TravTalk India Online Magazine
The German city of Dresden, capital of the Saxony region, successfully hosted the 44th Germany Travel Mart, held recently with around 520 representatives from 51 countries in attendance.
Nisha Verma from Dresden
While the inaugural address at Germany Travel Mart (GTM) was made at the renowned Church of Our Lady, the official inaugural ceremony was held at the Kulturpalast in Dresden. Petra Hedorfer, Chief Executive Officer, German National Tourist Board (GNTB) addressed the gathering at the ceremony which saw some memorable performances by local artists. The two-day B2B workshop held at Messe Dresden trade fair centre had around 338 exhibitors from different hotels, transport companies and attractions around Germany, showcasing their myriad offerings for the buyers.
“India is among the top 20 inbound markets for Germany with a 13.8% increase in overnight visitors”
Hedorfer said, “Germany is very well positioned in the international tourism market. In 2017, we were once again able to build on our status as the second most popular destination for European travellers. GTM is an ideal platform for satisfying the existing high demand for travel to Germany and harnessing untapped potential. For us, this means intensive communication with the traditional travel trade as well as with online tour operators.”
At the press conference held on the sidelines of the exhibition, she added, “In 2017, Germany recorded a total of 83.9 million overnight stays, with Netherlands being the most important source market for the country. In fact, it is the second most popular market destination in Europe after Spain. We are hoping for an 80 per cent increase in international overnight stays into Germany by 2030 and will reach 121.5 million overnight stays.”
She insisted that India is a high potential market for Germany. “India is among the top 20 inbound markets for Germany with a 13.8 per cent increase in overnight visitors to Germany in 2017. Considering the country’s potential for Germany, we had opened our office there in 2006,” claimed Hedorfer.
Hedorfer further stressed on their emphasis on leisure. “We are trying to boost the leisure travel segment. Our India office is already promoting various segments, including historical sites of Germany. With a long-term investment plan in the Indian market, we foresee that this will be a growing business for the next 10-20 years,” she stressed.
India Numbers
- Having worked in India for over 10 years, Germany has seen a double-digit increase from the country and is still trying to present more reasons and interests for people to visit Germany
