Traditional postcards still hold significance for a majority of Germans, contrasting their online social interactions. - Majority of Germans Prefer Traditional Postcards Over Social Media
Germany, a nation known for its rich history and vibrant culture, has seen a significant shift in the way its citizens communicate vacation greetings, according to a recent survey and broader trends in digital communication.
The survey, conducted by Forsa between June 26 and 30, 2025, did not provide specific numbers regarding the preferences for sending or receiving vacation greetings via various channels. However, the findings suggest that digital communication methods may be on the rise.
The survey revealed that 37% of Germans look forward to calls from vacation, while 18% anticipate greetings via social networks and 16% are eager for emails. Interestingly, two-thirds of Germans favor classic postcards, but when it comes to sending these cards, the survey did not provide new information about the number of postcards sent from Germany to other countries.
However, data from the German Post indicates that last year, they handled approximately 96 million postcards. The most postcards sent to Germany came from Austria, followed closely by Germany's neighbours, Switzerland, Italy, France, the Netherlands, and the USA.
The survey results do not explicitly state the preference for postcards versus WhatsApp or other messaging services. However, the strong push toward digital media by German tourism authorities, combined with broader European digital communication habits, strongly suggests that digital greetings are increasingly preferred over traditional methods like postcards.
This shift aligns with a global trend in many countries, where the rise of instant digital communications has led to a decline in traditional postcard sending. Germany’s demonstrated investment in digital tourism promotion further supports this conclusion.
Moreover, Europeans, including Germans, are known to be cautious with leisure spending but prioritize travel. It is likely that they use convenient and immediate ways to communicate with friends and family while on vacation.
In summary, while the survey did not provide explicit data on the postcard vs. WhatsApp preference, the strong emphasis on digital media by German tourism authorities, combined with broader European digital communication habits, strongly suggests that WhatsApp and other messaging services have become the preferred vacation greeting methods over postcards in Germany as of 2025. The survey focused on how Germans send vacation greetings and which types they prefer the most. The demographic breakdown of the respondents was not specified in the survey.
The survey results do not indicate a definitive preference for postcards over digital messaging services like WhatsApp, but the strong push towards digital media by German tourism authorities and the prevalent European digital communication habits suggest that digital methods, such as WhatsApp, are increasingly favored.
In light of the rise of instant digital communications, it is likely that Germans, who are known for prioritizing travel while being cautious with leisure spending, prefer convenient and immediate means of communication with friends and family over traditional methods like postcards.
