GNTO anticipates year of growth, milestones in 2017

The German National Tourist Office reflected on a solid 2016 and looked ahead to a year of significant milestones at a media dinner this week attended by Consul General for the German Consulate in Toronto, Peter Fahrenholtz.

GNTO Director Antje Splettstoesser said that, although the full-year figures are not yet in, tourism to Germany grew by 1 per cent from January to November 2016, with growth expected to be announced for the whole year. She also anticipated a strong year in 2017, forecasting growth of two to three per cent based on the renaissance of river cruises and the growing popularity of overnight stays in Germany among Canadian travellers.

Juliane Ehrich, P.R. manager, GNTO, used the occasion to emphasize some of the most important events that will take place in Germany in 2017; notable among these is the 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation, which will be used to showcase Martin Luther’s cultural and historical influence.

Ehrich highlighted Luther’s birthplace in Eisleben as an ideal location to commemorate his life and legacy, with his former home now a museum featuring over 250 relevant exhibits.

Other significant events taking place in Germany this year include dOCUMENTA 14, an exhibition renowned for its unusual and provocative art, and the IGA Berlin 2017 International Gardening Exhibition. The Grand Départ of the Tour de France, meanwhile, will take place in Dusseldorf, with the Ice Hockey World Cup scheduled for Paris and Cologne from May 5-21.

Hans DeHaan, director – Canada for Lufthansa Airlines, announced a successful year for the company, marked by the addition of $3.6 billion worth of new on-board products and services, the largest fleet rejuvenation ($42 billion) in the company’s history, a new terminal at Munich airport, and the 60th anniversary of its service in Canada. 2016 also heralded the 20th anniversary of Lufthansa’s joint venture with Air Canada.

2017, he said, would be defined as a ‘year of digitalization.’ Lufthansa’s customer service app and its new Flying Lab – an on-board platform to test out new digital products including Virtual Reality – are, DeHaan said, ‘fundamentally changing the way we do business.’

Noting the trend of increasing smartphone use, the company has replaced its on-board newspapers with e-brochures, a decision DeHaan said was also made with ecological benefits in mind. ‘Our new products and services will make the travel experience even more convenient and personalized,’ he commented.

DeHaan also announced that the company’s new Airbus A350-900 aircraft recently arrived in Frankfurt. The plane, which has a cabin pressure of 5900 ft. and consumes 25 per cent less fuel than the company’s previous aircraft, boasts a ‘smart lighting’ system which changes according to the time of day on the ground. DeHaan said that 25 of these aircraft are currently on order, with a list price of US$310 million each.