptionally low as a place to visit for historic sights, museums, distinctiveness of culture (and the quality of the food). In addition, neither scenic beauty nor the enjoy- ment of beaches were associated with this country by the typical German international traveler. The image of Europe was highly positive. This detail reveals that Germans apparently believe that either Germany or the other countries of Europe could easily fulfill virtually any travel purpose they might have in mind. In other words, international travelers in Germany are aware that their location in the heart of the Continent offers distinct advantages for travel— and that the countries around them do offer a very wide variety of travel alternatives (at reasonable cost). West Germany itself clearly stands out on several specific dimensions- for: as the destination • a restful vacation. • making purchases. • helping one's business or career. • visiting museums. In addition, of course, travel within Germany is closely associated with the visiting of friends and relatives. Tables 20 and 21 show the percentages naming each major destination area as the most appro- priate destination for all sixteen hypothetical travel purposes studied. In studying these two tables, it will be noted that continental travelers demonstrate considerably less interest in the United States as a travel destination. This general pattern of attitudes is important when evaluating the potential for travel to the United States from this market. Table 20.— Images of Major Destinations— Intercontinental Travelers for Different Types of Travel United West Other Latin Travel purpose States Germany Europe America Orient Get to know another advanced country 37% 2 30 1 9 Visit friends/relatives 22% 30 18 3 1 Help business, career 22% 17 22 2 1 Variety of places, sights 22% 5 39 5 7 Get to know foreign people 17% 4 29 4 10 See places others will want to hear about 16% 116 7 12 Go where friends have not 11% 1 14 8 17 Enjoy scenery 10% 10 47 4 2 Enjoy night life 10% 8 40 3 8 Enjoy beaches 10% 4 40 14 2 Learn about other cultures 7% 1 19 14 18 Visit museums 6% 17 54 1 1 Restful vacation 3% 31 45 2 (*) Make purchases 3% 26 44 1 4 See historic sights 3% 5 57 6 2 Enjoy good food 2% 11 62 1 2 1 Minor destinations and "don't know" omitted; read table horizontally. *Equivalent to less than one half of one percent. 41 Table 21. -Images of Major Destinations— Continental Travelers for Different Types of Travel * United Travel purpose States Get to know another advanced country 35% Help business, career 16% See places others will want to hear about 12% Variety of places, sights 11% Go where friends have not 8% Enjoy night life 7% Get to know foreign people 7% Enjoy beaches 7% Visit friends/relatives 6% Enjoy scenery 6% Learn about other cultures 3% Make purchases 1% Visit museums 1% See historic sights 1% Restful vacation (*) Enjoy good food (*) 1 Minor destinations and "don't know" omitted; read table horizontally. * Equivalent to one half of one percent. West Other Latin Germany Europe America Orient 1 37 1 8 19 28 1 2 1 28 5 12 6 55 3 5 2 20 9 15 °- 50 3 4 5 44 3 7 4 54 3 (*) 41 27 2 (*) 12 57 3 1 (*) 29 12 16 23 50 (*) 1 16 60 (*) (*) 5 65 2 1 28 57 1 (*) 9 71 (*) 3 D. ACTIVITIES OF HYPOTHETICAL INTEREST The activities mentioned by travelers as things they would like to do on their next or first visit to the United States, provide an interesting side- light of conceivable advertising appeals. However, in viewing the following data from this perspective, the overall image of the United States that has been outlined in the preceding pages, should not be set aside. In some cases, what travelers would like to do (as seen below) may not agree with what they think that they can do (as shown previously); in other cases, travelers may not mention certain types of activities because they do not think that these are available (museums, for instance). And for each of these possible activities, of course, the traveler has available to him a wide range of countries from which to choose. While he might prefer to engage in a particular activity "if he were in the United States," he might prefer even more to pursue that same activity some- where else. Travelers were shown a list of several things that they might want to do in the United States- some of them, activities which had not been mentioned by anyone on a spontaneous basis up to this point in the interview. The single most interesting activity mentioned is visits to several of the big cities in the United States— mentioned by two-in-three international travelers. (For specific cities of interest, see the section on hypothetical destinations below.) However, the general thrust of activities in which German international travelers express the greatest interest is away from the country's larger cities— and to the natural beauty and scenery of the United States. Thus, of the first eight activities mentioned by travelers, four relate to natural scenery: a general desire to "experience the scenery," and specific mentions of national parks, the Rocky Mountains, and the desert country. Remaining activities of greater-than-average interest include "getting to know the American 42 people," visiting Indian reservations and visiting other historical sights. These broad preferences are common to all types of German international travelers. But those who have already visited the United States imply that they would like to broaden their activities, if they were to return. This is shown in the generally higher mentions of most activities by previous visitors. Table 22 shows the percentages of travelers that would be interested in undertaking a variety of specific activities on a trip to the United States. With respect to this list, it will be noticed that certain types of activities are simply not associ- ated with this country. Visiting museums and enjoying cultural events are two activities that relatively few travelers mention. Nonetheless, these activities are more likely to be mentioned by those who have visited the United States, and the data might imply a certain "discovery" that museums and music are available in this country. On the other hand, certain specific activities are clearly not visualized as a part of travel to the United States, and would therefore probably be less promising as a focus of promotional efforts. These include resting, shopping and attending sports events. Gambling also appears to be of very limited interest. Table 22.