Expectations of Egyptian and German Sports Tourists Depending on Destination and Travel Companions

Abstract

The expectations of (sports) tourists are individual and, therefore, particularly diverse. This study investigates the question to which extent expectations differ with regard to various aspects (accommodation, food, activities, meeting new people and fears) according to the destination in the home country or abroad and the travel companion. This study also investigates whether differences can be identified between the two studied countries. A total of 39 people in Egypt and 42 in Germany were asked about their individual and group expectations and fears by using the scenario technique. In small groups, the expectations of travelling with different travel companions (friends, partner and children or grandmother) and to different destinations were discussed to develop concrete wishes and goals. Results show that both the country of origin and the destination, as well as the travel companions, have an influence on expectations.

1. Introduction

As a particularly large and rapidly growing industry [1], tourism is of great economic importance worldwide [2].

With globalisation comes the internationalisation of all areas of people’s lives. The almost unlimited opportunities for international mobility lead to an intensification of contact with people from different cultural areas [3]. Especially in the highly competitive tourism industry, intercultural knowledge is in demand to win over as many customers as possible. In order to survive in global competition, suppliers must not only be highly qualified in their field but also have up-to-date knowledge about their customers and trends. Intercultural competence is, thus, becoming a key qualification in tourism [4]. In view of the increasing demands of travellers on their holidays, providers face complex challenges in meeting the needs of the different target groups.

Studies on the provider side show that a change in values and lifestyles is forcing the travel industry to implement changes in its offers and to focus more on fun, sports and events. A flexible combination of different themes is essential [5].

An understanding of tourists’ expectations in regard to their travel decisions is essential for effective destination management and marketing, as the evaluation of an experience is anchored in a tourist’s preconceived notions [6].

However, the motivations and expectations of tourists are individual and, therefore, particularly diverse. This relies on different factors such as culture, motivation to travel, finances and previous experience [7]. In addition to individual preferences, the travel companion also has an influence on the desires for the trip [8].

Within this study, subjects from two different cultures are investigated. Considering that Germany and Egypt are attractive destinations for both domestic and foreign tourists, it is helpful to identify attracting factors to enable the effective planning and design of tourism strategies in order to help understand tourists and advise providers to offer culturally adapted vacations.

This study primarily pursues the following questions:

• What expectations do German and Egyptian travellers have with regard to accommodation and food, activities and meeting new people? What fears accompany them?
• In which way do individual ideas differ from those in different travel companionships (with friends, with partner and children or with grandmother)?
• What are the differences between the various target destinations? And what differences can be identified between the Germans (G) and Egyptians (E)?

2. Theoretical Background

The more different the cultural background, the more complex communication becomes and the greater the risk of misunderstanding. Different cultural perspectives collide, in which people usually orient themselves to their own norms, which, however, may no longer be valid in another culture [9]. As a consequence, the difficulty of interaction and communication can be perceived more easily if there are bigger differences between cultures [10]. Therefore, sufficient knowledge should be available among tourism providers to make interaction between different cultures as comfortable as possible.

2.1. Cultural Differences in Tourism

Germany and Egypt are very different countries. Besides their location on different continents, different languages and religious affiliations, gross domestic product (GDP) and age structure, the countries also differ significantly with regard to all of Hofestedes’ cultural dimensions (power distance, individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance, long-term orientation, indulgence). The dimension of individualism/collectivism not only reflects the different desires for self-fulfilment but also goes hand in hand with different communication styles. In individualistic cultures, it is low-context communication, and in collectivistic cultures, it is high-context communication. The differences are also particularly great in the dimension of long-term orientation, which shows whether societies are more oriented towards short-term or long-term solutions. In long-term oriented cultures, the focus is on building personal long-term relationships and high respect for older people and traditions. In short-term oriented cultures, the focus is on short-term gains, and there are more valid guidelines about what is good and bad [11]. It is, therefore, assumed that both country of origin and destination play a role in the expectations for a trip.

