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Press release
14th
Ipsos - Europ Assistance holiday
barometer
Europeans’ intentions to take a holiday this summer have
stabilised (54%) but with some great disparities between
countries.
In 2014, once again, fewer French people will go on
holiday in the summer (58%, - 4 pts c.f. 2013).
The economic crisis has further increased the gap
between the budgets that Northern Europeans and
Southern Europeans will devote to their summer holiday
The Europ Assistance group publishes the findings of the 14
th
Ipsos – Europ Assistance
barometer on European holidaymakers’ intentions and concerns.
Conducted by Ipsos at the request of the Europ Assistance group among a sample of 3,505
Europeans (French, German, British, Italian, Spanish, Belgian and Austrian), this reference
survey, conducted over the phone and published for the fourteenth consecutive year, aims
to estimate annually the intentions of residents of the countries concerned to go away on holiday,
and their motivations, destinations and the types of holiday preferred.
A positive dynamic in the Germanic countries, contrasting with
the Latin countries, and France in particular
After several years of consecutive decrease, Europeans’ intentions to go on holiday this
year remain at 54%, but this figure covers major differences according to countries.
In the Germanic countries, the trend is particularly favourable, with a clear progression in
intentions to take a summer holiday among Germans (56%, + 4 pts) and very strong progression
among Austrians (68%, +11 pts).
Their situation contrasts with that of the other countries in the Union, which have been
confronted for several years with a continuous drop in summer holiday intentions.
-Tuesday13May2014

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In this respect, once again, fewer French people will go away this summer: 58%, -4 points
compared to 2013 and -8 points compared to 2012. This rate of intentions to take a holiday is now
at a level close to the European average, and France’s particularity as a country where people go
on holiday a lot is wearing away, year after year.
France is nevertheless above the other Latin countries, particularly Spain which has stabilised at
the lowest level (42%), and Italy which has not moved back up (52%) after the spectacular drop
observed between 2011 and 2013 (-26 pts in two years, from 78% to 52%).
Europeans’ holiday budget: growing gaps between Northern
countries and Latin countries
Overall, the average budget that Europeans devote to summer holidays seems to be fairly
stable: 2,313 € as opposed to 2,242 € in 2013, i.e. + 71 €. But this relative stability conceals a
growing gap between the countries most affected by the economic crisis and those whose
economy is resisting better.
In 2014, the difference in average holiday budget between Northern countries (UK, Germany,
Belgium, Austria) and Latin countries (France, Italy, Spain) has reached around 700 €
whereas before the crisis, in 2008, the difference was 370 €.
Likewise, within the euro zone, the difference between the highest and lowest average budgets has
increased by almost 5% in six years.
As was the case last year, the British have the biggest holiday budget (2,932€ i.e. £2,741), followed
by the Belgians (2,577 €), Austrians (2,542 €) and Germans (2,397 €). In contrast, the Italians and
Spanish feature at the bottom of the ranking with budgets far below the European average
(respectively 1,798 € and 1,723 €). The French for their part show the highest holiday budget of the
Latin countries (2,227 €), but still slightly lower than the European average.
Finally, 22% of Europeans are left with no choice but to give up on their holiday budget
altogether, with this rate reaching almost 40% in Spain and Italy (respectively 39% and 38% claim
that they will need to give up their holiday budget, +6 pts compared to last year).

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Europe is still the main destination for Europeans, with an even
stronger attraction to the “France / Italy / Spain” trio
Few Europeans choose holidays outside their own continent: 76% of those surveyedconfirmed
again this year that they will prioritise a European destination. In particular, the attraction to Southern
European countries persists year after year: France and Italy, the most highly valued countries, are elbow to
elbow as always (both with 17% of holiday intentions), ahead of Spain (13%) and the other Mediterranean
countries (Crete, Greece, Croatia…11%).
In 2014, Europeans do however seem a little more undecided about the destination they will
ultimately choose: at the time the survey was carried out (February-March), 15% had not yet made their
minds up, as opposed to 10% in 2013. This indecision is the double reflection of slightly greater uncertainty
aboutthe economic capacityto take aholiday, but also thedesireto perhaps benefit from last-minutedeals.
As is the case every year, travel to other continents involves a minority of Europeans: 3% are planning to go to
North America, 3% to Africa, 2% toLatin America and Asia, and 1%to the Middle East.
Seaside holidays are still a must-do… but with a slight rebound in
interest in more varied destinations
For most Europeans (62%), summer holidays are inconceivable without a stay at the seaside. This
constant factor in the barometer’s findings shows some variations according to years. In 2014, the other
destinations – the mountains, countryside or even the town – have seen their popularity rise slightly to
respectively18% and 17% (+4 and +3 pts).
The desire to vary holidays between seaside, mountains, countryside and town mainly concerns the
Germans and Austrians (20% to 25% on average according to destination, i.e. an approximate 5 to 10-point
increase compared to 2013).
For the French, who had turned their backs on the mountains last year, the peaks have regained appeal: 24%
are considering them as apossibledestination for this summer, as opposed to 15% last year.
In this context, the climate criterion is still vital in the choice of destination, but has dropped back slightly
compared to last year (39%, -6pts).
Rhyming “holidays” with “idleness”
Of all the activities on offer during the summer holidays, as is the case every year, rest is what a
majority of Europeans (62%) wantmost. Working people, parents and women aremost likely to express this
desire (…or need) for rest (respectively 70%, 72% and 65%), while the desire for a change of scenery and
discovery are found more among young people, the professions and single people (48%, 40% and 39%). It is
also slightlymore marked among men (37%) than among women (32%).

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This year, note also that the French are being won back a little to the prospect of more active holidays l (30%,
+4 pts).
Use of the Internet continues to progress for designing their own
a la carte holidays
Preparation ahead of time is still by far the method of organisation preferred by mostEuropeans (71%).
However, after two years of dropping back, last-minute travel is regaining ground (28%, +3 pts).
The change of attitude in favour of greater improvisation can be seen most among the French (32%, + 10 pts),
behind theItalians who remain the champions of “impulsive” travel (44%).
Not surprisingly, the Internet has become the indispensable tool for preparing holidays: 59% of
Europeans now claim to book on the web, as compared to 28% in 2005, i.e. an increase of more than
30 points in scarcely 10 years. The spread of this practice concerns all Europeans, although some
differencesdo exist, with theBritish being most likelyto plan theirholidays using websites (72%) and the Italians
least likely (51%).
Butthe proportion of peopleusing the Internet is not as noteworthy as the way Europeans areusing it.
Indeed, they use it with the goal of designing their holidays a la carte, clearly preferring to book
services one by one according to their needs (72%) over purchasing all-in “packages”. This practice can be
observed primarily in countries where holidaymakers enjoy a bigger budget (Germany, UK, Austria). For
tourism, as with everydayconsumer products, Europeans thusposition themselves as informed or even “smart”
consumers in finding holidays with thebest value for money.
Press contacts
Philippe Moucherat
Tel: + 33 (0)1 58 34 23 82
E-mail: pmoucherat@europ-assistance.com
This survey was conducted by phone between February 10 and March 21 2014
at the homes of the individuals questioned and using the quota method (gender,
age, profession of head of household, region and agglomeration size).
It is available for consultation at: www.europ-assistance.com.