-Activities Travelers Would Be Interested in on a Trip to the United States Intercontinental travelers Table 22.-Activities Travelers Would Be Interested in on a Trip to the United States— Continued Intercontinental travelers Non- Conti- U.S. U.S. nental Activities visitors visitors travelers Visit several big cities 68% 62% Visit national parks ...... 62 54 Experience the scenery .... 60 62 Get to know the American people 59 53 Visit the Rocky Moun- tains 55 57 Visit Indian Reservations . . 48 44 Visit historical sights 37 31 Visit the desert country ... 34 32 65% 56 61 60 56 51 39 37 U.S. Activities visitors See the "Wild West" 30 Spend time on beaches ... 29 Enjoy cultural events 27 Visit museums 22 Take a restful vacation .... 19 Go skiing 15 Enjoy the night life 11 Make purchases 12 Go to sports events 8 Gamble 3 Non- Conti- U.S. nental visitors travelers 26 31 27 29 21 24 12 18 11 11 11 15 17 16 12 16 4 8 7 6 E. IMPRESSIONS OF THE UNITED STATES The impressions of returning visitors to the United States are generally favorable. Favorable These favorable impressions tend to be con- veyed in general terms: references to the American way of thinking (made by 24%) and to the American "way of life" (mentioned by 17% of the United States visitors). The simple vastness of the United States receives equal billing with the beauty of the landscape (20% vs. 18%). Many visitors were highly impressed with architecture (17%); others with the disci- pline of American drivers in traffic and the solution of traffic problems (1 1%). New York City is mentioned as the "most impressive" aspect of the United States by 15% of all Germans who visited the U.S. on their last trip abroad, and other cities are mentioned by one traveler out of twelve. But attractions such as Niagara Falls and the national parks receive considerably less attention (only 5% each). Cultural aspects of American life are mentioned by only one-in-twenty-five. With some notable exceptions, the points which most impressed visitors to this country are also those which non-visitors would expect to find 43 most impressive. However, Germans with inter- continental travel experience who have not been to the United States in the past two years focus more on the beauty of the landscape and on the American "way of life." Scenic beauty is also what continental travelers say they would most expect to find, although reference is also made to the American mentality, to life style and to the vastness of the country. Unfavorable On the negative side, only one point stands out as a possible barrier— difficulties with language and communications. One-in-five visitors to the United States mention having had problems in this respect. A summary of problems expected or encountered in the United States is shown in table 23. No other single problem stands out in a clear second place-although several negative impres- sions are mentioned in small proportions of visitors: traffic, noise and the hectic pace of life (8%); problems with the cost of the trip, either in terms of reaching the United States or once inside the country (7%); the long distances involved in travel inside the United States and fears related to crime, drugs, etc. (both men- tioned by 6%). The majority of travelers to the United States, however, specified no specific problems (71%). Some of these additional negative impressions are shared by non-visitors, and one— the cost of travel -stands out as an obvious major drawback to travel to this country. (Importantly, as will be seen in a further section, this assessment is probably fairly realistic: non-visitors' estimates of the costs involved in travel to the United States are in line with the expenditures reported by actual visitors.) Table 23.— Favorable and Unfavorable Aspects on Most Recent Trip to the United States German travelers to the U.S. Favorable Aspects American way of thinking .... Vastness of landscape, roominess, quiet Beauty/Landscape/Untouched nature American way of life/Liberality Architecture/Buildings/ Bridges/etc New York Discipline in traffic/Solution of traffic problems Unfavorable Aspects Don't know/Found nothing unfavorable Language/Communication .... Traffic, noise, hectic pace .... Money, high prices Long distances involved in trip to the U.S. or in U.S Crime, drugs, violence (352) 24% 20 18 17 17 15 11 71% 21 F. SPECIFIC DESTINATIONS/ITINERARIES OF INTEREST In terms of geographic regions, those of greatest interest to the German international traveler are the same areas most often visited by those who have been to this country— the East Coast and the Western region. San Francisco and New York are the two specific cities mentioned spontaneously as places of greatest interest for a 44 visit to the United States. (Note that table 25 is compiled with "don't knows" excluded, so differs from the table below.) visit the Western United States is more than double actual visitation. The following set of figures in table 24 indicates variations in preference for the different regions of the United States, as destinations during a hypothetical trip to this country. Of significance is the fact that the desire to visit the Eastern United States is less than actual visitation, while on the other hand, the desire to As indicated in table 25, specific attractions in the United States— such as Niagara Falls, the Grand Canyon, Disneyland, etc., are quite well known by German travelers. Niagara Falls, the Statue of Liberty, and Cape Kennedy are best known— but eight out of a list of ten specific travel attractions are known to 80% or more of the German traveling public covered by this survey. Table 24.-U.S. Destinations of Interest to West Germans Proportion actually Intercontinental Continental visiting Destination Western U.S U.S. travelers 70% travelers travelers 65% All travelers 32% 71% 68% San Francisco 43 19 46 21 43 n.a. 45 Las Vegas n.a. Los Angeles 17 33 19 33 18 n.a. 18 Hawaii n.a. Arizona 15 18 n.a. n.a. 25% Central U.S 24 22 24 23 Chicago 14 14 15 14 25% Southern U.S 42 15 42 17 39 11 41 Miami 13 New Orleans 16 55 37 19 16 67 54 23 16 84 74 31 16 63% Eastern U.S 75 New York 64 Washington 27 2% Pacific Islands 8 9 6 11 5 19 6 Niagara Falls 15 Grand Canyon National Parks, Yellowstone . . 