In addition to the culturally based differences in their expectations when going on holiday, there are also differences between the travellers themselves. It is likely that people who travel alone organise their holidays differently from people who travel with their friends, partner and children or with their grandmother. Studies show, for example, that it is possible to draw conclusions about holiday behaviour from the composition of the travel group. People travelling with friends, therefore, behave differently from people travelling with their family and children Campo-Martinez, Garau-Vadell & Martinez-Ruiz [12]. Cheng, Wan & Prebensen [13] investigated the relationship between the mix of the travel group and the choice of tourism activity in the context of nature tourism in Norway and came to the conclusion that travelling with friends and travelling with a partner shows some similarities in the activity patterns, while the other groups show remarkable differences in the activity patterns in comparison. Poruțiu et al. [14] found that the choice of accommodation type also depends on the travelling companion. For example, travellers with children in rural areas chose fewer chalets than travellers without children.

Some studies suggest that companions, whether family or friends, can be a cause of satisfaction or dissatisfaction [15,16] and that family and friends’ behavior and experiences can be a strong influence on tourist behavior, motivation and satisfaction [17]. Numerous studies analyse families (e.g., [18]), with findings that children are a key influence on tourism travel decision-making [19].

Families (two- to multi-generational) are of great importance to the tourism industry as this sector is expected to grow faster than all other forms of leisure travel [20]. Research shows that grandparents participate in a variety of activities with their grandchildren, including day trips [21]. For older travellers, perceived mental and physical limitations mean that they like to use package holidays to avoid these barriers as much as possible [22]. The travel industry should, therefore, adapt to this trend and be aware of the expectations and desires in order to meet the demands.

Risk-averse people prefer to plan their trip through a travel agency and tend to use package deals, while less anxious people use friends and relatives as sources of information and plan their trips individually [23]. Particularly, families with children plan their holidays in detail.

Overall, the company for the holiday is planned before the destination and the time of travel, followed by details such as the duration, accommodation and arrival and departure [24].

2.2. Expectations of Tourists Regarding Destination Choice

Regardless of the type of tourism, people always travel with a set of expectations that come from different sources [25]. Hoorens [26] defines expectations as “belief about events or behaviors that will occur or that will be revealed in the future” ([26], p. 142), where the possible consequences, subjective importance, probability and previous experience have an influence. Expectations also influence decisions, e.g., where to go on holiday. Positive expectations also lead to a more positive perception of the experience. If, on the other hand, expectations were too high, this has a negative effect [26].

The attractiveness of many destinations is primarily based on the ideas that tourists have about the country, the people and the culture that await them before they go on holiday [27]. Different studies explained the relationship between travel motivation and destination image [28,29]. Several studies show a positive and significant impact of destination image on tourist’s attitudes toward a destination [30,31]. Particularly, the factors of escape, knowledge, safety and natural beauty have positive and beneficial effects on the image of the travel destination [32].

The images of a destination are a combination of beliefs, knowledge, feelings and the overall impression of the visitor and are influenced by external and internal factors [33]. Comprehensive political, socio-economic or ecological changes in society are an important factor in visitors’ attitudes and feelings towards these goals [34]. Three types of destination images are discussed in the work of Gunn [35]: the organic image is formed by information from non-tourist, non-commercial sources, such as word-of-mouth; the induced image is formed by commercial sources, such as travel brochures, and the complex image is based on both the commercial sources and the personal travel experiences. Later research studies consider the image of travel destinations as a multidimensional construct that consists of both cognitive and affective components [36].

A case study showed that tourists had higher expectations of hedonism, local culture, meaningfulness and knowledge than novelty, refreshment and involvement. Gender differences can also be found in expectations and the choice of destination [37]. Besides gender, age also had an important impact on tourist expectations; female tourists and, based on age, youthful tourists had higher experience expectations [38]. While men are more influenced by advertising, women are more influenced by word of mouth [39]. A study also reports that tourists’ time perspective and city image are significantly and positively related to their travel motivation [40].

In a motivation theory developed specifically for the tourism sector, a distinction is made between push factors and pull factors [41]. There is a significant correlation between the characteristics of the destinations, e.g., good climate, beautiful resort, new culture (pull factors) and the personal motives, e.g., escape from everyday life, relaxation or intensive time with the family (push factors) [42,43].

