New Delhi [India], August 9 (ANI): Germany is happy to have increasing numbers of tourists from India and they are doing their best to cope with the visa applications, said Georg Enzweiler, Deputy Head of Mission, German Embassy, on Wednesday during a press conference to promote German tourism.
The German National Tourist Office (GNTO) and German Embassy in India successfully concluded a joint press conference, to showcase Germany as a preferred travel destination for Indian travellers at the German Embassy in New Delhi.
“We are very happy to have increasing numbers of tourists from India to Germany. This is one of our goals to attract people from India to visit Germany and we are doing our best to cope with the visa applications that go with it. Sometimes it’s not easy, but I think we have improved a lot over the last months. But we still want to improve that further. And I’m optimistic that we can do it. We have increased staff and I think we are slowly getting there,” he said.
According to the data provided by the German National Tourist Board, Germany saw a 209 per cent increase in overnight stays by Indians in 2022 compared to the previous year. Germany offers 51 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, coupled with a focus on nature and sustainability.
GNTO aims to attract Indian travellers interested in exploring the country’s natural beauty, picturesque villages, and innovative eco-tourism practices. In 2022, Indians spent a total of 623,363 nights in Germany (2021: 201,194). The record level of 2019 with 961,656 has not yet been reached. “However we have already reached 65 percent of the level of 2019, leaving room for continuous growth as Indians return to travelling. There is huge demand among Indians for international travel,” said Romit Theophilus, Director India for GNTO.
“Germany is an attractive destination with exceptional offers. Our goal in the medium term is to reach the number of overnight stays we had before the COVID-19 pandemic. We have achieved a remarkable increase this year compared to 2021, which shows that our diverse campaigns and offers are attractive and appeal to Indians. We know that Germany appeals strongly to Indians that are interested in culture and history, city breaks and culinary experiences,” Theophilus added.
“Sustainability is a key focus of Germany‘s tourism industry, and we’re confident that the country’s natural beauty, innovative eco-tourism practices, and rich cultural heritage will resonate with Indian travellers seeking responsible travel options. We believe the conference inspires the media to promote Germany as an ideal travel destination,” he added. (ANI)