7 5 8 6 7 6 7 6 Denver 5 4 6 5 Rocky Mountains 3 4 2 4 4 2 5 7 4 4 Cape Kennedy 5 Disneyland, World 3 BASE (don't know's excluded) • (341) (667) (642) (1,309) 45 Table 25.— Awareness of and Interest in Specific U.S. Travel Attractions— Intercontinental Travelers Heard Interested Relative Travel attractions of in visiting interest* Niagara Falls 96% 60% 63% Statue of Liberty 95 18 19 Cape Kennedy 94 39 41 Disneyland/Disney World 91 23 25 Rocky Mountains 89 52 58 New Orleans 87 36 41 Yellowstone National Park 83 49 59 Grand Canyon 83 53 64 New England 56 9 16 Cypress Gardens 28 16 57 *Computed only among those who had heard of each attraction. Nevertheless, only four of the ten attractions command a high degree of interest as travel destinations— and it is very revealing that all of these are natural rather than man-made attrac- tions. Included in this list of well-known travel spots which generate interest among one half or better of all international travelers are the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, Yellowstone National Park, and the Rocky Mountains. A fifth attraction— also a natural and scenic spot- is Cypress Gardens. However, only one out of four international travelers is aware of this tourist attraction, and thus overall interest is rather low. Relative interest (based on those who know of the attraction) is very high. Based on table 24, the following ranking regard- ing interest in visiting specific U.S. cities/states are as follows: ank City/State 1 San Francisco 2 New York City 3 Hawaii 4 Las Vegas 5 Washington, D.C 6 Los Angeles 7 New Orleans 8 Arizona 9 Miami 10 Chicago Three other cities mentioned frequently were Denver, Seattle, and Salt Lake City Hypothetical Itineraries When asked to rank six different itineraries for trips to the United States, a clear order of preference emerges for all international travelers in Germany. In general terms, these preferences reflect the other findings outlined in this section: interest in reaching the West Coast of the United States, and interest in natural rather than man-made attractions. Rated in first place by all travelers, interconti- nental and continental alike, is a tour from San Francisco to the Grand Canyon, via Los Angeles and Las Vegas. A close second is another tour in the West: Los Angeles-San Diego-Hawaii. America's great metropolis is the start of the tour ranked in third place— originating in New York, and including Niagara Falls, Washington, D.C, and then Boston. The West is once again the site of the tour itinerary in fourth place: Grand Canyon-Indian Reservations-Phoenix- Denver. The man-made attractions included on an itin- erary for the Florida area are clearly of little interest to travelers. Thus, the trip from Orlando (Disney World) to Tampa (Cypress Gardens), also including Miami Beach/Fort Lauderdale and Cape Kennedy, was ranked in last place. Fifth place was occupied by a tour of the Mid-West— Chicago-Mil waukee-St. Louis- Kansas City. Itinerary preferences within the different travel groups are shown in table 26. Table 26.— Ranking of Six Itineraries for a Hypothetical Trip to the United States (Figures shown are averages on a scale from first to sixth place in preference) Intercontinental travelers Non- Conti- U.S. U.S. nental Itineraries visitors visitors travelers San Francisco - Los Angeles - Las Vegas - Grand Canyon . . 2.3 2.5 2.4 46 Table 26.— Ranking of Six Itineraries for a Hypothetical Trip to the United States-Continued Intercontinental travelers Itineraries Non- Conti- U.S. U.S. nental visitors visitors travelers 2.9 3.8 4.2 Los Angeles - San Diego - Hawaii 2.7 2.7 New York - Niagara Falls - Washington, D.C. - Boston 3.6 3.2 Grand Canyon - Indian Reservations - Phoenix - Denver 3.6 3.6 Chicago - Milwaukee - St. Louis - Kansas City . . 4.0 4.4 Orlando (Disney World) - Miami Beach/Fort Lauderdale - Cape Kennedy - Tampa (Cypress Gardens) 4.7 4.7 4.9 G. OTHER CHARACTERISTICS OF A HYPOTHETICAL TRIP TO THE UNITED STATES The international travelers were asked a series of questions covering several of the details of a hypothetical trip to the United States- including means of transportation, trip duration and expenditure levels. These findings are summarized below. 1. Transportation German travelers would prefer to fly to the United states on their own airline, Lufthansa, rather than on any of the American flag carriers. Slightly less than one half of all international travelers express a preference for Lufthansa; only one-in-five mention that they would prefer to fly on Pan American. Once in the United States, a fly/drive plan would reportedly be of greatest interest. Some- what more than one half of the travelers select this mode of travel, as opposed to a motor coach with guide or to trains. (Nevertheless, the second alternative is still preferred by one out of three travelers, a substantial minority.) 2.7 2. Length of Trip Intercontinental travelers would expect to spend an average of 36 days on a trip to the United States. This average trip duration com- pares with 31 days spent on the "last trips" taken by these travelers, and is thus not out of line with reality. U.S. visitors, who spent an average of 34 days on their last trip abroad (29 of them inside the United States) would prefer to have quite a bit more time available to them on their next trip to this country— an average of 39 days in the United States. 3. Expenditures The average intercontinental traveler spent approximately DM 3110 (US$ 1150) on his most recent trip abroad. For a trip to the United States, average expenditure estimates are very close to this figure: DM 3350 (US$ 1240). Continental travelers are inclined to believe they would spend somewhat less on a trip to this country— estimating average expenditures at DM 2880 (US$ 1070). However, this figure still represents a significant increase over the amount they actually did spend on their last trip (which did not take them beyond the Continental perimeter, of course). In this case, continental travelers spent an average of only DM 1610 (US$ 600). Estimates of probable cost are therefore fairly accurate. The potential traveler appears to be well-informed, and his acceptance or rejection of a trip to the United States on economic grounds is more than just guesswork. 