The German National Tourist Board (GNTB) has been at the forefront of promoting sustainable tourism offerings to travellers, encouraging eco conscious travel expeditions, thriving towards strengthening intercultural understanding, supporting regional businesses, and conserving natural resources.
According to an analysis by IPK International, around 80 per cent of international travellers are conscious about sustainability, climate and environmental protection and around 40 per cent seek cost-effective offers specially when it comes to their stays.
In addition, a strong 90 per cent of those surveyed also have a strong desire to combine a city trip with a stay in a rural region; they extend the length of their stay that contributes towards reducing the CO2 footprint.
“As a tourist board, we continuously share the latest data with service providers, from customer groups to be addressed, to trends in the choice of transport; these are crucial fundamentals for travel providers,” said Petra Hedorfer, CEO, German National Tourist Board (GNTB).
“The continuous exchange of best practices is also extremely important in a transformation, so that travel providers can make faster progress together – we, as a Tourist Board, act as a networking and knowledge platform to accelerate these eco conscious transformations,” she added further.
Romit Theophilus, Director, German National Tourist Office in India, said, ”Germany as a travel destination has been blessed with some of nature’s most beautiful creations — from its turquoise lakes, stunning mountains, and abundant flora and fauna to its clean, pure air — making it a famous and aspirational tourist destinations for Indian travellers.“
Sustainability has been an intrinsic part of Germany for decades. The German‘s famously lead low waste/ sustainable lifestyles, sharing a common passion for household recycling, choosing public transport over private vehicles and a great love for the outdoors. Indian tourists can enjoy Germany’s plethora of sustainable offerings, including affordable public transport options, green architecture, and sprawling parks.
This year, the GNTB will run three theme-specific campaigns that will continue to focus on sustainable tourism: ‘Feel Good’, ‘Embrace German Nature’, and a new cultural campaign focussing on the ‘51 UNESCO World Heritage Sites – Historic Modern Germany’ which aims to highlight Germany’s rich culture and heritage.