• GCC travellers recorded 128,745 overnight stays in Germany during the first two months of 2024

Dubai: The German National Tourist Office (GNTO), along with 15 co-exhibitors representing cities, airports, and hotels, have successfully concluded another year at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM), underscoring Germany's commitment to the Middle East's largest travel and tourism exhibition. The annual gathering has proven crucial in reinforcing Germany’s ties with the GCC region, showcasing its diverse tourism offerings and sustainable travel initiatives.

The Arabian Travel Market (ATM) serves as a cornerstone for the GNTO’s strategic outreach within the GCC region, connecting with travel professionals and decision-makers across the UAE and broader GCC. It provides a platform to foster valuable partnerships and allowing for engagement with potential Gulf visitors. Additionally, ATM offers invaluable insights into the region’s latest travel trends and preferences, enabling GNTO to tailor its marketing strategies effectively.

During the four-day event, the GNTO showcased innovative marketing strategies focused on sustainability in the tourism sector. The GNTO's engagement with partners and stakeholders underscored its commitment to sustainable practices, aligning with Germany's rich cultural heritage and scenic landscapes to position the country as a prime destination for eco-conscious travellers seeking meaningful experiences.

The significance of the GCC market to the German tourism sector was emphasised at the ATM, highlighting its role as one of the top three overseas source markets and its rapid recovery post-pandemic. Early 2024 statistics demonstrate the market's resilience, with GCC travellers recording 128,745 overnight stays in Germany during the first two months alone. The robust growth trajectory underscores Germany's enduring appeal as a preferred destination for GCC tourists.

Another highlight of the event was the presentation of the Sustainable Tourism Journalist Award, recognising journalists whose work highlights the crucial connections between tourism and sustainability. A panel of journalism faculty specializing in media and tourism judged entries for both journalistic quality and insights into sustainable tourism practices.

Yamina Sofo, Director at the GNTO GCC Office, commented, "The ATM has become a pivotal fixture on our calendar, serving as one of the most vital platforms where industry decision-makers and travel experts converge. This year, our participation in ATM 2024 focused on showcasing Germany as a travel destination and highlighting our commitment to sustainable and responsible tourism. We're pleased with the positive engagement and feedback from our partners and the public, which reaffirms the GCC's growing interest in sustainable travel options."

The GNTO is enthusiastic about the future prospects of attracting more GCC travellers to Germany, particularly with the added appeal of upcoming events like the Euro 2024 football tournament. The anticipated increase in flight connectivity, including new direct services from GCC cities to various German destinations, is expected to boost travel figures further.

The UEFA Euro 2024 football tournament, taking place in Germany between June 14th and July 14th, is anticipated to be Europe's premier sporting event of the year. Sofo added: "The GNTB's strategy is to promote the ten host cities (Berlin, Cologne, Dortmund, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Gelsenkirchen, Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich and Stuttgart) and surrounding areas to encourage tourists to stay longer and explore other regions throughout Germany. This also has the added benefit of reducing the overall carbon footprint per travel day,"

As the GNTO continues to champion sustainable travel, it looks forward to welcoming more visitors from the GCC, offering them a diverse range of experiences that combine Germany's historical and cultural richness with its commitment to environmental stewardship. Germany has 20 sustainably certified regions and cities, over 1,540 sustainably certified establishments, and 350 spas and health resorts.

For more information about Germany and to experience the country’s array of offerings and scenic beauty, visit https://www.germany.travel/en/home.html

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About the GNTB

The German National Tourist Board (GNTB) works on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action to represent Germany as a tourist destination and is funded by the Ministry in accordance with a decision taken by the German Bundestag. Working closely with the German travel industry and private-sector partners and trade associations, the GNTB develops strategies and marketing campaigns to promote Germany’s positive image abroad as a travel destination and to encourage tourists to visit the country.

The GNTB’s primary strategic areas of action are:

  • Conducting targeted market research and analysis of market-specific customer demand in relation to various aspects of travel in the context of sustainability and culture among those with values-based lifestyles.
  • Supporting the travel industry, which is dominated by small and medium-sized businesses, through relationship management and the sharing of knowledge.
  • Raising awareness of the Destination Germany brand and enhancing the brand profile with a focus on sustainability and climate change mitigation.

Focus on sustainability and digitalisation

The GNTB promotes forward-looking tourism in line with the objectives of the German government. The focus here is on sustainability and digitalisation.

To make inbound tourism more sustainable and competitive, our organisation follows a three-pillar strategy that combines the sharing of knowledge with external partners and a supporting communications strategy with our internal sustainability initiative. The GNTB positions Germany as a sustainable and inclusive destination in the international travel market.

The GNTB is a pioneer when it comes to using immersive technologies (virtual, augmented and mixed reality), voice assistants and other conversational interfaces, and artificial intelligence applications such as chatbots. To ensure that tourism offerings are visible on AI-based marketing platforms, the GNTB coordinates the German tourism industry’s open-data/knowledge graph project.

The GNTB has 25 foreign agencies that it manages from its head office in Frankfurt.

For further information and media queries, please contact:

Bashar Antoun | Director of PR | Neo Social & PR

germany@neosocialandpr.com  |  www.neosocialandpr.com

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