TUI study: Travel makes you four years younger – Holidays will remain a top priority in 2025 - Get updated on what's happening in tourism!

Experiencing nature (85%), relaxation and wellness (79 percent*), time with family or friends (75%), and disconnecting from work (72%*) are the biggest feel-good factors

Vacation is more than just relaxation – it makes us younger! This is shown by a recent representative survey by YouGov on behalf of TUI. 37 percent* of Germans not only feel refreshed after their vacation, but actually feel or look younger. Another 31 percent partially agree with this statement.

22 percent of holidaymakers feel five years younger after a vacation, and a further 15 percent estimate the fountain-of-youth effect to be even higher (aggregated 15 percent). The majority – 38 percent** – estimate the “fountain-of-youth effect” to be one to three years for themselves. On average, respondents say they feel 4.2 years younger after their vacation.

The effect of a vacation lasts long after the trip is over. The majority of Germans feel the “fountain of youth effect” – looking or feeling younger – for a period of a few days to two weeks (59 percent**). For ten percent of respondents, it lasts for three weeks, and for 14 percent, it lasts up to a month.

Vacation remains a priority – and people are already planning

“Germans will continue to travel in 2025: 60 percent of all respondents plan to take at least one vacation lasting several days, according to the TUI study. The survey shows that one-third of those willing to travel have already booked their vacation for 2025. One in five people plan to travel more than in 2024. 37 percent of those surveyed want to book at least two trips in the coming year. The trend is clear: despite economic uncertainties, vacation remains a priority for many,” says Sebastian Ebel, CEO of TUI Group.

Whether nature, wellness or cultural highlights – Germans know what relaxes them. According to the survey, the greatest feel-good factors are experiences in nature (85%), relaxation and wellness (79%), spending time with family and friends (75%) and getting away from work (72%).

The results of TUI's latest YouGov survey are consistent with a scientific study by Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Australia. It has shown that travel not only increases well-being but can also slow down the signs of aging. The study suggests that positive travel experiences – physical activity, social interactions, positive emotions and exposure to new environments – can strengthen the immune system, stimulate the metabolism and promote the body's natural self-healing process.

“Put simply, the body's self-defense system becomes more resilient. Travel is not just about leisure and recreation – it can also make a significant contribution to physical and mental health,” emphasizes study director Fangli Hu. For example, moderate activities such as hiking, cycling or climbing can boost the metabolism and blood circulation, as well as improve the body's resistance to external influences.

About the YouGov survey

The representative study was conducted by YouGov on behalf of TUI. 2169 adults in Germany were interviewed online between November 29 and December 2, 2020. Unless otherwise specified in the text, the figures given refer to 1,431 people who had traveled in the last 24 months.

* Two aggregated scale points

** Three aggregated scale points

Study on the relationship between tourism and health: Fangli Hu et al, The Principle of Entropy Increase: A Novel View of How Tourism Influences Human Health, Journal of Travel Research (2024)

Image Credit: © TUI Group