- 11 percent are online more often at their holiday destination than normally
- Younger people have higher expectations of Internet quality
- Half of the working population is reachable for work
Frankfurt (Germany), 18 July 2024. No vacation without the Internet: For four out of every five German citizens, this statement hits the mark, as a recent representative survey* conducted by the world’s leading Internet Exchange operator, DE-CIX, shows. While 29 percent of those surveyed use the Internet just as intensively on the most beautiful days of the year as they do in their daily lives, 11 percent spend even more time online. Travelers also have clear digital expectations: Internet connections must be stable (43 percent), Wi-Fi services must be free of charge (40 percent), and networks must be available everywhere (33 percent). Young people in particular show themselves to have higher expectations than older people: While for 27 percent of holiday makers over 55 years, having the Internet in the holiday home is not a requirement, this is only the case for 6 percent of 18 to 24 year olds. A vacation completely offline would be unthinkable for all but one in ten survey participants.
Travelers check the weather, but not work emails
Whether it’s the temperature of the water, local restaurants, or new tourist attractions – those surveyed make use of online services most often to check the weather (58 percent), chat with friends or family (57 percent), and keep up with what’s going on in the world using news apps (51 percent). In contrast, online shopping (21 percent) and gaming (13 percent) find themselves at the tail end of the list of requirements. Equally unenthusiastic are the majority of Germans when it comes to their own availability for work, the office, or their boss: Only 15 percent allow this on a daily basis, 12 percent several times a week, and 8 percent once a week. The half of working professionals (35 percent) is totally unavailable for their work whilst on vacation. (Of the survey group, 24 percent are not in employment, and 6 percent made no reference to availability.)
Younger people prefer streaming to the sun
A look at the age groups shows that the over 55-year-olds in particular prefer to spend their vacation time on the beach or in the pool than online: 17 percent do not use the Internet at all. The results are similar for social media: Only 28 percent of older survey participants use these services while underway. For every second person under 34 years, on the other hand, Instagram, TikTok are essential travelling companions. The same age difference can be seen when it comes to streaming: While almost half of survey participants watch videos, films, and series at their holiday destination, a mere 14 percent of over 55-year-olds do. There is little difference in terms of gender, but women use messenger services/apps (61 percent) more frequently than men (53 percent). “Germans surf the Internet happily and frequently during their holidays,” says Ivo Ivanov, CEO at DE-CIX. “What stands out are the clear expectations that young people have of connectivity. This reflects not only how much Internet-based applications have already become a part of life for young people today, but also – with a view to AI apps and online worlds – how much more so they will surely be in the future.”
*The data used is based on an online survey undertaken by YouGov Deutschland GmbH, in which 2066 people took part between the 3 and 5 July 2024. The results were weighted and are representative for the German population 18 years and over.