According to Bansal and Eiselt’s [44] model for choosing a holiday destination, the choice depends on three factors: the travel companions, the image of the destination and the motivation or motives. The behavioural model by Hsu, Cai & Li [45] assumes the three core elements of expectation, motivation and attitude and shows that tourists’ expectations of the destination have a direct effect on their motivation to visit it.

3. Research Method and Sample

Scenarios enable a deeper understanding of the topic. They demand creativity, participation and communication. Through their use, normative aspirations can be developed and reflected upon. This, in turn, helps the providers of (sports) tourism offers in their strategic planning [46].

Normative and explorative procedures are generally distinguished. While in the latter, numerous possible future scenarios are developed, normative research provides a preview of a desirable scenario [47].

Scenario techniques have several objectives: (1) an explorative function or knowledge function, (2) a communication function, (3) a goal concretisation and goal formation function and (4) the function of decision-making and strategy formation. The presented survey is a normative scenario that focuses, in particular, on wishes and interests [48] in order to be able to derive strategies for the implementation of (sports) tourism offered by these ideas.

The approach of the normative–narrative scenario should enable positive visions to be made concretely imaginable and provide a basis for discussions and options for action. Subjective associations are to be actively brought into the collaborative process and discussed in an interdisciplinary way. In this way, small narratives about fictional persons and actions are to be shaped so that in the course of thinking them through, various cross-connections are thought through and analysed. Ideally, the process of narrative design, thus, represents a holistic form of plausibility and consistency testing.

In practice, the researchers presented the scenario of a holiday in both Egypt and Germany: (a) by the sea in Egypt and (b) in the mountains in Germany. The participants were asked to imagine travelling either with their grandmother, with their partner and children or with three of their best friends. In groups of three to four people each, they were asked to work out relevant content for the respective aspects in a mind-map group workshop. The given aspects were accommodation, food, activities, meeting new people and doubts. Of course, they also had the opportunity to discuss any other aspects that seemed significant to them. Afterward, the individual groups presented their scenarios and discussed them with other participants. Aspects of logic and consistency were, thus, tested, differentiated and optimised several times. The researchers carried out the final evaluation by analysing the mappings and conversation recordings of all groups (from Germany and Egypt) again.

The scenarios were developed in 12 Egyptian and 14 German groups, each consisting of 3 to 4 people.

Participants from Egypt and Germany were chosen because it can be assumed that they have quite different cultural backgrounds (see Section 2). In addition, both countries are highly developed in terms of tourism, and the importance of active sports tourism continues to grow in both of them. At the same time, there are also long-established forms of sports tourism, such as ski tourism (winter) in Germany and water sports tourism (summer) in Egypt. Hence, the scenarios were chosen on the one hand for a beach region in Egypt and on the other hand for a mountainous region in Germany. The idea of the study is to compare potential tourists from countries that are as culturally different as possible but still developed in terms of tourism. For religious reasons alone, their location on two different continents and their economic development status, Egypt and Germany are very different. At the same time, however, these are also countries that are quite developed in terms of tourism and whose tourism is currently important and has a long tradition. In addition, due to the good accessibility between the two countries, potential tourists already have experience with representatives from the other country.

Before working together in groups, the German (n = 42, 24 female, 20 male) and Egyptian (n = 39, 26 female, 13 male) participants individually filled in how they would spend their holidays without travelling companions in Egypt and Germany. The participants are exclusively people with an academic background (predominantly students and university staff in the fields of sports, tourism and management) between the ages of 18 and 64. As the Egyptian participants included more aged professors, the average age was higher (38 years in Egypt and 23 years in Germany). Emphasis was placed on a mix of ages in the groups. In a preliminary questionnaire on the individual travel ideas for the categories accommodation, food, activities, meeting new people and doubts, the participants were also asked whether they had already travelled alone and whether they had already spent holidays on the beach and in the mountains. While only seven percent of the Germans surveyed had never been on holiday in the mountains, the figure for Egyptians was 59 percent. In contrast, almost all participants have already been on a beach holiday, with only one person from each of the two countries having no experience. A total of 72 percent of Germans and 33 percent of Egyptians never travelled alone.

