Germans and Brits are like chalk and cheese when it comes to their holiday habits, an analysis by consultants IPK International has shown.

The two old rivals represent Europe’s largest travel source market, but they differ in their holiday preferences, depending on which generation they belong to.

Older Britons enjoy the sun and beach holidays (40 per cent), as opposed to only 29 per cent of young people.

Germans’ preferences are exactly the opposite. Young travellers (40 per cent) prefer lying on the beach, in contrast to the older generation (29 per cent).

Germans make up almost one-fifth of Europe’s entire holiday travel market for young people. Thirteen million of the 69 million trips abroad made in 2012 by Europeans aged 15 to 29 were made by Germans.

Older Britons enjoy the sun and beach holidays

The corresponding figure for the UK was only six million (nine per cent).

By contrast, the UK’s older generation is ahead in the travel statistics. Of all the European holiday trips undertaken by the older generation, close to one-fifth (19 per cent/15 million trips) are by Britons, whereas the market share occupied by older Germans is 17 per cent (13.5 million trips).

However, they all have one thing in common: Spain, France and Italy, their top three preferred holiday destinations, remain unchallenged.

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