During the summer, when other regions have concluded their break, Bavaria lingers at the rear end – exploring the reasons for its perpetual tardiness. - Bavaria Often Ends Up as the Last Region to Begin Summer Vacation: Reasons Explained
In the heart of Europe, the summer holiday season in Germany is a much-anticipated time for families and a significant boost for the tourism industry. However, the current holiday regulation, particularly the late holidays for Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, has sparked ongoing discussions about whether a compromise could be reached.
The Education and Science Union (GEW) has been advocating for a gentler rotation model for over 50 years, aiming to prevent excessive crowds and ease pressure on tourist infrastructure nationwide. This proposed change, however, has met resistance, with Bavaria responding with a clear "no" to the proposed alteration.
Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg's late holidays offer extended summer tourism opportunities, benefiting local industries by attracting visitors outside the peak holiday times in other regions. However, this scheduling creates logistical challenges, particularly regarding traffic congestion and planning, as vacation periods differ from much of the country.
Hamburg's SPD Minister of Education, Ksenija Bekeris, and other critics argue that the late holidays disrupt family holiday plans where relatives live in different states with different holiday timings. Moreover, businesses operating across Germany may face difficulties with a non-uniform holiday schedule affecting workforce availability and coordination.
The KMK, the body responsible for education and cultural affairs in Germany, follows the principle of unanimity, giving Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg a veto right. This has led to a system where the two southern states always start their summer holidays last in Germany. This year, Schleswig-Holstein's holidays start at the end of July, but in 2028 they'll begin as early as June 26th, while North Rhine-Westphalia started last weekend.
Despite the arguments on both sides, a compromise could involve better coordination of the holiday dates to minimize overlap while respecting regional needs and preferences. This could mean adjusting holiday timings slightly to better synchronize with neighboring states or introducing more flexible school calendars that allow local adaptations while maintaining national cohesion.
The dispute over summer holidays was opened by North Rhine-Westphalia's Minister of Education, Dorothee Feller (CDU), who called for a change in the rules. The 16 states are divided into five groups that rotate annually to prevent detrimental effects on traffic and demand for accommodation in holiday areas.
The current school holiday regulation is scheduled following a resolution passed by the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (KMK) in 2021. Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria can currently insist on their late summer holidays according to the KMK's fixed dates until 2030.
However, criticism against the preferential treatment of the South in terms of summer holidays persists. Thuringia's CDU faction leader, Andreas Bühl, stated that the current school holiday regulation is from another century. The two southern states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg have a combined population of nearly 25 million people, making their late holidays a significant factor in national traffic and tourism patterns.
As the debate continues, dialogue among federal and state educational authorities could help find balanced arrangements that optimize tourism, family convenience, and economic considerations. The search for a compromise that satisfies all stakeholders in Germany's diverse federal system is ongoing.
The Commission, in the midst of discussing the draft directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation, might also consider advocating for a more coordinated and balanced school holiday schedule in Germany, aiming to address logistical challenges, family inconvenience, and economic implications. On the other hand, education-and-self-development committees could emphasize the importance of recognizing regional needs and preferences in the process of setting school holiday dates, similar to how political bodies approach the regulation of ionizing radiation exposure, considering its varying impacts on different demographics.
