TORONTO — All signs are pointing to another record year in tourism for Germany, with the Canadian market continuing to contribute significant numbers.
Just ahead of the final figures for 2017, the German Federal Statistical Office recorded 78 million international overnight stays in accommodation establishments with at least 10 beds from January to November, an increase of 3.5% compared to the same period in the previous year.
According to Petra Hedorfer, Chief Executive Officer of the German National Tourist Board (GNTB): “During all of 2017, German incoming tourism grew more rapidly again than in the prior year. While in 2016 the number of international overnight stays increased only slightly by 1.4%, we can now expect double the growth rates for 2017.”
Hedorfer pointed to positive key economic figures and political stability in significant source markets as contributing to this trend, in addition to the “excellent positioning” of Destination Germany.
Europe continues to be the largest volume market for incoming tourism, with a market share of 72.9%. But the majority of growth from source regions for international travel stems from the American continent, with North America presenting growth well above average. Canada beat out the United States by a margin of 0.2%, amounting to an increase of Canadian visitors to Germany of 8.8% over the same period 2016 (compared to 8.6% growth from the U.S.)
“We are eagerly awaiting the final year-end visitor numbers from Canada to Germany,” says Antje Splettstoesser, The German National Tourist Office’s Director for Canada, “and are confident they will confirm this positive trend, which already began to materialize in the fall, when year-over-year figures for the month of September had come to 17.6%, then indicating an overall annual increase of 8.1%.”
More than 1.25 million airliner seats on direct flights between Canada and Germany were available in 2017, accommodating visitors seeing both longer stays and stopover visits.
Says Splettstoesser, “Looking at 2018, we certainly hope to see Destination Germany’s continued popularity among Canadian travellers of both kinds. Our cities and their immense variety in classic and cutting-edge cultural offers, the countryside that’s easily explored onboard sleek river cruise liners, Germany’s ever developing culinary scene lately counting for more than 300 Michelin stars, not to forget our groomed wines and storied beers – all make for a package that has something for all ages and pocketbooks.”
