Expensive trips

Trips in 2002 cost an average of 12 euro a person: 7 euros is spent on food and drinks, 3 euros on admission fees and 2 euros on transport.

Nights out most expensive

Going out is the most expensive form of recreation. People spent about 24 euro each time out. Going out to dinner, going to the disco or bar are expensive because of the money spent on food and drinks. The theatre is expensive mainly because of the admission fee.

Sports are cheaper

Sports are a cheaper form of recreation. People spend 6.50 euro on average per person. Going for walks and bike rides is very cheap. The average amount spent, including something to eat or drink during the trip, is less than 5 euro. Playing golf, however, is the expensive exception, costing 23 euro a shot. Half of this is admission.

Expenditure on trips

Pricey admission and transport to amusements parks

People often leave home for longer periods to visit tourist attractions and events. Transport and admissions make up half the expenditure. Going to amusement parks and the zoo are expensive. Amusement parks cost 25 euro per person, and zoos 18 euro. Visiting tourist attractions in another town or village, or going to events such as a fair or exhibition are also among the more expensive type of trips.

People spend more and more on trips

In 2002 expenditure on one-day recreation totalled 115 billion euro. In 1995/1996 this was 6.7 billion. The increase is caused in part by the greater number of trips people take, namely 5 percent more.

Total expenditure on recreation

More and more expensive trips

The type of trips people make is changing. There has been a sharp increase in the more expensive types of trips such as nights out and visiting tourist attractions, between 1995/1996 and 2002. Cheaper forms of recreation, such as participating in club activities or shared hobbies, were becoming less common during this period. Moreover hotel and restaurant prices increased by about a quarter, as did prices in recreation.

For all these reasons the average amount spent on trips increased from 7 euro in 1995/1996 to 12 euro in 2002.

Gusta van Gessel-Dabekaussen