47 IV. ACCESS TO INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNITED STATES AND EXPOSURE TO PRINT ADVER- TISING MEDIA A. INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNITED STATES Slightly more than one-half (53%) of the travelers who had visited the United States on their most recent trip abroad report having obtained information about this country prior to their departure. Only one-in-five (17%) of these visitors state that they felt the need for additional information— more, that is, than they had been able to obtain (see table 27). Visitors who do make an effort to learn about the United States include all types of trav- elers—but are more likely to be those types not associated with the VFR market: younger travelers, men, from the upper income level. Much of the information obtained was indi- cated to be general— either the type of informa- tion contained in the travel brochures or leaflets which are mentioned by 62% of the visitors to the U.S. or background information (guide- books) on the "country and its people" (men- tioned by 33%). However, only 13% consulted maps of the country or of the specific places that they would visit. (Interestingly, only l%of all visitors purchased travel dictionaries, despite problems with language/communications.) Travel agents were the most common source of information about the United States, men- tioned by 57% of all U.S. visitors who secured information. Other sources of importance in- cluded bookshops where literature is purchased (3 1 %) and friends and relatives of the traveler, either at home or in the United States (14%). Some mention was made of more "official" sources of information about this country. Four percent of all travelers who visited the United States on their last trip abroad stated that they received information from an Embassy or Con- sulate or U.S. Government; 2% specifically mention the USTS office in Germany. Table 27.— Type and Sources of Information, Additional Information Desired, By West Germans Who Visited the United States SAMPLE Obtained information BASE Type: General brochures, leaflets Traveler guide books . . . . Travelers to Intercontinental the U.S. travelers, total (352) (701) 53% 27% (186) (192) 62% 63% 33 32 48 Table 27. -Type and Sources of Information, Additional Information Desired, By West Germans Who Visited the United States -Continued General info, on country and people . Maps of country, towns Source: Travel agency, bureau Bookshops Friends, relatives in Germany German motor clubs, etc USTS/Embassy/Consulate Additional: Had sufficient information before trip Would have liked more information . . Of which: general information on country and people information in own specialized fields maps of country, town . . Travelers to Intercontinental the U.S. travele rs, total 26 25 13 13 57% 56% 31 30 14 14 7 7 6 6 83% 83% 17 17 50% 22 16 48% 21 16 B. EXPOSURE TO PRINT MEDIA The large majority of German international travelers read both newspapers (approximately 82%) and magazines (86%). Among the newspapers, no single one is domi- nant throughout the whole country. The most important among intercontinental travelers, on a national level, include: Die Welt 11% Frankfurter Allgemeine 7 Hamburger Abendblatt 7 Bild-Zeitung 6 Suddeutsche Zeitung 6 Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung ... 5 Three specific magazines are clearly more popu- lar than others among intercontinental trav- elers—but readership of even smaller journals is relatively high. The leaders in this respect include Stern (50%), Der Spiegel (41%- especially high among men) and Hor Zu (30%). In addition, Bunte Illustrierte and Brigette should be mentioned in relation to female readership. 49 V. TECHNICAL NOTES Appendices 50 Appendix A DEFINITIONS A variety of terms has been employed in the analysis and presentation of the data derived from this survey. Although many are self-explanatory, the terms most frequently used are defined below for ease of reference by the reader. City-Size Groups: Continental Travelers: Analysis by "city-size" divides respondents into two broad catego- ries: those who live in an urban environment, and those whose residence is in a rural area. Urban areas include all major cities and the suburban or marginally urban areas around those cities. Rural areas include towns and villages not directly connected with major metropolitan or urban areas. Persons who report having taken one or more trips outside of Germany during the past two years, and whose last trip did not go beyond areas relatively near to Germany. The accompanying map shows the perimeter of the area considered "Continental." The area includes continental Europe, the British Isles, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and European Russia and all other countries which border the Mediterranean Sea. First-Time Travelers: Income Level: Individuals who report that their last trip abroad was also their first. The income categories shown in the report refer to stated net monthly household income, as reported by the respondent. All figures shown are German Marks (DM). Although exchange rates are of course subject to some fluctuation, an approximate standard would be DM2.70 to US$1.00. Intercontinental Travelers: Metropolitan Areas: Non-U.S. Travelers: Persons who report having taken one or more trips outside of Germany during the past two years, and whose last trip took them beyond the perimeter defined as "Continental." These travelers may also have stopped within the "Continent," en route. The accompa- nying map shows the perimeters of the "Continental" area. The four metropolitan areas which are used in the analysis of the data obtained are shown on the map immediately following. The areas in question include the city-state of Hamburg, the Rhine-Ruhr area, West Berlin and the Munich metropolitan area. Individuals who have traveled internationally during the two years prior to the survey, but have not visited the United States during this period. 