4. Results

In the following, the results from the individual interviews and the group discussions are presented with regard to four major topics: (1) accommodation and food, (2) activities, (3) meeting new people and (4) fears and doubts.

4.1. Accommodation and Food

Accommodation plays a central role in planning a holiday; the range is wide, and the options are varied. The vast majority of both Egyptians and Germans prefer a hotel when travelling to Egypt. A large proportion of respondents even specify this wish with the designation “luxurious” or “5 stars”. In addition, full board (all-inclusive) or half board is usually desired. Egyptians also consider “tents”, and Germans occasionally holiday in cottages or mountain huts. Both countries prefer local food, but also enjoy international food. Seafood and fresh fruits are also frequently requested (see

Table 1. Accommodation and food.

	Destination: Beach in Egypt		Destination: Mountains in Germany
	Egyptians	Germans	Egyptians	Germans
Individual	hotel prefered (with meals) tents local food seafood, fresh fruits	hotel prefered (with meals) holiday apartment local food seafood, fresh fruits	camping/tent halal food international and oriental food	holiday cottage/ mountain hut regional food beer, (mulled) wine self-catering and visiting restaurants
Best Friends	hotel (price and distance to the water are important)	hotel (price and distance to the water are important)	hotel (price subordinate)	camping or cottage/hut (low budget)
Partner and Children	hotel with kids’ area kids’ meals and suitable desserts	holiday apartment or child-friendly hotel with separate children’s room international food	camping center or hotel with offers for children	holiday apartment with separate children’s room
Grandmother	hotel with spa	hotel with spa all-inclusive catering	hotel with spa good view	hotel with spa barrier-free separate rooms

).

If a German mountain destination is given as a scenario to the participants, the hotel as an option for accommodation clearly loses importance. The Egyptians prefer “camping” or, more concretely, a “tent”, while the Germans prioritise a mountain hut/holiday apartment. The Germans want, above all, regional food, which they partly prepare themselves and partly enjoy in small restaurants. Egyptians want both local food and oriental food. The most frequent comment was that the food must be halal. Alcoholic drinks were mentioned several times, but only by Germans.

4.1.1. Best Friends

If the trip to Egypt is not taken alone but with friends, both the price and the proximity of the hotel to the sea play a role. For a trip to the German mountains, the Germans would prefer to camp with their friends or stay in a holiday home/cottage adapted to a low student budget. In contrast, the Egyptian participants named the hotel as their first choice in this scenario, where the focus is on enjoyment and the budget is not important.

4.1.2. Partner and Children

For a family holiday to Egypt, the Egyptians would like to have a hotel. All interviewed groups specifically state that there should be a children’s area and that the distances to it and to the restaurant should be as short as possible. The food should include dishes for children and suitable desserts. German families consider a holiday flat near the beach or a child-friendly hotel to be equally suitable. Special offers for children are only partly mentioned in connection with the accommodation (children’s disco and banana boat). There are no wishes relating to the food, but international cuisine would avoid making fussy children dissatisfied.

Holidays with children in the German mountains are desired by Egyptian families either as part of a camping centre in the mountains or in a good hotel, and, again, options for children are considered necessary. The German groups completely prefer a holiday apartment, whilst the need for a separate children’s room is emphasised in each case.

4.1.3. Grandmother

Germans, as well as Egyptians, name the hotel as the only form of accommodation when travelling with their grandmother to both countries. People of both nations look for relaxation and spa facilities. In Egypt, Germans also prefer all-inclusive meals. When travelling to Germany, Egyptians mainly want a beautiful view, while Germans consider accessibility (availability of a lift, walk-in shower and high beds) and separate rooms to be important.

4.2. Activities

Different destinations offer different holiday experiences. For the destination of Egypt, both Germans and Egyptians name swimming most often, followed by snorkelling/diving for Egyptians and beach volleyball for Germans (see

Table 2. Activities.

