711,000 overnight stays by Israeli tourists were registered in Germany in 2022. About 40% of the Israelis came for an urban vacation, and 23% also traveled in non-urban areas in Germany. This was revealed by the director of the German Tourism Bureau in Israel, Goldie Miller, at a press conference held this evening by the bureau in collaboration with VisitBerlin representatives.
Mrs. Goldie Miller opened the evening by introducing GNTO, which is an acronym for the German National Tourist Office for its 41 branches and offices in the world, including the Israel Tourist Office.
She revealed that in the summer of 2023 there will be 77 direct weekly flights from Israel to Germany by 6 airlines, compared to 98 weekly flights the year before the Corona crisis. 84% of Israeli tourists purchased flight tickets and accommodation via the Internet.
This year, the German Ministry of Tourism is holding 4 campaigns distributed around the world, including in Israel.
- campaign Embrace German Nature: The campaign aims to demonstrate how diverse and unique the natural landscapes in Germany are. It shines a spotlight on the multitude of options available to tourists in Germany, in terms of nature tours, countryside vacations and sustainable vacations. It aims to promote holidays in rural areas, longer holidays and the enjoyment of sustainable holidays. Germany is blessed with 12,000 lakes and rivers and 104 national parks.
- campaign Feel Good: a campaign designed to emphasize the message “feel good”, and this in relation to sustainable and environmentally friendly tourism. For the benefit of the matter, the tourism office launched a website dedicated to the campaign’s messages, where you can find a variety of ideas for trips, attractions, family activities, shopping, accommodation, restaurants and more.
- campaign UNESCO World Heritage Sites: The goal of the campaign is to position Germany as the home of 51 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, located both within the cities and in the countryside. This places Germany in first place in the world in the NBI National Image Index. The campaign places considerable emphasis on the unique visit experiences at these sites, offering explore them in depth.
- Accessibility campaign – Barrier-free: Germany is also one of the most accessible destinations in Europe, making it an excellent choice for travelers with disabilities. Whether it is tourists with mobility impairments, visually impaired or hard of hearing, Germany offers a wide variety of travel options that meet the diverse needs. Most of the trains and even cable cars in Germany have also been made accessible for people in wheelchairs.
CEO of a company VisitBerlin, Burkhard Kieker, came to Israel especially for the press conference and presented Berlin’s tourist attractions. He said that next year Berlin will celebrate 35 years since the fall of the wall that separated the two parts of the city, and Berlin is preparing for 100 million visitors. According to him, since the fall of the wall, the human composition of Berlin has changed, and today it is a cosmopolitan city with residents who came from many countries and pass through the melting pot of Berlin. Berlin attracts people and tourists thanks to the special atmosphere. A city rich in cultural events, concerts in halls and parks, and art museums. For example, these days 2 exhibitions of paintings by Edvard Munch are being held in the city, and an exhibition of paintings by David Friedrich is opening in the gallery in the Old City.
Burkhardt explained that VisitBerlin is not a government company, but a private company owned by the Berlin Hotel Association.
Berkhard Kicker and Ania Schneider speak at the press conference
He invited the representative of the hoteliers, Mrs. Anja Schneider, who presented the great variety of accommodation options in Berlin, her hometown.
VisitBerlin’s spokesperson, Christian Tänzler, dedicated his words to the culinary field in Berlin. He proudly noted that Berlin has 23 Michelin restaurants, which alone brought the city 30 Michelin stars. In addition, every year there is a food festival in Berlin during the month of November.
