Three pillars of German promotion and some interesting numbers

Last week, Jan Pohaněl, director of the German Tourist Office (DZT) in Prague, presented not only three inspirational videos, but also interesting numbers about tourism from the Czech Republic at a meeting with journalists.

In the general consciousness, Germany rightly plays the role of an economic and political giant; in tourism, it is mostly referred to mainly as a sending country rather than as a destination country. But it has a lot to offer - and it wasn't on the tail at all. Why is it so important to raise the flag right now? The impact of the covid era on tourism in Germany lasted longer than in some other countries. The huge slump in 2020 hit everyone. How was it last year? Although Germany was still the second most successful country in Europe with 23 million arrivals in 2021 (after Spain with 32 million and before Italy with 22.8 million), German incomings showed a decrease compared to 2020, in all indicators: by 2% there were fewer arrivals, 3% fewer overnight stays, and revenues fell by a full 18%. In contrast, the trend in Italy and Spain was increasing:

Czech tourists and holidays

After two years of covid fasting, people are excited to travel. Jan Pohaněl stated that in last October's survey, 71% of Czechs expressed a plan to travel abroad this year, of which 63% plan to travel on vacation, mainly during the holiday months. When going abroad, 62% go to the sea, 30% to nature, 26% to wellness and 18% to shorter visits to cities (respondents could indicate more options). This distribution corresponds with the popular destinations: Greece 35%, Croatia 32%, Italy 31% - and Germany with 16% in seventh place, just ahead of France, Switzerland and Turkey. According to the German Statistical Office, Czechs spent 676,000 overnight stays in Germany in 2021 (in total, including business trips). It was 5 thousand more than in 2020.

Global thematic campaigns of Germany 2022

German. Local. Culture.

This is the title of the first pillar and the promotional video. Even with those dots, which are perhaps intended to indicate that it will be city breaks, and to underline the diversity of the offer of German cities. Under the slogans "Taste", "Green", "Craft" and "Flair", it shows architecture, industrial tradition and crafts, as well as cultural activities and local cuisine. And along with the emphasis on ecology and greenery in the cities, there are also charming trips to the surrounding nature.

Embrace German Nature

German nature certainly has a lot to offer. A third of Germany's land area is under special protection as a national natural landscape. 300,000 km of marked hiking trails, more than 76,000 cycle paths, 104 nature parks, 16 national parks and 16 UNESCO biosphere reserves, more than a hundred thematic routes and more than 350 classified medical spas. And also 13 wine regions. If anyone is in any doubt about this wine, let them realize that Mosel is simply a term and that Rhine Riesling has its roots in Germany, figuratively and literally, by the way, on the very romantic slopes of the Rhine Valley, but the Romantische Straße leads there.

FEEL GOOD

The name of the third pillar can be a bit misleading. In this case, feeling good does not mean an offer of wellness or other pampering or a friendly atmosphere. Germany is simply green and pushes the theme of sustainability in all ways and into the consequences. So on the websites you can find certified eco-accommodation, gastronomy, eco-friendly routes and how much you can save on CO _{2 emissions}. It should contribute to the good feeling of the holiday. Why not, this topic resonates in Germany. A survey by the Forsa Institute in Germany in October 2021 showed that almost two-thirds of the respondents hear this note, mostly young people under 30 and also seniors. Except that less than half of them are interested in the most ecological tourism even when choosing a vacation. So the practical side is winning quite a bit over goodwill so far. Incidentally, in that survey, up to 46% of respondents reported a willingness to accept a higher transport price if it reduced exhalation, and 42% were willing to spend more time on transport for the same reason. However, to what extent they actually do this, no one has yet investigated. Personally, I believe that Czech tourists are even less advanced in this respect. Or a surprise?

Source of numbers: DZT, DRV