The country has built a reputation on being a leader in terms of both leisure and business travel. Germany emerged from the financial crisis and subsequent European debt crisis relatively unscathed and its travel and tourism sector recorded growth during the review period (2008-2012).
MUMBAI – Bharat Book Bureau presents Travel and Tourism in Germany to 2017. This report Germany is one of Europe’s leading travel and tourism sectors. The country has built a reputation on being a leader in terms of both leisure and business travel. Germany emerged from the financial crisis and subsequent European debt crisis relatively unscathed and its travel and tourism sector recorded growth during the review period (2008-2012). However, the growth was only marginal and many firms had to change their business strategies in order to remain profitable.
The report provides detailed market analysis, information and insights, including:
- Historic and forecast tourist volumes covering the entire German travel and tourism sector
- Detailed analysis of tourist spending patterns in Germany
- The total, direct and indirect tourism output generated by each category within the German travel and tourism sector
- Employment and salary trends for various categories in Germany’s travel and tourism sector, such as accommodation, sightseeing and entertainment, foodservice, transportation, retail, travel intermediaries and others
- Detailed market classification across each category, with analysis using similar metrics
- Detailed analysis of the airline, hotel, car rental and travel intermediaries industries
Key Highlights
- According to Bharat Book Bureau projections, Germany’s real GDP is likely to expand by 0.4% and 1.5% in 2013 and 2014 respectively, supported by a rise in private consumption led by increases in wages and employment. However, persistent weak economic activity in Europe will continue to affect both investments and exports. The German economy is projected to grow in the range of 1.7-3.2% over 2015 and 2017.
- In 2007, the EU introduced the Blue Card, which is aimed at facilitating the immigration of highly qualified workers. In April 2012, Germany implemented Blue Card legislation in line with areas of need such as engineering, science and information technology. In Germany, qualified non-EU workers can apply for permanent residence, which will increase the quality of service in the German travel and tourism sector.
- According to FDI Markets data, Germany recorded 3,535 investment projects from 3,000 foreign companies between 2007 and 2011. This growth in foreign direct investment (FDI) supports Germany’s attractiveness as a business location. The European Spatial Observation Network Survey 2011 (ESPON) noted that Germany was the most accessible country in Europe in terms of a location for organizing meetings and events. The government should make efforts to tap the nation’s business potential due to its geographical advantage.
- Domestic travel by German citizens has been subdued due to difficult economic conditions. A large proportion of the country’s working population suffered salary cuts, and many lost their jobs following the financial crisis. As a proportion of Germany’s total employment levels, travel and tourism fell from 4.9% in 2011 to 4.8% in 2012.
- The German government has made efforts to promote inbound tourism. In April 2013, the German National Tourist Board (GNTB) launched a social media campaign: Youth Hotspots in Germany – Share the Moment at the 2013 International Tourismus-Borse (ITB) in Berlin. At the core of the campaign is a Smartphone app, Youth Hotspots, which will offer free Wi-Fi hotspots to travelers in Germany.
- With 82.7 million outbound departures in 2012, Germany is a key source of inbound tourism for other countries. Consequently, many countries are making promotional efforts in Germany. In May 2013, Etihad Airways, Tourism Australia and Virgin Australia came together to promote Australia’s tourism offerings in Germany. The program, which ran for a month, used Tourism Australia’s campaign There’s Nothing Like Australia at its core.
- Frankfurt Airport in Germany is a key international airport and a European transport hub. Germany is a popular location for aircraft maintenance repair and overhaul due to its low costs and geographical position. Germany’s largest airline, Deutsche Lufthansa, flies to more than 250 destinations and operates through a fleet of 627 aircraft. During 2007-2011, the airline increased its capacity by 50% by acquiring Brussels Airlines and Austrian Airlines.
- The leading cities in Germany for hotel investments are Berlin, Frankfurt and Hamburg. In 2012, Berlin was the most important hotel investment market with a transaction value of more than EUR500 million, followed by Frankfurt and Hamburg, which both saw around EUR200 million worth of investments in the same year.
- Car rental companies in Germany are facing setbacks due to the high price of petrol and diesel. As of August 2012, fuel prices in Germany hit an all-time high. Additionally, insurance is mandatory and included in the cost of rental. Such high prices can dissuade tourists from renting cars.
- TUI Germany’s luxury tour operator brand, Air tours, recorded 31.0% year-on-year growth in revenue during the summer of 2012. The company launched family offers in the summer of 2013. A strong growth was also recorded to long-haul destinations, with bookings to Asia increasing at a rate of 60%, followed by the Caribbean (53%) and North America (51%). Tour operator sales increased by 20% in the winter of 2012, followed by an increase of 7% during the summer of 2013.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
