Photo: Leipzig © Mitteldeutsche Zeitung / Andreas Stedtler

Germany's unique artistic and cultural landscape is a strong travel motive for international tourists. Of the 173 million cultural trips made by Europeans worldwide in 2023, 18.7 million chose Germany, reaffirming its number-one position with an 11% market share for the 11th time. Additionally, city breaks, a crucial segment for German inbound tourism, accounted for 12.9 million out of 31.5 million holiday trips in 2023, constituting a remarkable 41% share.

The German National Tourist Board (GNTB) is further expanding its commitment to positioning Germany as a cosmopolitan and sustainable cultural travel destination in 2024 with targeted themed marketing.

Petra Hedorfer, Chairwoman of the GNTB Executive Board, highlights the upcoming trends for European travellers in 2024. “According to the European Travel Commission's 'Monitoring Sentiment for Intra-European Travel' study from October 2023, 'City Breaks' lead as the most popular travel segment at 19.3%, followed by 'Culture & Heritage' at 16.7%, and 'Nature & Outdoors' at 13.5%. In this context, Germany can score points with a wide range of historical cultural assets, UNESCO World Heritage Sites and an extremely lively creative scene. In addition, there will be events and anniversaries in 2024 that are already attracting a great deal of international attention. A particular highlight will be the European Football Championship with its cultural program, which will bring people together outside the stadiums with more than 300 events on the theme of football."

Research conducted by the Sinus Institute on behalf of the GNTB in 18 countries confirms the high level of interest in culture and travelling. 76 per cent of respondents want their holiday destination to offer a wide range of cultural activities, 79 per cent inform themselves in advance about the cultural offerings of their holiday destination and 78 per cent about cultural customs and traditions.

Starting in April 2024, the "Cultureland Germany" inspiration campaign will showcase the cosmopolitan culture and art scene as a vital element of urban quality of life. The campaign will emphasize modern aspects, including cultural hotspots, public art, the contemporary spirit of winegrowers in traditional cultural landscapes, and internationally acclaimed music events. Simultaneously, the GNTB's campaign "52 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Germany" will emphasize monument protection, the preservation of customs and traditions, and sustainable experiences of culture and nature. In line with the GNTB's Stay Longer initiative, eight itineraries also incentivise longer sustainable stays in Germany. This is also at the heart of the GNTB's sustainability campaign "Simply FEEL GOOD", which promotes certified destinations and offers.

During UEFA EURO 2024, international visitors to the ten German host cities can look forward to a multifaceted programme that appeals to culture and football enthusiasts alike and invites them to engage in dialogue and participate. In cooperation with EURO 2024 GmbH, a joint venture between the DFB and UEFA to organise the tournament, the GNTB is encouraging potential travellers to Germany to explore the host cities and the surrounding area in addition to attending the football matches, thereby extending their stay.

The GNTB is also focusing on cultural tourism in 2024 to mark the 250th anniversary of Caspar David Friedrich's birth. The GNTB is highlighting innovative developments in regions that were once separated by the inner-German border, particularly offerings for the growing 'workation' segment, to mark the 35th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. And with a view to 2025, the GNTB is promoting Chemnitz as the European Capital of Culture.