Discussion on children’s and young people’s travel at the BMWE

A key topic was the law on package holidays as an example of the need to cut red tape in voluntary work. Travel organised by youth organisations is largely supported and made possible by voluntary work. Since the introduction of compulsory insolvency insurance for package holiday providers under Sections 651a et seq. of the German Civil Code (BGB), there has been considerable uncertainty amongst the member organisations of the Bundesjugendring as to whether, and to what extent, these regulations apply to the wide range of leisure activities in child and youth work. Against the backdrop of the amending directive to the EU Package Travel Directive, adopted by the European Parliament on 12 March 2026, and the forthcoming national implementation in Germany, the Youth Travel Unit suggested seizing this window of opportunity to seek legal clarification. Dr Ploß agreed to have the proposal examined.

As part of the networking roundtable on non-profit youth travel at federal level, the Fachstelle Jugendreisen, together with the German Youth Hostel Association and the Working Group of German Educational Centres, also took the opportunity to highlight the considerable investment needed in youth educational centres, youth hostels and other non-profit leisure and accommodation facilities. The federal government’s existing funding programmes have so far failed to adequately address the specific needs of these non-profit organisations. In particular, high co-payment requirements regularly present an almost insurmountable obstacle for many institutions.

Furthermore, the specialist unit called for a new edition of the 2013 baseline study on children’s and youth tourism, which was funded at the time by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. It also suggested making the dialogue on children’s and youth travel a regular feature. Both proposals were well received. There was a consensus that children’s and youth travel plays a vital role in young people’s resilience, personal development and social participation.

The Federal Youth Council would like to thank Dr Babendererde (Member of the Bundestag, CDU/CSU) for organising and chairing the meeting, Dr Christoph Ploß for the open and results-oriented discussion, and the participating Members of the Bundestag Kerstin Vieregge, Wolfgang Dahler and Ralph Edelhäußer (all CDU/CSU).