Published on : Tuesday, April 28, 2020
With almost seven million overnight stays and a market share of 7.8 percent (2019), the USA is the most important source market for German incoming tourism overseas and is third in the ranking of all source markets for Germany. This position is the result of a long-term strategic market development. Over the past ten years, the number of overnight stays from the USA has increased by 46 percent.
In addition to the implementation of its worldwide campaigns, the GNTB conducts numerous market-specific activities for the US market every year, including social media and trade initiatives.
One of GNTB’s central elements of the USA market cultivation is the intensive exchange with top representatives of the US travel industry. With the ‘US Advisory Board Workshop,’ the GNTB offers the opportunity, in cooperation with changing German host destinations, to meet with top representatives of the US travel sector as part of an industry meet-up.
The workshop offers around 80 representatives of German travel companies and organizations a platform to talk with CEO’s and top managers. Tour operators, consortia, the travel platform TripAdvisor, USTOA, Lufthansa, and RailEurope share information through TED talks, panels, and individual discussions.
“Despite the current lockdown, we remain in active dialogue with consumers through our virtual campaign #DiscoverGermanyFromHome,” explains Petra Hedorfer, CEO of the GNTB board. “For travel industry partners, we continue to plan the implementation of this year’s US Advisory Board workshop in Stuttgart for October 20, 2020. We are confident that the US market will recover in 2021 and 2022 after the relaxation of travel restrictions. This sentiment is confirmed by statements of US partners that have reached us in the past few days.”
Terry Dale, CEO and President of the USTOA travel association explains: “In 2018, we saw Germany jump from 15th to 3rd place in PriceWaterhouseCoopers’ hot destination list … The reliable and robust partnership between USTOA and our German friends will survive this crisis … “
Steve Born, Vice President Marketing of the tour operator group ‘Globus Family of Brands’, adds: “The past few weeks have been the biggest challenge the global tourism industry has ever faced… but while we are weathering the storm, there are good reasons to look ahead and lay the foundations for renewed growth. “
Jennifer Tombaugh, President of the traditional special event organizer Tauck, is impressed by Germany’s targeted fight against COVID-19: “I am convinced that Germany will be one of the first destinations in Europe that will reopen to travelers… Perhaps it is because there is a significant interest for travel in autumn and the Christmas markets … also, we already see brisk demand for the postponed Passion Play Oberammergau in 2022.”
Tags: German tourism, germany, GNTB