Go cuckoo in SW Germany!
In order to push Indian arrivals up by at least 20 per cent, SouthWest German Tourism is busy gearing up for an intensive agent engagement with the launch of its online training program ‘Going Cuckoo’ and FAM trips to the destination.
Year 2014 saw the total number of overnights from India to SouthWest Germany (BadenWuerttemberg) reach 1,71,000 indicating a 10.1 per cent increase over the previous year. These Indian visitors, according to Hector Dsouza, Director (India), SouthWest German Tourism in Mumbai, created a record by staying for an average of 6.3 days per visit as compared to the average of 2.1 days per visit from other nations.
“The average Indian traveller spends 6.1 days per visit with an average spend per person per night from India at an astounding Euro 175!” he says. These figures are encouraging him to aim even higher this year.
“We are looking at a 20 per cent increase in arrivals this year which is effectively 2,00,000 overnights from India. We are confident that we will reach these targets mainly because of a very positive outlook from the Indian market attributable to controlled inflation, falling oil prices, possible reduction in value of Euro vis- à- vis the Indian rupee and an increasing demand from India for outbound travel,” Dsouza says.
To achieve this, he has planned a hectic 2015. One of the things the destination is busy with these days is launching its online training program (www.going-cuckoo.com).
“We will also organise roadshows in emerging Tier II cities, conduct familiarisation trips for the travel trade, and do joint promotions with German National Tourist Office (GNTO). Apart from this, we have our monthly newsletter that keeps our agent partners updated about the destination,” Dsouza adds. The tourism board recent- ly participated in the OTR (Outbound Travel Roadshow) that ended on January 20, 2015.
It is currently working with GNTO for selective promotions with no immediate plans with other European tourism boards. Speaking about its upcoming specialist program, Dsouza revealed, “Two lucky winners completing our online training program in the summer of 2015 will get to visit SouthWest Germany. A few more events are being planned for 2015, details of which will be announced soon.”
Outlining the focus for this year, he says, “The thrust this year will again focus on our specialised products sought by travellers from India such as – the only city to have two worldfamous car museums besides Detroit (Stuttgart), the only state to have four amusement parks including the highly acclaimed Europa Park, world-class spas at Stuttgart and Baden Baden because we possess the second-largest reserves of thermal springs in Europe.”