	Destination: Beach in Egypt		Destination: Mountains in Germany
	Egyptians	Germans	Egyptians	Germans
Individual	swimming snorkelling/diving beach volleyball, soccer, jogging, yoga, SUP, biking, tennis, fishing	swimming beach volleyball snorkelling/diving, soccer, jogging, yoga, camel riding, desert buggy, surfing, jet-ski visiting the pyramids and cultural heritage	hiking, climbing biking sightseeing (visiting castles)	hiking, climbing biking snowboarding/ skiing sightseeing (visiting museums)
Best Friends	beach volleyball, swimming, snorkelling and other ball games at the beach/water (e.g., soccer, water ball) horse riding fitness courses (e.g., Zumba) shisha bars	beach volleyball, swimming, snorkelling and other ball games at the beach/water (e.g., soccer, water ball) chilling visiting the pyramids	hiking, climbing, biking	hiking, climbing, biking snowboarding/ skiing aprés-ski barbecue in the evening and sit together
Partner and Children	beach activities which focus on fun: swimming, football, playing ball, snorkelling and playing in the sand	beach activities which focus on fun: swimming, football, playing ball, snorkelling and playing in the sand	guided tours which are suitable for kids acitivies which focus on fun for kids and include all family members	hiking, swimming snowboarding/ skiing, sledding
Grandmother	walking at the beach, swimming	walking at the beach, swimming performances on oriental culture	hiking, slow activities historical tour (visit German castles, churches and museums and other historical places)	hiking, slow activities e-biking, wellness evening events (e.g., regional dances)

). Both nations list beach soccer, jogging/walking and yoga in addition to the activities already mentioned. The Germans also name camel riding, desert buggying, surfing and jet skiing; the Egyptians mention stand-up-paddling (SUP), parashooting, biking, tennis and fishing. While sightseeing is not mentioned for Egyptians in their own country, many Germans would like to visit the pyramids or experience the cultural heritage associated with them. They would like to hear local music and see traditional dances, as well as visit regional markets. For both nations, hiking and climbing are the favourites for a trip to the mountains in Germany, followed by biking. The Germans also mention swimming several times. They actively distinguish between summer and winter activities and frequently list skiing and snowboarding, whereas Egyptians hardly mention them at all. Diving in a mountain lake (G, E), parashooting (E), yoga (E) and sledding (G) were also rarely mentioned. Although sporting activities are clearly in the foreground, both nations would also like to go sightseeing, whilst Germans tended to name museums and Egyptian castles as a destination.

4.2.1. Best Friends

In the destination country Egypt, both nations consider beach volleyball, swimming and snorkelling, as well as other ball sports in the water or on the beach (football, water polo), as important in the company of their friends. While Egyptians also mention horse riding and courses such as Zumba, Germans emphasise that the focus with friends is more on chilling out and nightlife. Even on a holiday with friends in Germany, the activities do not differ much from the individual wishes. Hiking, climbing and biking are particularly popular here, and skiing/snowboarding is also popular among Germans. Again, only the German groups emphasise the importance of the nightlife that follows after the winter sports activities (après-ski).

4.2.2. Partner and Children

Germans and Egyptians would like to combine their holidays with their partner and children mainly with beach activities that are also fun for the children: swimming, football, playing ball, snorkelling and playing in the sand. Further, the Germans specifically mentioned “banana boat rides” and a visit to a slide park. A children’s disco was desired as well. While there are hardly any differences worth mentioning between Germans and Egyptians when it comes to holidays in Egypt, there are greater differences when it comes to family holidays in the German mountains. Egyptians prefer guided tours that are adapted to children and emphasise the natural heritage. All “activities which focus on fun for kids” are desired; some of those should involve the whole family, and entertainment shows for the entire family are also welcome.

The Germans, on the other hand, again make a strong distinction between the seasons and name hiking and swimming for the summer and sledging and skiing/snowboarding for the winter. Children are not explicitly addressed; entertainment programmes are not mentioned.

