Tamsin Walker/Deutsche Welle If there is one title the Germans appear unwilling to relinquish, it is that of travel world champions. Figures released this week show that no nation's feet itch like theirs, even in these times of economic hardship. Wanderlust is alive and well, Klaus Laepple President of the German Travel Association (DRV) assured delegates attending the annual conference in Egypt. He said that "almost as many Germans had been on organised holidays (in 2009) as in the previous year," and that the industry had only suffered a three to four per cent loss as compared to 2008. He attributed this slight drop into sales volume to lower prices brought about by the global economic slump. But it is not only organised foreign vacations that are thriving, short trips, tailor-made trips and sejourns on home turf are also popular with the German public. So why, when other traditionally travel-happy nations are forced to trade their holidays for closer to home, are Germans still trotting the globe? Setting priorities Part of the answer is money. Although Germans have also been hit by the financial crisis, their general antipathy towards overspending means they have more money stashed under their mattresses to pay for things they really want. According to DRV spokeswoman Sybille Zeuch, “The average worker gets six weeks of leave per year. she And they want to use it to travel."
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