As part of Reiseanalyse (travel analysis), Studienkreis für Tourismus und Entwicklung (Institute for Tourism and Development) surveyed almost 8,000 German citizens on their interest in sophisticated meeting offerings in developing and newly industrialised countries. This involves meetings with local people "at eye level" requested by both sides on the basis of common interests (jobs, hobbies). The Studienkreis used an actual tourist offering as a guideline: the meet-the-people programme in Jamaica, which provides foreign visitors with the opportunity to meet Jamaicans. The free-of-charge programme was developed when mass tourism reached the island, and local people wanted tourists to find out more about the country and its people.
The main objective of the survey, which is available in German and English, is to provide tour operators in Germany and tourism managers in destinations in the developing world with an indication of the size and structure of a market segment, which is hardly recognised in this form, and for which few corresponding offerings are available - it is a "segment beneath the surface". As part of the survey, those interested in meetings were asked under what general conditions they could imagine participating in meeting offerings (accompaniment, costs).
Using the examples of Egypt, Mexico, South Africa, Thailand and Turkey, the survey describes the size and structure of so-called "main target groups" in the German holiday market for meet-the-people offerings in the respective country.

Contents

Foreword	6
Travel as an opportunity	7
Background (I-IV, previous research results)	8
Objective of the survey	16
Notes on methodology and description	17
Survey results	18
Summary	78
Initial conclusions	83
Annex	93

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