At the beginning of the year, the German National Tourist Board shares its aspirations for the coming months and the encouraging prospects for the national tourism industry.
Germany, like all tourist destinations worldwide, has been heavily impacted by the pandemic over the last two years. However, with the arrival of vaccines and a certain improvement of the health situation lately, tourism activity seems to be slowly but surely picking up. And Germany intends to take advantage of this moment to "position itself and strengthen its position as a tourist destination" in an increasingly competitive market.
The first encouraging news is the high level of interest in travelling again, especially internationally. After two years when domestic tourism was king, international travel seems to be regaining its pre-crisis popularity as confirmed by a study conducted by IPK International.
Moreover, urban destinations are recovering their attractiveness, as the figures in this study show. Indeed, city breaks are in first place among the types of stay planned by European travellers in the next 6 months with 18% of intentions. This is a major opportunity for Germany, which is the number one destination for Europeans looking for a city break.
The country also benefits from a good image of health crisis management, a significant asset in this unprecedented period when health reassurance is paramount. Travellers are primarily looking for destinations with reliable health records and clear protocols in place to ensure safety for all. It also benefits from a good image in terms of tourism, thanks in particular to its cultural and natural assets as well as its renowned quality of life.
Germany is focusing on the digitalisation of the tourism sector, a key element nowadays. Tourists have high and growing expectations in this area, including online booking, online payment, contactless check-in, digital travel guides and tourist flow information applications. In response to this growing demand, the destination began developing the OpenData project in 2018. The country plans to go even further by creating the Open Data Tourism Alliance (ODTA).
As for the emergence of sustainable tourism, which is gradually becoming a standard in the sector, Germany is turning out to be very well positioned as it is cited as one of the nations that would act best in the face of climate change. In addition, the German National Tourist Board has been Green Globe certified since 2014, attesting to its commitment to sustainability, which has since been reinforced by the acquisition of Gold status. The pandemic has prompted more travellers to take an interest in the sustainable dimension of their trips and the country intends to meet these new expectations.
