THE German National Tourist Office (GNTO) said its participation in the 2013 Arabian Travel Market (ATM), held from May 6 to 9 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre in Dubai, UAE, was a great success.
“With our partners, we were able to showcase the mesmerising attractions Germany has to offer, while engaging many visitors and further deepening its strong relations with tourism representatives and media from across the region,” said Antje Roeding-Boudier, director of the marketing and sales office of the German National Tourist Office (GNTO) in the Gulf, the local affiliate of the German National Tourist Board.With the number of tourists visiting Germany from the region rapidly growing in recent years, the GNTO put families and young people at the heart of this year’s campaign, which aims to attract visitors from the GCC.Commenting on the importance of the Gulf as a source market for tourism, she said: “The exhibition provided a platform for us and our partners to present tailor-made offerings for families and young travellers from the Arabian Gulf, which were all met with a positive feedback from this year’s ATM visitors.”She continued: “Arab visitors of all ages will fall madly in love with the dream-like nature of the German cities, gardens, water and amusement parks, the elegant streets and shopping malls, the forts, castles and museums. For those who like physical exercise, various activities can be combined with sports such as cycling, swimming, or even a stroll around the city. Transportation in Germany is known for its swiftness and simplicity, thanks to its excellent roads and infrastructure.”“The UAE is ranked first among the Gulf countries in the number of trips to Germany. There are growing numbers of young people from the GCC travelling to Germany and enjoying the mesmerising and distinct offers of the fun destination – whether they are travelling alone or in a group of family members or friends,” she added.Germany not only offers fascinating cities and captivating landscapes but also numerous attractive shopping facilities, creative areas where art and extravagant life-style is combined, and a vibrant nightlife, she said adding that youngsters would find it easy, safe and affordable to travel to and around Germany. Roeding-Boudier also underlined that the GNTO collaborates closely with travel trade representatives and other key players in Germany and the Arabian Gulf, thus strengthening the country’s profile as tourist destination for travellers from the region.Gulf countries contribute increasingly to inbound tourism in Germany. With a total number of 1.3 million overnight stays by travellers from the GCC in 2012 the performance of this market was not only steady throughout 2012 but also much higher than other source markets achieving a growth rate of 27.5 per cent. According to the latest numbers announced by the German Federal Statistical Office, the number of overnight stays from GCC travellers between January and February 2013 totalled 134,132, recording an impressive increase of 18.4 per cent when compared to last year’s data of the same period.