GERMANY is more popular than ever among international travellers, with the country’s tourism sector posting impressive new numbers in 2011.
Last year also saw a record set for tourists from the GCC, who crossed the one-million mark in terms of overnight stays for the first time. Recently released figures from the German Federal Statistical Office show that the number of overnight stays by visitors from the GCC reached 1,006,856 for 2011, an increase of four per cent as compared to 2010. This is an increase of four per cent as compared to 2010.
On the back of those encouraging numbers, the cities of Abu Dhabi and Dubai hosted two conclusive sessions of the 2012 Germany road show Dallal fi Almania (Feel Good in Germany), which this year focussed in particular on the tourist offer for families. Twenty partners representing different sectors of the tourism industry in Germany took part this year.
The GCC countries continue growing as major market for the German tourism sector, said Antje Roeding-Boudier, director of the marketing and sales office of the German National Tourist Office (GNTO) in the Gulf.
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Germany regularly ranks as GCC travellers’ second most-visited European destination. In 2012, tourism authorities expect to repeat the strong results of the previous year, with an impressive growth of 17.8 per cent registered for January 2012 as compared to the same month in 2011.
“Given the family-oriented demand characterising this important region, the GNTO and its partners aimed at providing with this year’s workshop theme a more detailed view on the multitude of offers that make Germany the ideal holiday destination for Arab families,” Roeding-Boudier explained.
A variety of initiatives such as the annual recurring road show are regularly organised by the GNTO, the local affiliate of the German National Tourism Board for the GCC countries, in order to strengthen tourism promotion in a region with growing market potential for Germany.
Showcasing Germany’s diversified tourist offers across the Gulf is part of the GNTOís strategy for directly engaging the travel industry in the region. Particularly relevant is the Germany Travel Mart (GTM), the largest workshop for incoming tourism to Germany, which in 2012 will be held in Leipzig from May 13-15. This year, the GNTO will be joined by 17 hosted buyers and media representatives from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.