GNTB Highlights Sustainable Tourism At ATM 2023

The German National Tourist Board (GNTB) unveiled its latest campaign update aimed at GCC travel professionals at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2023. With its goal of ‘Making Tourism More Sustainable,’ the GNTB is highlighting sustainable aspects in various tourism segments under the banner of ‘Germany, simply inspiring.’

The campaign focuses on the following themes:

Discover German Nature, showcasing natural landscapes and adventure holidays;
Historic-Modern Germany, promoting cultural heritage and the country’s 51 UNESCO World Heritage sites, with a special emphasis on the traditions and customs of rural regions; and
Sustainable Travel in Germany, emphasizing the importance of eco-friendly holidays in Germany to promote well-being.

Yamina Sofo, the Director of the German National Tourist GCC Office (GNTO GCC), a subsidiary of the German National Tourist Board (GNTB), stated that their campaign is aimed at making a significant contribution towards climate change mitigation, aligning with Germany’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions. She also noted that the campaign seeks to attract environmentally conscious GCC tourists to Germany.

The GNTO GCC intends to promote Germany as a year-round destination that is diverse, accessible, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable, offering a viable option for future travel.

In terms of performance, the GCC region has emerged as the top-performing inbound source market for Germany in Asia and Australasia. In 2022, 404,707 GCC visitors generated nearly 1.13 million overnight stays, indicating a remarkable increase of 117.6% compared to the corresponding period in 2021.

Sofo emphasized that the increasing number of GCC visitors and their focus on sustainable tourism reflects Germany’s position as a preferred tourism destination. The GNTB aims to promote longer stays to reduce the carbon footprint per travel day and highlight Germany’s unspoiled nature and careful use of resources.

The GNTB is particularly promoting the sustainability-related aspects of health tourism, including traditional treatment methods, location-specific treatments and remedies, and sustainable energy management. There is a growing interest in low-impact tourism that supports climate goals and makes tourism more resilient.

Germany offers over 350 spa and health resorts, 200,000 kilometers of walking trails, and 70,000 kilometers of long-distance cycling routes. More than one-third of the country’s land area is under special protection as a nature park or national park. The resurgence of interest in traditional rural lifestyles has further enhanced Germany’s image as a sustainable travel destination, promoting regional prosperity.