Summer is approaching and travel bookings are booming. The majority of young and urban people will be going on vacation in 2024 - despite the climate crisis. There are various reasons for this, say experts.
In fact, the airplane is the most popular mode of transport for private travel. 46% of adults in Switzerland will fly on vacation in 2024. This is according to a representative survey by the online comparison service comparis.ch. It is mainly young, urban and high-income people who fly. Just over a third of those surveyed will go on vacation by car, and only just under 15% by train. «Despite the loud voice of the climate youth, it is mainly the younger generation that buys plane tickets», says Comparis mobility expert Adi Kolecic.
Choice of transportation is related to age
The results of the survey reveal a clear generational difference: 51.6% of 18 to 35-year-olds fly on vacation, compared to 43.2% of over 56-year-olds. «What is striking is that 54% of the younger age group are likely to fly at least twice this year, compared to only 38% of the older generation», continues Kolecic. Only one in five people between the ages of 18 and 35 will not fly at all this year. Among the over-56s, the figure is almost twice as high (38%).
Urban flight preferences defy climate awareness
In addition to the generation gap, an urban-rural divide also influences the choice of means of transport. In urban communities, 50.2% prefer air travel for their vacations, while 41.4% of the rural population fly. «Despite a strong political focus on environmental protection in urban areas, our survey shows that the urban population is increasingly opting to fly. This reveals a remarkable gap between environmental policy attitudes and the actual behavior of city dwellers», says Kolecic.
Regional differences also shape the choice of transportation
The second most important means of transportation for vacation trips is the car, especially in rural regions. 34.4% of respondents use the car for their vacations. In rural regions, the figure is 41.9%, compared to only 25.3% from urban areas. «Many city dwellers do not own a car. It is therefore not surprising that people in rural communities and in the agglomeration go on vacation by car more often than people from the city», notes Kolecic.
Socio-economic factors influence travel decisions
The Comparis survey also shows that lower income groups tend to prefer the train (24.5%), while this only applies to 8.7% of higher income groups. «Our analysis shows that low-income people are more likely to travel by train than by plane», adds the Comparis expert. However, further results indicate that low-income people go on vacation in Switzerland more often than people from higher income brackets. «The distance to the destination plays a central role in the choice of means of transport. For vacations within Switzerland or in neighboring countries, the train often proves to be the more practical alternative to the plane», concludes Kolecic.
