2022 summer holidays: 43% of Swiss want to make up for missed holidays

May 20, 2022.

For the last two years, the Swiss have had to be very flexible when it came to planning their summer holidays. Many preferred to spend their holidays – as best they could – in Switzerland. But how will they travel this year? And what do they think of travel insurance? We wanted to find out exactly, so we conducted a representative survey.

SWITZERLAND IS ON THE MOVE AGAIN

When they think of this year's summer holidays, many Swiss would like to throw their swimming trunks, sunscreen and flip-flops in their suitcases right away. With Covid measures being lifted, around 46% of those surveyed feel significantly freer and less restricted in their travel plans. This was quite different last year: in 2021, 66% of respondents said that the Covid measures would restrict their summer holidays.

 

The budget remains the same

Thanks to this regained freedom, this year 7 out of 10 respondents plan to travel in the summer – whether within Switzerland or abroad. This represents an increase of 8% compared to last year. However, people do not want to spend more money: 72% of respondents said they were planning the same budget for their upcoming holidays as they did when planning their holidays before the outbreak of the Covid pandemic.

 

The car is the preferred means of travel

And how do the Swiss reach their destination? As in the previous year, people prefer to pack their cars for their summer holidays, although there has been a noticeable downward trend since last year. In addition to this tendency, we also found a gender difference in the choice of travel mode. 46% of women say they prefer to travel by car this summer. For men, this proportion is just 39%. 33% of men and only 17% of women plan to travel by public transport, i.e. train or bus. And families? They use the car or the plane, with the car being slightly more popular (46%) than the plane (41%).

 

Italy is the number one holiday destination

Although no more trips abroad are planned compared to last year, the number of domestic trips seems to have decreased. At the same time, more people are not yet sure where they want to travel this summer. Last year, 42% of survey respondents said they would spend their holidays in Switzerland. This year it is only 27%.

 

The most popular destination beyond the country's borders is still Italy, followed by France and Spain. Those who want to spend their holidays in Switzerland are taking their time planning. In March, almost a third of this group was not yet sure where they would be heading this summer. Nevertheless, there is one clear favourite: Ticino.

SUMMER HOLIDAYS: THE REASONS AND STRESS FACTORS REMAIN UNCHANGED

The younger population prefers longer holidays

Switzerland has been bitten by the travel bug. Our survey results show a clear trend. Compared to last year, more Swiss are travelling as often this year as they did before the pandemic. In other words, travel behaviour seems to be returning to normal. But not all share the same travel habits. There are clear differences in the duration of holidays. The younger generation in particular prefers extended holidays. Three weeks holiday at a stretch is an option mainly for 18- to 29-year-olds, while the over-50s mostly opt for a one-week holiday.

 

Rest and relaxation are crucial

Regardless of how much time is planned for the holiday, the reasons are the same as before the pandemic. Our results show that rest and relaxation, switching off and a change of scenery are the three most important reasons for respondents again this year. In this context, significantly more people mentioned the desire for a change of scenery and switching off as the main motive last year than this year. The reason for this difference could be the relaxation of the Covid measures.

 

Men and women have different travel habits

The differences between men and women are also interesting when it comes to the main reasons for travelling. 20% of men state that the key motive is to clear their head. For women (16%), the primary purpose is to spend time with the family.

 

However, the pleasure of leisure is often associated with a lot of stress and planning challenges. The biggest stressors when travelling are clearly the pandemic for 44% of respondents, planning uncertainty for 31%, possible illnesses for 28% and the unpredictability of the weather for 24%.

 

 

TRAVEL PLANNING PROVES EASIER

Since the official end of the pandemic and the associated measures, there has been a noticeable sigh of relief among the population. This is particularly evident in travel planning. Here, respondents feel that thanks to the lifting of the Covid measures, planning and travelling is now much easier and more relaxed. Significantly more Swiss would like to make up for missed holidays. This is stated by 50% of 30- to 39-year-olds. Families, on the other hand, show a lower tendency to catch up on their holidays.

 

30% had to cancel their trip 

There are still some countries that require certain travel precautions. 54% of those aged 50 to 65 find this particularly tedious. However, a clear trend emerges across all age groups: one in three people had to cancel or postpone their trip due to the Covid pandemic because the destination was inaccessible or unsafe. And one in four had to suddenly reschedule their trip because they fell ill with Covid. For these reasons, for more than a third (38%), paying attention to cancellation conditions in particular has become significantly more important. The right travel insurance also plays a major role for many.

 

Travel insurance is a high priority 

The Swiss population is exemplary when it comes to travel insurance. A total of 70% believe that such insurance makes sense, whereby the proportion of women is somewhat higher. It is therefore not surprising that 9 out of 10 respondents had already taken out travel insurance before the pandemic as part of an insurance policy or as part of their credit card.

 

However, age and income play a decisive role when taking out travel insurance. In particular, respondents with lower incomes and younger participants – 18-to 29-year-olds – often do not have travel insurance. It remains to be seen whether they will buy travel insurance after the restrictions are lifted.

 

By the way: for Swiss citizens, all excursions that include at least one overnight stay are considered a trip. Visits to family or relatives are excluded.

 

Did you know that day trips are also covered by Generali travel insurance? If you are interested or would like to find out more about travel insurance, our advisors will gladly assist you.

 

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