The German National Tourist Office (GNTO) held a promotion event at the Souk Safar shop in The Avenues mall in Kuwait, to promote ‘Destination Germany’ and to inspire mall visitors for their upcoming spring vacation.

Held in partnership with German national carrier Lufthansa and Munich Airport, the two-day promotional event displayed an extensive line-up of diverse activities and exciting entertainment and was aimed at families and children, who were able to experience what ‘Destination Germany’ is all about.

By showcasing a specially flown in traditional music band from Bavaria wearing the region’s typical ‘Lederhosen outfits’, Kuwaiti mall visitors were wooed to “Souk Safar” and further got to sample German culinary delicacies like pretzels, which were handed out by promotional staff in typical Bavarian ‘Dirndl dresses’. Lufthansa and Munich Airport further enticed the audience with competitions and great promotional offers.

Designed to cementing Germany’s status as a year-round tourism destination, the eye-catching live family entertainment reflected the unique blend of deep-rooted traditions and high-tech modernity that ‘Destination Germany’ offers, embracing vibrant cities, great shopping facilities, unspoiled natural landscapes and historic sightseeing attractions.

The well-attended event was officially inaugurated by the German ambassador, Karlfried Bergner, who drew attention to Germany’s great touristic diversity, which builds the basis of visitors’ unforgettable holiday memories.

Bergner highlighted during his speech: "Germany is one of the preferred European destinations for Kuwaiti travellers, and we are proud to have established such strong tourism and trade links between our two countries. Germany is a fantastic place not just to visit, but also to study, to seek medical treatment and do business and we look forward to welcoming more Kuwaitis to our wonderful country!”

Recognising the importance of the Kuwaiti market, Sigrid de Mazieres, director for the Gulf countries at the German National Tourist Office (GNTO), an affiliate of the German National Tourist Board (GNTB), commented: “Kuwait is one of Germany’s key source markets within the GCC and travellers can enjoy great travel connections from Kuwait to our country. We are thrilled to raise awareness on what Germany has to offer together with our valued partners and hope to be able to inspire travellers to experience our beautiful country during the upcoming spring season.”

The GCC is one of the top 15 source markets for Germany and the third largest non-European source market, after China and USA. In 2016, Germany ranked top among GCC travellers, even ahead of UK, Turkey and France.

International visitor numbers in 2017 showed record results and will presumably be exceeded in 2018, further exemplifying Germany’s attractiveness as a destination of choice for tourists worldwide. According to the Federal Statistical Office, there were 83.9 million international overnight stays recorded in accommodation establishments with at least 10 beds. For the eightth consecutive year, the number of visitors to Germany in 2017 reached record levels, showing a 3.6 per cent increase overall from 2016. - TradeArabia News Service