51 Repeat Travelers: Individuals who report that they have taken more than one trip abroad at some time, not necessarily within the past two years. Total Population: The entire universe of study: adults (18 or older) residing anywhere in West Germany or West Berlin. United States Visitors: Individuals who visited any U.S. destination on their last trip abroad. The category includes both those for whom the United States was the final destination, and those for whom it was a stopover of one day or more. 52 Appendix B PERIMETER OF THE "CONTINENTAL" AREA 53 Appendix C SAMPLING METHODOLOGY The data presented in the preceding pages are based upon a personal interview survey con- ducted in West Germany and West Berlin during the fall and winter of 1973-74. The procedures used in the conduct of this study are described below. I. Universe of Study The universe of study, or population to be represented in the sample, is defined as all adult Germans (18 years of age or older) resident in either West Germany or West Berlin. II. Stages of the Research The study was conducted in two stages. The first had as its purpose the quantification of the incidence of travel from Germany, and the location of international travelers for later, more detailed, interview. The second stage consisted of detailed interviews among individ- uals identified as international travelers. The work in this second stage focused on two distinct groups of travelers who had been outside of Germany during the two years prior to the survey: those whose last trip had been confined to areas relatively near to Germany- continental travelers— and those who had trav- elled intercontinentally during this time period. A The First Stage Inasmuch as massive screening was required for the first stage of this project, it was decided that advantage should be taken of an omnibus survey of the German population. The omnibus survey utilized is conducted annually, and is based on a sample of 40,000 households in all areas of West Germany and West Berlin. The 40,000 households included in the omnibus survey were selected on the basis of a random route system applied within a stratified master sample of electroal precincts selected at random from official registers. A total of 38,488 effec- tive interviews was achieved in the households selected. In the 38,488 households contacted during this screening phase of the project, information on the incidence of international travel was ob- tained: Q. Did you personally, or did someone else in your household, travel abroad one or more times during the past two years? Q. (IF YES) Which countries did (you/this person) go to? On the basis of the results to the above questions, 13,300 contacts were made with individuals who had traveled outside of Germany during the prior two years. B. The Second Stage The screening process described above identi- fied 717 intercontinental travelers and 12,583 travelers within the Continental perimeter. The sampling procedure used in final sample selec- tion differed for these two sub-groups of the travel market. Continental Travelers: Final respondents for the sub-sample of continental travelers were se- lected through the application of a random selection procedure to the 12,583 such travelers identified during the screening stage of the project. Approximately one-in-eighteen of the travelers originally located was interviewed during the second stage of the survey. A total of 701 interviews with continental travelers was conducted. 54 Intercontinental Travelers: The screening pro- cedure identified only 717 travelers who had traveled intercontinental distances. During the second stage of the project, efforts were made to re-contact all of these individuals, and were successful in 500 cases. Additional interviews with intercontinental travelers were conducted on the basis of quotas based on the demographic characteristics of those travelers located during the screening phase of the survey. The characteristics used to determine quotas were: place of residence (region and city-size stratum), sex, age and occupation. A total of 201 interviews with intercontinental travelers was achieved in this way. The complete sample of intercontinental trav- elers totaled 701. III. Administration The project was carried out through the com- bined efforts of Gaither International and GFM/Gesellschaft fur Marktforschung mbH. All pretesting and fieldwork was carried out by interviewers permanently employed by GFM. Coding of the field materials was also com- pleted in Germany. Tabulations were accom- plished by computer in New York. 55 Appendix D TRAVEL STUDY - WEST GERMANY (MAIN INTERVIEW) Good morning (afternoon). We are conducting a survey, and would like to ask you for a few moments of your time. For example. . . 1st 2nd 1. (SHOW CARD A) If vou had the monev to buv AN AUTOMOBILE 1 1 A COLOR TV SET 2 2 A NEW SET OF LIVING ROOM FURNITURE 3 3 A REFRIGERATOR/FREEZER Which would be your second choice? COMBINATION 4 4 A TRIP OUTSIDE OF EUROPE 5 5 A POWER BOAT 6 6 A TRIP THROUGH EUROPE 7 7 DON'T KNOW 9 9 NONE OF THESE 8 8 (SHOW CARD A) If you had the money to buy or do any of the things on this list, for which one of them do you think you would prefer to spend your money? Which would be your second choice? (I understand that you have recently travelled out- side of Germany). Could you tell me when you took your most recent trip outside of the country? (In what month of the year did you begin the trip?) MONTH: YEAR: How long did the trip last in all, from the time you left your home until you returned? What was the most distant place you visited on this trip? DURATION: PLACE: (IF U.S., SPECIFY REGION) What other places did you visit? Please name them for me, starting with your first stop of one day or more and going on from there, so that I can note them all down. (NOTE CITY (OR STATE) AND COUNTRY OF EACH STOP OF ONE FULL DAY OR MORE) (SHOW CARD) By the way, in what kind of lodging did you stop in (EACH PLACE)? For example . . . (REPEAT FOR EACH STOP OF ONE DAY OR MORE, AND FOR THE MOST DISTANT POINT.) 56 PLACES LODGINGS Private Boarding Youth Other COUNTRY CITY/STATE Ho tel Motel Home 3 House Hostel (Specify) 2 4 5 2 3 4 5 2 3 4 5 2 3 4 5 9 3 4 5 9 3 4 5 2 3 4 5 2 3 4 5 2 3 4 5 2 3 4 5 (IF THE RESPONDENT VISITED ANY PART OF THE UNITED STATES) For how long a time, in all, were you in the United States? DURATION : PRINCIPAL OTHER AIRPLANE (ASK 10 & 11). . 1 1 SHIP 2 2 TRAIN 3 3 RENTED CAR 4 4 BUS 5 5 OTHER (SPECIFY) . 8. What was the principal means of transportation you used on this trip? 9. (IF RESPONDENT MADE MORE THAN ONE STOP) Did you use any other means of transpor- tation to travel from one place or another? (Which?) 