Friday, March 29, 2024

Island Issues

Europe: Survey Proves That Germany is Dreaming of Private Island Ownership

A survey carried out by research institute Forsa has established that the average German daydreams of a life of luxury – with the ultimate goal of buying a private island to call their own.

Velaa Private Island - Courtesy of Velaa Private Island

Velaa Private Island – Courtesy of Velaa Private Island

Germany: a nation of industry, efficiency and punctuality – but not necessarily a country of dreamers. Yet as an increasing number of stories about the country’s economic slumps, delayed construction projects and disruptions on train lines circulate the international press, it seems that the traditional German clichés are slowly but surely being turned on their head,. The trend continues – a survey has this week revealed Germany to be a land with its head in the clouds.

That’s right – according to a survey carried out by the Forsa research institute, nine out of ten Germans have a dream. Even the man responsible for carrying out the survey expressed surprise. Axel Weber, spokesman for one of Germany’s biggest lottery companies, WestLotto, explained: “We wanted to find out whether the idea of the rational, down-to-earth German and lifelong dreams can go together. The results surprised us all: Germany is a land of dreamers.”

So what exactly are the Germans dreaming of? A perfect world free of wars and conflict? A guarantee of good health and with no waiting lists for doctor’s appointments? Or perhaps simply of finding the perfect partner and settling down to have a happy family? Not quite. If the findings of the survey are to be believed, it seems that the average German is dreaming of one thing and one thing alone – a life of luxury.

Sadly, however, it seems these dreams of life in the fast lane aren’t set to be realized any time soon. When questioned by the Forsa Institute, the majority of the pie-in-the-sky participants lamented that they lacked the financial power to commit to the high-flying way of life they dream of. Axel Weber elaborated, “For the majority, their dreams will be just dreams. They don’t quite have the necessary change in their pockets.”

It’s not simply a matter of small change, however. Indeed, of the 1,600 interviewees who took part in the survey, one in five claimed that they would need at least EUR 5 million to make their dreams come true, whereas the participants from the north of the country stated that they would require a minimum of EUR 10 million! And what’s the first thing they plan to purchase with their long wished-for windfalls? Why, a private island, of course! Perhaps that’s why CDU politician Josef Schlarmann was so keen to privatize Greece’s islands back in 2011.

The desire to get away from it all and call a piece of the Earth your own was particularly strongly pronounced by participants hailing from northern Germany, in federal states such as Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony, Bremen and most of all in Hamburg – the home of international private island brokers, Vladi Private Islands. Who knows – perhaps there’s a little bit of private island fever lurking in the depths of the River Elbe. It’s an interesting theory, of course, but one that –disappointingly – has little to do with the official reasons for coveting an island escape.

(Image Copyright Farhad Vladi)

(Image Copyright Farhad Vladi)

For the interviewees private island ownership represents something that money can’t buy – freedom. As the founder-director of Vladi Private Islands and the committed owner of an island in New Zealand, Farhad Vladi knows this feeling all too well: “People who buy islands tend to be individualists – intelligent adventurers who know how to improvise. They want to experience the incomparable feeling of freedom that comes with owning an island – a feeling of control and of tranquillity. Owning an island brings with it a sense of energy – knowing that there’s no-one to tell you what to do and that everything you see before you is your own is very special indeed.”

He was also keen to correct the participants’ misconception that one need to be a millionaire in order to own an island. “It’s a common misconception that private islands are the exclusive domain of millionaires and celebrities – if you can afford to buy a car, you can afford to buy an island. And whilst we certainly count such high-net individuals to our clientele, the number of people of more modest means buying islands is definitely on the up.”

And indeed, with the prices of private islands in Canada starting from just CAD 55,000 (roughly EUR 39,040) perhaps dreams can come true after all!

Have your Say:

Are your daydreams filled with all things island-related? Let us know exactly what it is about the thought of private island ownership gets your heart beating faster on our social media accounts for the chance to win a copy of the Vladi Private Islands calendar. There can only be three lucky winners, so get creative!

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