4.2.3. Grandmother

If respondents were to spend their holidays with their grandmother at the beach in Egypt, they would prefer easy activities such as walking on the beach and swimming in the sea or pool. Egyptians also consider SUP, snorkelling and aqua exercises if the grandmother is fit enough. Germans, on the other hand, tend to think of a visit to the spa, a boat trip or attending a light morning fitness event. They would also like to see performances on an oriental show. For holidays in Germany, both nations also prefer gentle sports, especially hiking. The Germans additionally mention e-biking, as well as sauna and wellness and evening events with traditional dances. The Egyptians would like to attend a historical tour and visit German castles, churches and museums and other historical places.

4.3. Meeting New People

Travelling goes hand in hand with meeting new people. The possibilities for establishing contact are manifold (see

Table 3. Meeting new people.

	Destination: Beach in Egypt		Destination: Mountains in Germany
	Egyptians	Germans	Egyptians	Germans
Individual	on the beach and during sporting activities with Germans and internationals	on the beach and during sporting activities with Germans and internationals with the hotel staff, on day trips, at parties	meeting Germans, especially during hiking	meeting Germans, especially during hiking some explicitly want to enjoy the silence and nature others want to meet new people at joint ski courses and après-ski exchange with the owners of the guesthouses and restaurant staff
Best Friends	on the beach and during sporting activities	on the beach and during sporting activities parties and nightlife	during hiking	during hiking après-ski
Partner and Children	meeting other families with kids	meeting other families with kids	meeting other families with kids	meeting other families with kids or keeping themselves as a family
Grandmother	with other guests in the hotel (preferably with people who speak their own language)	with other guests in the hotel (preferably with people who speak their own language) with German-speaking hotel staff	during activities and sightseeing (other participants, guides, etc.)	during activities and sightseeing (other participants, guides, etc.) exchange with the owners of the guesthouses/hotels

). When travelling to Egyptian beaches, both Germans and Egyptians would like to meet people from their home country as well as people from other countries and to make conversation with them. First and foremost, encounters on the beach and during sporting activities are mentioned here. Germans also expect a lively exchange with hotel staff during day trips and by attending parties.

On holiday in Germany, both nations expect to meet primarily Germans and less of an international audience. Here, too, it is assumed that they will meet them mainly through activities, primarily hiking. The Germans differ here as follows: some explicitly want to enjoy the silence and nature and avoid meeting people as much as possible, whereas others want to meet new people primarily at joint skiing courses and après-ski events. They also assume an exchange with the owners of the holiday apartments or with the restaurant staff. Overall, the Germans describe themselves as more passive and consider interaction with people in Egypt easier than in Germany.

4.3.1. Best Friends

When respondents go on holiday to Egypt with friends, they meet other people mainly through sporting activities on the beach. The Germans see visiting parties and attending nightlife as the main opportunities to become familiar with new people. When visiting the German mountains region, the situation is almost the same. Both nations expect to meet people while hiking, the Germans additionally expect to do so at aprés-ski events (in winter).

4.3.2. Partner and Children

Both Egyptians and Germans assume that they will meet other families with children in the hotel during a holiday in Egypt. Germans also expect to interact with hotel staff, especially with animateurs.

On a family holiday in the German mountains, Egyptians additionally expect to make contact with other families, while Germans are discordant on this point. Some want to meet other families as well, and others assume that they will stay together as a private family only.

4.3.3. Grandmother

With the grandmother in Egypt, contact with others in the hotel is the main consideration. Both nations mention possible language problems in intercultural contact here, so it is more likely to talk to people who speak one’s own language. As the staff in Egypt’s hotel complexes often speak German, the possibility of short conversations with the hotel staff is also expected from Germans.

When visiting the German mountains, contact is expected less in the accommodation but preferably during activities and sightseeing (other participants, tour guides) by both nations. The Germans again mention exchanges with the accommodation staff.

4.4. Fears and Doubts

Even though travelling is first and foremost a joy and driven by a desire to discover, there can still be fears that ultimately may even lead to not taking a trip or choosing a different destination. For this reason, it is important to know the guests’ fears and reservations (see

Table 4. Fears and doubts.