10. (IF TRAVELLED BY PLANE) What airlines did you fly on? (Any other?) AIRLINES USED: 11. (IF MORE THAN ONE) Which of these was the airline you flew on for the greatest distance? (IF EQUAL DISTANCES ON DIFFERENT AIR- LINES, RECORD EACH ONE) AIRLINES USED MOST (ONLY ONE): 57 12. Did you use any kinds of local transportation within any of the cities you visited? (IF "YES") What kinds? YES, USED: RENTED CAR l PRIVATE CAR 2 BUS 3 SUBWAY 4 TAXI 5 OTHER (SPECIFY) DON'T REMEMBER X NO, DID NOT USE ANY OTHER Y ALONE (SKIP TO Q.14) 1 ACCOMPANIED 2 13. By the way, did you travel alone on this trip, or did friends or someone else in your family accom- pany you? 13a. (IF ACCOMPANIED) Who accompanied you? (NOTE RELATIONSHIP AND THE TOTAL NUMBER OF COMPANIONS, WITHOUT INCLUDING THE RESPONDENT) RELATIONSHIP OR OTHER CONNECTION SEX AGE TOTAL NUMBER: 14. What was it that made you want to take this trip, specifically? (NOTE VERBATIM) MOTIVATED BY: 15. What (other things) did you have in mind to do on this trip? (PROBE) SECONDARY PURPOSES: 17. Was this a trip that you undertook on you own or was it a tour? INDIVIDUAL TRIP (SKIP TO Q.19) TOUR 58 18-1. (IF TOUR) Could you tell me who the sponsor of the tour was, or what its purpose was? NAME OF TOUR: THEME OR PURPOSE OF TOUR: 18-2. Was the tour limited to certain kinds of persons, or could anyone join it who wanted to and was willing to pay for it? LIMITED 1 ANYONE COULD JOIN (SKIP TO Q. 18-4) 2 DON'T KNOW (SKIP TO Q.18-4) 3 18-3. (IF LIMITED) What kinds of people was it limited to? KINDS OF PEOPLE WHO QUALIFIED: 18-4. (SHOW CARD B) Which of these factors would you say was the most important in your choosing to go on this tour? 18-4a. Which was the second most important factor? 1st 2nd Place Place THE DESTINATION COUNTRIES IT INCLUDED 1 1 THE NUMBER OF COUNTRIES IT INCLUDED 2 2 THE THEME OR PURPOSE OF THE TOUR 3 3 THE NUMBER OF DAYS IT INCLUDED 4 4 TRAVEL AGENT RECOM- MENDED IT 5 5 OTHER PEOPLE RECOMMENDED IT TO ME 6 6 THE TYPES OF PEOPLE GOING ON THE TOUR 7 7 PRICE OF TOUR 8 8 THE VARIETY OF THINGS THE TOUR INCLUDED 9 9 NONE OF THESE 18-4b. Was there anything else that made you decide on this tour rather than some other tour? (What?) OTHER REASONS FOR CHOICE: 18-5. (SHOW CARD C) Which of these things did the tour include in the overall price it charged? TRANSPORTATION SPACE 1 LODGING 2 SIGHTSEEING 3 COMPLETE ITINERARY 4 59 18-6. Could you tell me what the total price of the tour was— that is, the price you agreed to pay in Germany? PRICE (RECORD PRECISE AMOUNT): 18-7. Was this cost of the tour paid for entirely by you; partly by you and partly by others; or entirely by others? 18-7a. (IF PAID PARTLY OR ALL BY OTHERS) Who (else) paid the cost of this trip? ENTIRELY BY RESPONDENT (SKIP TO Q. 18-8) 1 PARTLY BY OTHERS 2 ENTIRELY BY OTHERS 3 FAMILY l EMPLOYER 2 FRIENDS 3 OTHERS (Who?): I know that it is difficult to remember everything that you spend on a trip like this. But, aside from the main cost of the trip that you have already mentioned, how much would you say that you (and those in your family who accompanied you) spent in all on this trip, including everything bought while you were away from home? ORIGINAL REVISED AMOUNT: 18-9. Let's take it step by step. How much would you say you spent for any local transportation you used at your destinations— that is, for taxis, local buses, cars, and everything else like this? (JUST A GUESS WILL DO, PLEASE) AMOUNT: 18-10. Did you spend anything for lodgings, aside from the lodgings that were paid for as part of the tour price? (IF "YES") How much would you say you spent for lodgings? AMOUNT: 18-11. Did you spend anything for food and drinks, aside from the meals that were included in the arrange- ments for the tour? (IF "YES") How much would you say you spent for food? AMOUNT: 18-12. Now, think about the purchases you made, whether they were for you yourself, for your family, or for other people. How much would you say you spent in all on purchases— souvenirs, presents, etc.? AMOUNT: 18-13. Finally, think about all the other things that a person can spend money on during a trip- sightseeing tours, tips— everything that takes money. Just taking a guess, how much would you say you spent on this kind of thing in all? AMOUNT: 60 (NOTE TO INTERVIEWER: ADD THE FIGURES GIVEN FOR EACH PART, AND CHECK THEM AGAINST THE TOTAL IN Q.18-8. REVISE THE DIFFERENCES BY PROBING, FORCING THE PARTS TO ADD TO THE TOTAL. NOTE THE CORRECTED FIGURES TO THE SIDE OF THE ORIGINAL ONES, WITHOUT CHANGING THE ORIGINALS.) 18-14. Did you (or your companions) make the decision as to which airline or airlines to use on this trip, or was the airline already determined as part of the overall tour you purchased? TRAVELERS 1 DECISION AIRLINE ALREADY DETERMINED 18-15. By the way— thinking back for a moment to the things that happened before you began this trip. How long before you took this trip did you know you were going to take it? TIME BEFORE LEAVING: SKIP TO Q. 20 AFTER COMPLETING Q. 18-15. 19-1 . Could you tell me the amount of the main cost of your trip— that is, the price you agreed to pay before you left Germany? PRICE (RECORD PRECISE AMOUNT): 19-2. (SHOW CARD C) Which of these things did this price include? TRANSPORTATION 1 LODGING 2 SIGHTSEEING 3 COMPLETE ITINERARY 4 ENTIRELY BY RESPONDENT (SKIP TO Q. 19-4) 1 PARTLY BY OTHERS 2 ENTIRELY BY OTHERS 3 FAMILY 1 EMPLOYER 2 FRIENDS 3 OTHERS (Who?) 19-3. Was this cost of the tour paid for entirely by you; partly by you and partly by others; or entirely by others? 19-3a. (IF PAID PARTLY OR ALL BY OTHERS) Who (else) paid the cost of this trip? 19-4. I know that it is difficult to remember everything that is spent on a trip like this. But including the main cost of the trip that you have already men- tioned, how much would you say that you (and those in your family who accompanied you) spent in all on this trip, including everything that you did and everything that you bought while you were away from home? ORIGINAL: REVISED: AMOUNT: 19-5. Let's take it step by step. How much would you say that you spent on transportation, thinking only about the principal means of transportation you used? AMOUNT: 61 19-6. How much would you say you spent for all the other forms of transportation you used— taxis, local buses, cars, and everything else like this? (JUST A GUESS WILL DO, PLEASE) AMOUNT: 19-7. Now I would like you to think about your lodgings. How much would you say that you spent in all for lodgings during your trip? AMOUNT: 19-8. And how much would you say that you spent on food and drinks? AMOUNT: 19-9. Now, think about the purchases you made, whether they were for you yourself, for your family, or for other people. How much would you say you spent in all on purchases— souvenirs, presents, etc.