Germany Reports 15% Surge in Overnight Stays by GCC Visitors in 2023

The German National Tourist Board (GNTB) announced today that GCC travellers spent 1,297,256 room nights in Germany during 2023, a 15 percent increase over the 1,128,341 overnight stays recorded in 2022.

The announcement was made while addressing Middle East travel professionals during a press conference, which was held on the opening day of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2024.

Yamina Sofo, Director at the German National Tourist GCC Office, noted a significant increase in overnight stays in Germany in 2023, reflecting the enduring appeal of Germany among GCC travelers. She attributes this success to GNTO's marketing efforts across various channels. Sofo highlighted Germany's cultural richness, natural beauty, sustainability, and inclusiveness as key draws for travelers. Participation in events like ATM is integral to their marketing strategy, aiming to surpass pre-pandemic figures of 1,604,753 overnight stays, showcasing confidence in continued growth in GCC tourism to Germany.

The GCC region is currently ranked in the top three incoming markets, behind the US and China. In 2022, the GCC region was Germany’s top performing inbound source market in Asia and Australasia, with more than 404,000 arrivals, representing an increase of over 117 percent, compared with the same period in 2021.

GCC guests also generated 2.1 billion euros in 2022, a 110 percent increase over the previous year, averaging 4,443 euros per trip/per guest.

“These figures underscore Germany’s increasing post pandemic popularity with GCC visitors and bodes well for 2024. This year we want to capitalise on Euro 2024, to encourage longer stays and showcase Germany as an all-year-round holiday destination.

Increased flight availability will support those ambitions, with more than 207 direct weekly flights between the GCC and Germany, compared with 201 in 2022. At present, there is direct flight accessibility from the GCC to five German international airports – namely Munich, Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, Berlin and Hamburg.

News Source: Emirates News Agency