In order to increase outbound traffic from India, the Germany India Pool, which was created in 2008 to enhance the image of Destination Germany as a preferred leisure destination, recently organised a two city-roadshow in Bengaluru and Mumbai, receiving tremendous response from the travel trade community of both cities. The German National Tourist Office (GNTO) India also announced roadshows in Chennai on 20 August and New Delhi on 22 August this year. GNTO’s theme for 2013 is ‘Germany: Open for Youth’. Meanwhile, GNTO has earmarked EUR 500,000 for marketing and promotional activities in the Indian market in 2013.
Speaking at the roadshow in Mumbai, Romit Theophilus, Director – Sales & Marketing, GNTO India, said, “India Pool, since its establishment in 2008, has grown stronger each year with new members joining in. The initiative will cover all the major metros in 2013. This year, we welcome two new members – Lufthansa and Baden Baden, taking our total number of partners to 18.”
Moreover, GNTO is planning to conduct training programmes for frontline staff in cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Pune and Chandigarh.“Besides, we will be hosting a delegation of 22 travel trade members for the Germany Travel Mart, which will be held in conjunction with Stuttgart Marketing GmbH from 5-7 May, 2013 in Stuttgart,” he added.
Divulging more information on Indian arrivals, Theophilus said that the Indian overnight to Germany in the first eleven months of 2012 was 552,683, reflecting an increase of 7.1 per cent over the corresponding period last year. The total overnight in 2011 was 547,480. “We are looking at receiving six lakh Indian overnights in 2012,” he informed.
According to him, Germany continues to enjoy its strong image as an ideal leisure and MICE destination among the Indian travellers and has retained its position as the most visited European destination by Indians, second only to the UK.
The partners at these India Pool roadshows were representatives from Saxony Tourism; Bavarian Tourism; Black Forest Highlands; Cologne Tourism; Frankfurt International Airport; Munich Airport; Duetsche Bahn; Alpha Travel Consultants; Visit Berlin; Frankfurt; Dusseldorf; Stuttgart; Maritim Hotel; Mannheim; The Association of Magic Cities; Lufthansa; Baden Baden and GNTO.