— during the trip? AMOUNT: 19-10. Finally, think about all the other things that a person can spend money on during a trip- sightseeing tours, tips— everything that takes money. Just taking a guess, how much would you say you spent on this kind of thing in all? AMOUNT: (NOTE TO INTERVIEWER: ADD THE FIGURES GIVEN FOR EACH PART, AND CHECK THEM AGAINST THE TOTAL IN Q.19-4. REVISE THE DIFFERENCES BY PROBING, FORCING THE PARTS TO ADD TO THE TOTAL. NOTE THE CORRECTED FIGURES TO THE SIDE OF THE ORIGINAL ONES, WITHOUT CHANGING THE ORIGINALS.) 19-11. Did you (or your companions) make the decision as to which airline or airlines to use on this trip, or was the airline determined by someone else? TRAVELER'S DECISION 1 AIRLINE ALREADY DETERMINED 2 NORMAL FIRST CLASS (SKIP TO Q. 19-13) 1 NORMAL ECONOMY FARE (SKIP TO Q. 19-1 3) 2 EXCURSION FARE (SKIP TO Q.19-13) 3 ABC DISCOUNT FARE (SKIP TO Q.19-13) 4 OTHER DISCOUNT FARE '. ! 5 19-12. (SHOW CARD D) Regarding just the transporta- tion fare by itself, could you tell me which of these kinds of fares you paid? 19-1 2a. (IF OTHER DISCOUNT FARE) Could you tell me what kind of discount it was— that is, what the reason for the discount was? TYPE OF DISCOUNT: 19-13. By the way, did you use a travel agency in any way for this trip, or not? YES 1 NO (SKIP TO Q.19-15) 2 62 19-14. (IF "YES") (SHOW CARD C) Which of these things did the agency arrange for you? TRANSPORTATION SPACE 1 LODGING 2 SIGHTSEEING 3 COMPLETE ITINERARY 4 TIME BEFORE LEAVING: YES 1 NO (SKIP TO Q.22) 2 19-15. By the way— thinking back for a moment to the things that happened before you began this trip. How long before you took this trip did you know you were going to take it? 20. (SEE Q.2. IF LAST TRIP WAS LESS THAN TWELVE MONTHS AGO, ASK Q. 20. IF NOT, SKIP TO Q.22) Before this trip, have you taken any other trip outside of Germany during the last twelve months— that is, since the month of (MONTH) 1972-ornot? 20a. (IF "YES") How many other trips abroad have you taken during the last twelve months, besides the one we just talked about? NUMBER: (ASK THE QUESTIONS ON THE FOLLOWING PAGE FOR EVERY TRIP ABROAD TAKEN DURING THE LAST TWELVE MONTHS, ASIDE FROM THE LAST TRIP ALREADY DISCUSSED.) 21. In what month of the year did you begin these trips? For example, the trip you took just before the one we have been talking about ... In what month was that? (And the one before that?) 21a. What was the most distant point you visited on the trip you took in . . . (MONTH) . . .? 21b. (IF APPROPRIATE) Did you pass through the United States, or not? 21c. Was this trip a trip that you undertook alone, or was it a tour? 2 Id. What was it that made you want to take this trip? 21e. How much would you say you spent on this trip in total? 63 (21) (21a) (21b) (21c) (2 Id) (21e) TRIP # MONTH FURTHEST POINT U.S. YES NO TRIP WAS PRIVATE TOUR REASON FOR TRIP EXPENSES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 22. (ASK ONLY IF NO OTHER TRIPS TAKEN IN PAST TWELVE MONTHS) Was this trip we've been talking about your first trip outside of Germany, or had you been abroad before? FIRST TRIP 1 BEEN ABROAD BEFORE 2 23. For your next vacation, what place do you think WILL GO TO: you will go to? 24. Let's suppose that your next vacation were free, with all your expenses paid. Where would you prefer to go if it were a completely free trip? IF FREE, WOULD GO TO: 25. If you were to take a trip for . . ., what place or what countries would you prefer to visit? You can name Germany itself or any foreign country. In second place? FIRST PLACE SECOND PLACE 25a. To take a tranquil and restful vacation. 25b. To visit friends or relatives. 64 FIRST PLACE SECOND PLACE 25c. To see a wide variety of different places and sights of interest. 25d. To make purchases. 25e. To meet foreign people and come to know them better. 25f. To get to know another modern, advanced country. 25g. To visit beautiful beaches. 25h. To learn about other cultures and other ways of life. 25i. To enjoy an exciting night life. 25j. To go somewhere that most of your friends have not been to. 25k. To see beautiful scenery. 251. To visit museums. 25m. To learn things that can be helpful in your business or your career. 25n. To see places that other people will be inter- ested in hearing about when you return. 25o. To enjoy good food. 25p. To visit places of historic interest. 26. (SHOW CARD E) Among these things which would you say was the most important purpose of the last trip you took outside of Germany? TRANQUIL VACATION 1 VISIT RELATIVES 2 SEE VARIETY OF SIGHTS 3 MAKE PURCHASES 4 MEET FOREIGN PEOPLE 5 GET TO KNOW MODERN COUNTRY 6 VISIT BEACHES 7 LEARN ABOUT OTHER CULTURES 8 ENJOY NIGHT LIFE 9 GO WHERE FRIENDS HAVE NOT BEEN ... SEE BEAUTIFUL SCENERY X VISIT MUSEUMS Y HELP BUSINESS, CAREER 1 65 VISIT PLACES OTHERS ARE INTERESTED IN 2 ENJOY GOOD FOOD 3 VISIT HISTORICAL PLACES 4 OTHER (SPECIFY) 5 27. Do you have any plans to travel abroad again in YES 1 the near future? NO (SKIP TO Q.28) 2 27a. (IF "YES") Where do you think you may go on your next trip? PLACE: 28. If you were to take (another) vacation trip abroad, TOUR 1 would you prefer to go on a tour with a group, or PRIVATE TRIP 2 on a private trip you arranged yourself? 29. (SHOW CARD F) Which of these places in the GRAND CANYON 1 U.S. have you ever heard of? DISNEYLAND/DISNEY WORLD 2 NEW ENGLAND 3 ROCKY MOUNTAINS 4 CAPE KENNEDY 5 NIAGARA FALLS 6 CYPRESS GARDENS 7 YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK 8 STATUE OF LIBERTY 9 NEW ORLEANS NONE OF THESE Y (IF THE RESPONDENT HAS TRAVELED TO OR THROUGH ANY PART OF THE UNITED STATES DURING THE LAST TWO YEARS, ASK Q.30. IF NOT, SKIP TO Q.32.) 30. In your trip to the United States, did you obtain YES 1 any information about the United States before NO, NONE (SKIP TO Q.31) 2 taking the trip, or not? 30a. (IF 'YES") What type of information did you TYPE OF INFORMATION: obtain? 30b. Where did you get it? SOURCE OF INFORMATION: 30c. Would you have liked to have more information before you began your trip, or would you say that you had enough? 