Dubai: Germany is constantly attracting more and more travellers from the Arabian Gulf countries, particularly during the summer. According to recent data of the German National Tourist Board (GNTB), the number of incoming tourists from the region increased by an impressive 66 percent in July 2010 compared to the same month of 2009. Between January and July 2010, 40,2 percent more Arab Gulf travellers visited Germany. With 620,510 overnight stays, this makes the Gulf region one of the strongest overseas source markets for Germany, second only to the United States. “This year, July was an especially successful month, with a rise of 66 percent of Gulf travellers to Germany,” said Antje Roeding, Director of the Marketing & Sales Office for the Gulf Countries at the German National Tourist Office (GNTO) in Dubai. Roeding said Germany is the second most visited country in Europe by travellers from the Arabian Gulf. Over the past few years, GNTO has launched a massive campaign showcasing Germany's tourist attractions across the region to medial and travel industry professionals to promote tourism in this country located in the center of Europe as part of the GNTO's Annual Roadshow, dubbed as ‘Dallal fi Almania' (or Pamper yourself in Germany). The Roadshow workshops across the six Arab Gulf states have presented travel packages carefully tailored to meet the needs of Arab tourists. GNTO has also offered study tours, training and presentations for regional travel industry representatives to help them place Germany as the first choice destination for tourism. The increase of Gulf tourists to Germany has also had its positive impact on the airline industry, and particularly on the German carrier Lufthansa. Represented in the UAE with Lufthansa, SWISS and Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa carried over half a million passengers between the UAE and Europe in 2009. “More than 300,000 passengers chose Lufthansa for flights between the UAE and Germany in 2009”, said Peter Pollak, Lufthansa's General Manager UAE and Director Gulf & Iraq. This year looks much more upbeat again with some 10% growth in passenger traffic from the previous year, he added. GNTO is again gearing up to attract more visitors from the Gulf region to Germany for 2011, with more competitive and tailored packages through the Roadshow workshops, including the promotion of healthcare and wellness tourism in Germany - a holiday segment which is in high demand in the Gulf countries. Visitors to Germany in 2011 will be able to enjoy the celebrations of the 125th anniversary of the automobile, an event believed to please Gulf visitors who have passion for German cars.
