Canadian overnights in Germany way up; green-focused campaigns launched

Germany saw a 253 per cent increase in overnight stays by Canadians in 2022 compared to the previous year, according to new data released by the German National Tourist Board (GNTB).

In 2022, Canadians spent a total of 485,348 nights in Germany (compared to 141,505 in 2021 ). The record level of 2019 with 733,951 has not yet been reached, the organization said.

"We still state a deficit of 66 per cent compared to 2019, leaving room for continuous growth as Canadians return to travelling. There is huge demand among Canadians for international travel," said Anja Brokjans, director Canada for the German National Tourist Office, Toronto.

"Germany is an attractive destination with exceptional offers. Our goal in the medium term is to reach the number of overnight stays we had before the COVID-19 pandemic. We have achieved a remarkable increase this year compared to 2021, which shows that our diverse campaigns and offers are attractive and appeal to Canadians. We know that Germany appeals strongly to Canadians that are interested in culture and history, city breaks and culinary experiences."

Shift toward sustainable travel

A shift towards sustainable travel is accelerating and is well received by Canadians, the tourism board says.

The shift in values of international travellers clearly shows how much travel behaviour has changed since the outbreak of COVID-19 and has now consolidated toward more sustainability.

Canadians are increasingly looking for sustainable travel, according to the Sustainable Travel Report 2022 from Booking.com.

The study says that 65 per cent are more likely to choose sustainable accommodations. According to the Global Web Index 2022, environmental protection is top of mind for Canadians. 47.8 percent are willing to pay more for eco-friendly products.

GNTO campaign 2023

To further increase visitor numbers, the GNTO is offering a comprehensive tourism package with three different campaign themes for 2023.

The campaign "51 UNESCO World Heritage Sites - Historic.Modern.Germany" is aimed at the contrast between historic world heritage and the diversity of products in urban and rural areas.

Germany offers not only unique and authentic experiences in combination with a city and nature stay, but also sustainable travel experiences.

Many offers in the context of World Heritage Sites are accessible in a climate-friendly way by public transport.

The campaign is designed to ensure that guests find the offerings so attractive that they plan a longer stay that supports a lower CO2 footprint.

More info here. 

Going green

In addition to the UNESCO campaign, the GNTO is promoting two campaigns with a strong "green focus" that have already had a successful impact in 2022.

In 2023, these will be played out with new travel ideas and inspirations.

The FEEL.GOOD sustainability campaign promotes climate- and environmentally friendly offers in a very focused way.

Potential international travellers can discover Germany's National Landscapes and sustainable holiday experiences in rural regions.

One third of Germany consists of protected natural landscapes: 16 national parks, 16 biosphere reserves and more than 100 nature parks. More info here. 

Embrace German Nature is a campaign that shows how diverse and unique natural landscapes in Germany are and how resource-friendly they can be travelled to.

From the mainland right up to the islands, there are many cultural and natural landscapes throughout Germany. More info here. 

In addition, the GNTO offers barrier-free travel. Visitors with disabilities can enjoy a carefree vacation in Germany, because many regions of the country already take their needs into account. More info here. 

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