Travelzoo : Security, Weather & Price Key Considerations for Late-Booking German Tourists

Microsoft Word - German travel trends release final

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80539 München Deutschland

Pressekontakt: Joachim Pöschl PR Manager

Tel: +49 89 125 017 034

jpoeschl@travelzoo.com

Security, Weather & Price Key Considerations for Late-Booking German Tourists

Germans Booking Last Minute this Summer

MUNICH, July 8, 2016 - German consumers are leaving it later than ever to book their summer holiday, and security remains the most important factor in their choice of holiday destination, a survey commissioned by global travel deals publisher Travelzoo (NASDAQ: TZOO) has revealed.

Travelzoo's June representative survey* reveals that 37 per cent of Germans are leaving it later than in previous years to book their summer break, so Travelzoo predicts a rush of last-minute bookers looking for affordable holidays before the official summer holiday season begins.

Respondents cited confusion about where it is safe to go as the number-one reason for leaving it so late to book (34%), while 27% said they were waiting to see if they could afford to get away this summer.

When choosing a holiday destination, the most important factors for Germans are: safety and security (33%), climate/weather (23%), affordability (22%), food and culture (17%), and travel time to the destination (15%).

Christian Smart, Country Manager of Travelzoo in Germany, said: "Delaying booking summer holidays until a few weeks or even days before departure is a trend that we've seen increase steadily for the past couple of years but it is even more marked this year. Traditionally the number of early-bird bookings in Germany is high, however, many factors are contributing to the indecision this year -

notably concerns over security and safety, as well as a 'wait and see' attitude among many consumers hoping for last-minute deals appearing as we enter July."

"Consumers should be aware that, while there will be deals in the market, many of hotels and resorts in popular destinations such as Spain, Italy and France are now selling out fast. Late bookers will need to be flexible and open-minded about their choice of holiday."

37% of Germans will holiday in Germany this summer - a figure consistent with previous years - and Spain is yet again the top overseas destination, with around one fifth of respondents (19%) saying they will holiday there.

At the time of the survey, the top overseas destinations Germans have either booked or plan to book this summer were:

1. Spain (19%)

2. Italy (11%)

3. Greece (6%)

   = Turkey (6%)

4. Croatia (5%)

   = France (5%)

5. Portugal (4%)

Smart continued: "Turkey was starting to increase in popularity again among German travellers, ranking above Greece, Croatia and France in our June survey, however recent events in Istanbul could mean the destination will fall out of the top five again."

*About the research

Travelzoo's survey was conducted by Norstat using an online questionnaire. 1,000 German consumers took part in the survey, which was completed between 14-20 June, 2016.

About Travelzoo

Travelzoo is a global media commerce company. With more than 28 million members in Asia Pacific, Europe and North America, and 25 offices worldwide, Travelzoo® publishes offers from more than

2,000 travel, entertainment and local companies. Travelzoo's deal experts review offers to find the best deals and confirm their true value.

Certain statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements about our plans, objectives, expectations, prospects and intentions, markets in which we participate and other statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts. When used in this press release, the words "expect", "predict", "project", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "intend", "plan", "seek" and similar expressions are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. Because these forward- looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, there are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements, including changes in our plans, objectives, expectations, prospects and intentions and other factors discussed in our filings with the SEC. We cannot guarantee any future levels of activity, performance or achievements. Travelzoo undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this press release. Travelzoo and Top 20 are registered trademarks of Travelzoo. All other names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

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