Vibrant cities. Wondrous nature. Some of the world’s best Christmas markets. And even a cow dung artist.
The German National Tourist Board (GNTB) hosted a media event in downtown Toronto on 02OCT, with presentations from 10 tourism representatives from around the country. The board also put on a night event for more than 80 travel advisors, who met with more than 30 partners from Germany, Canada and the U.S. Partners included Air Canada, Goway Travel, AMA Waterways, Lufthansa, The Travel Corporation, Condor Airlines, and the Globus Family of Brands.
Anja Brokjans, Director Canada for GNTB, said Canadians amassed 733,000 overnights stays in Germany in 2019. As of the end of July, overnight stays for this year were at 83.2% of 2019 levels, and up nearly 50% from 2022.
“The air in Germany is full of hope, gratitude and joy,” she said.
She also noted there are 114 flights a week between the two countries; 54 with Lufthansa, 42 with Air Canada and 18 with Condor Airlines.
Brendan Shashoua, head of sales in Canada for Lufthansa Group, told Open Jaw that his airlines’ capacity between Canada and Germany will grow by around 20% next year, with added flights to Frankfurt from Halifax and Calgary, as well as more flights to Zurich from Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver, and added flights between Montreal and Vienna.
Brokjans said Germany offers breathtaking scenery and world-class infrastructure, as well as 52 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
“Germany is a place where culture is honoured and preserved,” she said.
As well, she noted that Germany will host the UEFA Euro Cup for football from June 14 to July 14 next year, with the final game in Berlin.
The GNTB also is placing a lot of emphasis on sustainable tourism and reducing barriers for travellers.
“We think sustainable travel is the future of travel,” she said.
Here are a few small highlights from the daytime presentations.
STUTTGART
This city is easy to reach from Munich or Zurich, and offers lovely nature and vineyards all around. Stuttgart also is the birthplace of Porsche and Mercedes, and there are museums for both. Stuttgart has a “regular” Christmas market, as well as a Baroque Christmas market and a medieval Christmas market.
MUNICH
A new Rosewood Hotel opened in the city on 29SEP with 73 rooms and 59 luxury suites. A JW Marriott with a rooftop pool will open in Munich next spring. They’re also opening a new basketball/hockey arena and will host the opening game of the UEFA Euro Cup next June. Officials said Munich has a wide array of interesting neighbourhoods, including trendy Schwabing.
HISTORIC HIGHLIGHTS
This is a collection of 17 cities with a population of less than 400,000. Great destinations include Heidelberg, Munster, Freiburg, Lubeck, Rostock, Koblenz, Potsdam and Erfurt, which has a rich Jewish history. The collection includes fine university towns, walkable cities, and tremendous architecture. There’s also excellent rail service.
FRANKFURT
It took several years of construction, but the city erected new buildings that look and feel like ones destroyed during Allied bombing in World War II. It’s only a 12-minute tram ride from the airport to the city centre, where you’ll find excellent shopping, restaurants and bars. There are some 20 museums strung along the Main River. It might take you a few tries to like the taste, but the city also is famous for its apple wine.
FRANCONIA
Located between Munich and Frankfurt, this region is great for a Main River cruise. It’s also home to the Romantic Road and the Castle Road, which links some five dozen castles. Favourite local dishes include asparagus, pork shoulder and bratwurst. It’s also one of Germany’s 13 wine regions, and supports more than 300 breweries.
DUSSELDORF
This is a city in western Germany that’s close to Holland and Belgium and features plenty of luxury shopping, as well as an historic old town and what’s billed as “the world’s longest bar.” There’s a lovely set o parks along the Rine River and plenty o green space. You’ll find the work of many famous architects in the city, including Daniel Libeskind and Canada’s own Frank Gehry.
BAVARIA
Not only does this historic region offer sailing, winter sports and world-class beer, there’s also an artist named Werner Hartl who uses cow dung to make paintings. The region also is home to the first vegetarian food hut in the Alps.
BERLIN
Next year marks the 35th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, which provided unimaginable freedoms for people in East Germany. They have more museums than they do average rainy days, making it “the cultural spot in Germany.” There are two Edvard Munch shows on next year and a new photo museum called Fotografiska.
BADEN-BADEN
Historic thermal baths were discovered in the region by the Romans some 2,000 years ago. It’s a centre for relaxation and wellness that’s easy to reach from Munich, Frankfurt or Zurich. The city centre is car free, and the Baden-Baden rose garden has more than 400 varieties of roses. There are also great hiking and biking trails.
SAXONY
The town of Zwickau is home to the August Horch Museum and honours the history of Horch, Audi and Trabant automobiles. The Germany Travel Mart will be held in Chemnitz, Saxony, next April. Next year also marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Saxony artist Caspar David Friedrich.