	Destination: Beach in Egypt		Destination: Mountains in Germany
	Egyptians	Germans	Egyptians	Germans
Individual	injuries	political situation, terrorist attacks diseases (from contaminated water and food, as well as tropical diseases) insufficient medical care insufficient knowledge about habits and culture lack of hygiene in the room or hotel facilities	injuries no halal food available bad weather	bad weather skiing accidents
Best Friends	mainly no fears	drinking too much/ hangover	finding compromises to meet everyone’s expectations	injuries
Partner and Children	cost too high too late check-in kids’ area not available or too far	political situation, terrorist attacks robbery travel sicknesses too long flight, too hot weather	bad weather too few police/emergency services	bad weather boredom
Grandmother	no fears	too high temperatures travel stress	hospital too far away rainy and windy weather	poor physical condition (that leads to stress and injury) bad weather and the boredom that comes with it

).

The fears here are very different. Egyptians generally have no fears in their own country. Injuries during activities seem to be the biggest risk for them. Only a few reservations were mentioned: unclean accommodation, too long distances to the pool and restaurant, insects and too hot temperatures. Among Germans, the fears are much greater and relate primarily to the political situation and the associated worries about security due to terrorist attacks. In addition, there are concerns about illness, not from sports injuries but from contaminated water and food, as well as tropical diseases and the associated question of sufficient medical care. Furthermore, there is uncertainty about whether their own cultural knowledge is sufficient and whether they behave correctly as guests according to the prevailing norms. A lack of hygiene in the room or the hotel facilities is also a concern. Rarely mentioned were possible language barriers, too-long flight times, too-hot temperatures, overcrowded beaches, dangerous animals and petty crime (especially rip-offs/pickpocketing).

Egyptians also primarily see, when considering a holiday in the mountains in Germany, the risk of injury during activities. Furthermore, they fear that no halal food being available or that they would have to search for it for a long time. Less frequently, they express the fear of bad weather. Occasionally, there is also the fear of unclean toilets and insects.

In contrast, bad weather is the greatest fear of Germans on holiday in the German mountains, followed by possible injuries when skiing/snowboarding. Fears of boredom and being exposed to high prices were also rarely mentioned.

4.4.1. Best Friends

When Egyptians go on holiday with their friends to the beach in their own country, they are accompanied by only a few fears. The only fears they expressed were that the temperatures might be too high and the service too low. Germans accompanied by friends also have just a few fears: drinking too much alcohol and that they will spend too much money. The issue of safety is raised but not weighted heavily.

There are just as few fears about a holiday in Germany by travelling with friends. The Egyptians see it primarily as a challenge to meet the different expectations of friends and to find appropriate compromises. For the Germans, the main risk is the danger of injury or becoming lost. The doubt of not being able to have Internet is also mentioned.

4.4.2. Partner and Children

For Egyptian families, a beach holiday in Egypt is not connected with many fears. Only the worry of too high costs, as well as too late check-in possibilities, is at play. Not having kids’ areas or having to travel too far to reach these facilities is not desirable. German families would mainly be afraid of the political situation/attacks, as well as robberies and travel sickness. In addition, there is the fear that the long flight and the heat could be too strenuous for the children. The worries are much smaller for Gemans by visiting the mountains in their home country. Here, bad weather (rain, too little snow on winter holidays) and possible boredom due to too few activities play a role. For Egyptian families, the weather is also a major concern. Moreover, there are worries that there are not enough police around and that medical care might be too far away. The fear of becoming lost and that the offers do not match the interests of the family members were mentioned.

4.4.3. Grandmother

The Egyptian participants in the survey had no fears whatsoever about a holiday with their grandmother at the sea. The Germans see the high temperatures and the stress of travelling as the main problems. Pickpockets, hygienic deficiencies, poisonous and dangerous animals and the political situation play subordinate roles.

