DUBAI : The GCC region is now Germany’s top performing inbound source market in Asia and Australasia, with 404,707 GCC guests generating almost 1.13 overnight stays during 2022, representing an increase of 117.6%, compared with the same period in 2021.
“These figures confirm that Germany continues to be a preferred tourism destination for GCC visitors and unspoilt nature and careful use of resources are clearly becoming increasingly important to them. We also want to encourage longer stays in order to reduce the carbon footprint per travel day,” said Yamina Sofo, Director at the German National Tourist GCC Office (GNTO GCC), an affiliate of the German National Tourist Board (GNTB).
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Germany boasts more than 350 spa and health resorts and the GNTB is focusing on the sustainability-related aspects of health tourism. These include the preservation of traditional treatment methods, location-specific treatments and remedies as drivers of regional prosperity, and examples of sustainable energy management.
There is also growing interest in low-impact tourism which is supporting climate goals and making tourism more resilient. More than one-third of Germany’s land area is under special protection as a nature park or national park, it has around 200,000 kilometres of walking trails and 70,000 kilometres of long-distance cycle routes. There has also been a resurgence of interest in traditional lifestyles in rural regions, which has further bolstered Germany’s image as a sustainable travel destination.
In addition, Germany boasts 51 World Heritage sites, over 6,000 museums, offering a wealth of interesting places of cultural and historical significance. “We aim to make a meaningful contribution towards climate change mitigation, supporting Germany’s commitment to net zero, as well as driving increasing numbers of environmentally aware, inbound GCC tourists,” she said.
“We want to present Germany as an all-year-round destination that is not only sustainable, but diverse, accessible, inclusive, resilient and viable for the future,” she added.
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