30d. (IF MORE INFORMATION WANTED) What type of information would you have wanted to have? WOULD HAVE LIKED MORE . HAD ENOUGH (SKIP TO Q.3 1) TYPE DESIRED: 66 31. (IF RESPONDENT HAS VISITED THE UNITED STATES) What would you say were the things that most impressed you as pleasant or interesting in your trip to the United States? IMPRESSED MOST: 31a. (IF RESPONDENT HAS VISITED THE UNITED STATES) What would you say were the biggest problems or difficulties that you experienced in your trip to the United States? MAJOR PROBLEMS: (ASK QUESTIONS 32-33 TO THOSE WHO WERE NOT ASKED QUESTIONS 3 1-3 la.) 32. (IF RESPONDENT HAS NOT VISITED THE UNITED STATES) Which do you think would be the most pleasant or interesting things for you, if you were to visit the United States? MOST PLEASANT THINGS: 33. (IF RESPONDENT HAS NOT VISITED THE UNITED STATES) Which do you think would be the biggest problems or difficulties that you would have if you were to visit the United States? MAJOR PROBLEMS: 34. If you were to choose an airline to fly to the United States, what airline do you think you would choose? AIRLINE: 35. If you were to visit the United States (again), what places do you think you would go to? (Any other?) PLACES: 35a. How many days do you think you would be able to take for a VACATION trip to America? NO. OF DAYS: 35b. How much do you think you would be willing to pay for such a trip, all included? AMOUNT: 35c. If all destinations in the United States cost the same to reach, what places do you think you would go to? PLACES IF COST NOT A FACTOR: 36. (SHOW CARD G) Among this list of cities and attractions, which would you be most interested in visiting? You can name one or several. GRAND CANYON 1 SAN FRANCISCO 2 DISNEYLAND 3 DENVER 4 NEW ENGLAND 5 CHICAGO 6 CAPE KENNEDY 7 NEW YORK 8 NIAGARA FALLS 9 WASHINGTON DC 67 CYPRESS GARDENS X MIAMI Y YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK 1 LAS VEGAS 2 STATUE OF LIBERTY 3 LOS ANGELES/HOLLYWOOD 4 HAWAII 5 ARIZONA 6 ROCKY MOUNTAINS 7 NEW ORLEANS 8 SALT LAKE CITY 9 SEATTLE/ALASKA/NORTHWEST DON'T KNOW X VISIT MUSEUMS 1 MAKE PURCHASES 2 GAMBLE 3 VISIT SEVERAL BIG CITIES 4 EXPERIENCE THE SCENERY 5 SEE THE "WILD WEST" 6 ENJOY THE NIGHT LIFE . 7 GET TO KNOW THE AMERICAN PEOPLE 8 VISIT HISTORICAL PLACES 9 TAKE A RESTFUL VACATION GO TO SPORT EVENTS X SPEND TIME ON THE BEACHES Y VISIT INDIAN RESERVATIONS 1 VISIT THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS ....... 2 VISIT NATIONAL PARKS 3 VISIT THE DESERT COUNTRY 4 ENJOY CULTURAL EVENTS 5 SKIING IN THE ROCKIES 6 DON'T KNOW 7 MOTOR COACH 1 RAILROAD 2 FLY/DRIVE 3 37. 37a. 37b. (SHOW CARD H) Which of these things do you think you would be most interested in doing in the United States (if you were to go back there)? If you were going to take a tour within the United States, which of the following do you think you would be interested in? (1) Motor coach (bus) with guide/escort; (2) Railroad; (3) Air travel, combined with rental cars available for driving by yourself at each destination. (SHOW CARD I) Let's suppose you were to take an 8-day tour of the United States. On this list there are six possible itineraries for such a tour. Which of these do you think you would be most interested in taking? Would you please rank the others, in the order of their interest to you? ORDER OF PREFERENCE ORLANDO-TAMPA SAN FRANCISCO-GRAND CANYON GRAND CANYON-DENVER 68 NEW YORK-BOSTON CHICAGO-KANSAS CITY LOS ANGELES-HAWAII 38. By the way, about how many times have you taken vacations that last a week or longer in the last two years? FREQUENCY: 39. Do you take these vacations more or less the same season of the year each time, or do you take them at different seasons from one vacation to the next? SAME DATES 1 DIFFERENT SEASONS 2 FROM: TO: YES 1 NO (SKIP TO Q.42) 2 READS MOST: YES 1 NO (SKIP TO Q.43) 2 READS MOST: YES, SPEAKS: NO Y YES, THEY ARE: NO Y PRIMARY SCHOOL ONLY 1 PRIMARY SCHOOL AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING 2 SECONDARY SCHOOL, CERT. MIDDLE EDUCATION 3 HIGHER SCHOOL UNFINISHED 4 HIGHER SCHOOL, CERT. OF MATURITY 5 UNIVERSITY, NO DIPLOMA 6 UNIVERSITY WITH DIPLOMA 7 MARRIED 1 SINGLE 2 DIVORCED OR WIDOWED 3 40. From what date to what date did you take your last vacation, no matter how long or short it was? 41. Do you ever read newspapers, or not? 41a. (IF "YES") What newspapers do you read most, as a general rule? 42. Do you ever read any magazines, or not? 42a. (IF "YES") What magazines do you read most often as a general rule? 43. Do you speak any foreign languages well, or not? (IF "YES") Which one(s)? 44. Are there any other languages you speak less well? (IF "YES") Which one(s)? A. By the way, could you tell me which was the last year you completed in school? B. Could you tell me what is your marital status? 69 A few brief questions about your family and we have finished. What is your principal occupation? OCCUPATION: D. In all, how many people of your family live here in this house, counting yourself and the children? NUMBER: E-a. Does your family have any relatives living outside of Germany? (IF "YES") In what countries? YES 1 NO (SKIP TO Q. "F") 2 EUROPE OR U.K 1 ASIA 2 UNITED STATES 3 CANADA 4 LATIN AMERICA 5 AFRICA 6 MIDDLE EAST 7 OTHER PLACES 8 DM 749 OR LESS 1 DM 750 TO DM 999 2 DM 1000 TO DM 1249 3 DM 1250 TO DM 1499 4 DM 1500 TO DM 1749 5 DM 1750 TO DM 1999 6 DM 2000 TO DM 2249 7 DM 2250 TO DM 2499 8 DM 2500 TO DM 2999 9 DM 3000 OR MORE MALE 1 FEMALE 2 29 OR LESS 1 30 TO 39 2 40 TO 49 3 50 TO 59 4 60 OR MORE 5 SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN 1 HAMBURG 2 LOWER SAXONY 3 BREMEN 4 NORTH RHINE-WESTPHALIA 5 HESSE 6 RHINELAND-PALATINATE 7 BADEN-WURTTEMBERG 8 BAVARIA 9 SAAR WEST BERLIN X F. (SHOW CARD) Looking at this card, would you please tell me which of these categories comes the closest to your family income from all sources during a typical month? INTERVIEWER: Note sex of respondent. H. Could you tell me what is your age? J. INTERVIEWER: Note region of residence. 70 K. INTERVIEWER: Note city-size of place of CENTRAL CITY : residence. 500,000 OR MORE 1 100,000 TO 499,999 2 UNDER 100,000 3 SUPPLEMENTARY URBAN AREAS, MARGINAL URBAN AREAS OR SUBURBAN AREAS 4 COUNTRY TOWN, 20,000/MORE 5 COUNTRY TOWN, 10,000-19,999 6 VILLAGE, 2,000-9,999 7 VILLAGE, UNDER 2,000 8 71 PENN STATE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES ADQDD7DTLI2A73