On a holiday in Germany, Egyptians fear, on the one hand, that a hospital might be too far away and, on the other hand, that the weather might be too rainy and windy. For the Germans, the concern is the physical condition of the grandmother. A long car journey, as well as bumpy and too-narrow footpaths, could strain her or even lead to injuries. In addition, there is also the fear of bad weather and the accompanying boredom.

5. Discussion, Limitations and Perspectives

The tourism-related scientific literature certainly shows that analysing tourists’ preferences can contribute to tourism development [49].

In this study, the normative–narrative scenario technique was used to investigate (1) what expectations travellers have in terms of accommodation and food, their activities and meeting new people as well as fears. In addition, (2) possible differences regarding the two different destinations were identified, and (3) distinctions regarding the individual expectations and the different travel companions (with friends, with partner and children or with grandmother) were also analysed.

Although an interest in the host culture was basically shown when visiting the other country, it can also be seen that there is no strong separation from the home country. What is familiar from home is taken to the foreign country, and thus, both places are occupied at the same time [50]. In particular, standards regarding safety (Germans: terrorism) and food (Egyptians: halal food) are explicitly expected. The challenge for travel providers is, therefore, above all, to strike a balance between the expectation of the exotic and the genuine and, at the same time, to fulfil the requirements brought with the tourist from their home.

Egyptians and Germans differ in their expectations and wishes regarding accommodation and food, activities and personal interactions. In addition, they are accompanied by very different fears and doubts. The different travel companionship also leads to significantly different requirements and wishes, even within one nationality and the same destination. This confirms existing findings that show that travel decisions are very extensive and complex (e.g., [51,52]).

In conclusion, expected differences between tourists from different cultures are also confirmed in relation to sports tourists; therefore, findings from general tourism research (e.g., [53]) can be applied to active sports tourism but require adaptation to the specific forms of tourism.

The results also show that Egyptians almost completely ignore winter (sports) tourism when discussing a holiday in a mountainous region of Germany. Apparently, they have no information about this traditional form of active sports in Germany. This opens up great opportunities and starting points for appropriate marketing. On the German side, marketing could focus on tourism providers actively adapting to Muslim guests by providing halal food.

Overall, it can be said that expectations are, to a certain extent, inseparable from the holiday process. They influence both satisfaction and travel behaviour. Based on these findings, travel destination managers can actively participate in the process of creating tourist expectations by sending effective signals [29]. This research can, therefore, help holiday destinations to better communicate and market their existing offers (internationally) and to expand their offerings to specific target groups. In addition, the needs in terms of accommodation can help with future development planning. As the construction of any new accommodation generally has a significant impact on the environment, in-depth knowledge of the market segments and their propensity to choose is essential [13].

This paper is entirely theoretical; therefore, no empirical test of the framework and the resulting proposals were conducted. Further studies need to prove these initial findings. However, the use of the normative–narrative scenario technique has the advantage that it involves open and transparent discourses that include different stakeholders or experts, and, thus, commonalities are specifically sought instead of focusing on strongly individual interests and attitudes. The paper shows that the method can help to understand cultural differences in the field of tourism, for example, regarding destination choice and travel behaviour. Results show that a cultural aspect needs to be added to models dealing with these themes. However, due to the time-consuming nature of the procedure, the number of groups is limited. In addition, the German research team in Egypt conducted an English-language discussion, so details may have been lost due to the language barrier. Further, the Egyptian participants were somewhat older, so their stronger focus on family offers and activities could also be due to the fact that several participants already have a family themselves. Conducting such a study with people from different educational backgrounds, as well as in their mother tongue, would be useful. This should be implemented in the required further studies to verify the results found here. Another major limitation is that the study only looks at two nationalities and deals with just two target destinations. Future research could look at other nationalities and destinations. As society and, therefore, travelling as a whole becomes more diverse, other travel companions can also be included; e.g., colleagues, couples without children, families with adult children, single parents or even people with pets are conceivable, which could also allow destinations to specialise. Moreover, the data are a cross-section at one point in time; longitudinal data would be interesting for the analysis of different expectations over the course of life. Much further research in this area is, therefore, desirable and beneficial for both sports tourism providers and active sports tourists.