Germany eyes 10%growth in Indian visitors to 3.30 lakh in 2016

Germany is looking at a 10 per cent increase in the number of Indian visitors to the country to around 3.30 lakh as it undertakes a number of initiatives to promote itself as a preferred destination.
Germany had close to 3 lakh Indian visitors in 2015 translating into 6.92 lakh over night stays during the year.
"We are looking at around three lakh and thirty thousand visitors from India in 2016 which is a growth of 10 per cent," German National Tourist Office India Director Romit Theophilus told PTI.
Germany is a leading destination for Indians in Europe, he added.

"India is also important for us as it is one of the fastest growing economies and has a growing middle class. The average spend per person per visit from India is around 2,700 euro," Theophilus said.
When asked about the initiatives being taken to promote Germany as preferred destination, he said: "We are highlighting the fact that Germany provides great value for money."

Another thing that the tourist office is emphasizing on is about the natural beauty of Germany.
With more than one third of the landscape covered in woodlands, 48,000 animal species living in the wild and over 350 islands amongst the other varied natural treasures, destination Germany has a variety of natural attractions on offer, he added.

German National Tourist Board (GNTB) is also focusing on the theme based campaign, 'Holidays in the Heart of Nature in Destination Germany 2016, Theophilus said.
"Germany stands not only for quality vehicles and world-class industry but has a lot more to offer: vibrant cities, natural beauty and inspiring cultural monuments...," German Ambassador Martin Ney said.
The nearly two-fold increase of Indian travellers in less than a decade shows that Germany is a trending destination on the global tourism map, he added.
When asked about which is the largest segment for the Indian visitors, Theophilus said: "It is an equal mix of business and leisure. We want people to see Germany as a leisure destination and not only as a business destination."

German National Tourist Office, India is is the official representative office of the German National Tourist Board, which internationally promotes as a tourist destination on behalf of the German Federal Government.