【Text by Observers Network, Wang Yong; Editor: Zhao Qiankun】
According to reports from European "Modern Diplomacy" and international tourism media "Travel and Tourism World", Germany is strengthening tourism and cultural exchanges with China through a strategic cooperation between Frankfurt and Shenzhen, promoting innovative development in economic, cultural, and tourism sectors between the two cities.
The reports stated that China has experienced a successful economic transformation over the past few decades and is showing a continuous trend of prosperity, which means China has become an important source market for global tourism. The cooperation between Luohu (Shenzhen) and Frankfurt, Germany mainly focuses on future areas such as digital tourism, life sciences, media, and artificial intelligence.
A representative from the German National Tourist Office said that they look forward to the cooperation between Luohu (Shenzhen) and Frankfurt bringing significant growth to cultural and tourism exchanges and business between the two cities, and being able to explore more new opportunities for cooperation.
Evening view of Wernigerode city, Germany German National Tourist Office
An article published on the official website of the German National Tourist Office pointed out that as early as 2001, the German National Tourist Office requested the German Chamber of Commerce in Beijing to expand the market and actively positioned Germany as the first tourist destination to attract the Chinese market. In the next twenty years, China became the most important source market for Germany in Asia, with the number of overnight visitors reaching over 3 million at its peak in a year. In 2019, Chinese tourists spent 6 billion euros during their travels in Germany. From the revenue perspective, China was the second largest market among all source markets for inbound tourism in Germany.
The article mentioned that China's thriving economy is reflected in public consumption expenditures and the desire for travel. In recent years, China's tourism industry has developed rapidly, becoming the fastest-growing market in the world. Since 2024, the travel style of Chinese tourists has quietly changed, with travel destinations that focus on sustainability, cultural connotation, and authentic experiences becoming increasingly popular, gradually replacing the previous short stays in multiple destinations.
The article pointed out that the Chinese tourist market has great potential for growth in German tourism. The travel styles, experience culture, and activity needs of Chinese tourists, as well as their expectations for European trips, need to be considered by German tourism in product design - clearly identifying and highlighting the unique advantages of Germany as a tourist destination is particularly important for potential travelers.
In a survey on "Quality Monitoring Survey of German Tourism", Chinese tourists valued safety, quality of tourism infrastructure, and world-class attractions the most, followed by cityscapes, architecture, art, and culture.
During the 2025 Berlin International Tourism Fair, the president of the German Tourism Association, Fiebig, stated, "German tourism is facing new development opportunities, and the German Tourism Association hopes to further strengthen cooperation with China."
According to the information provided by the German National Tourist Office to Observers Network, the chairman of the board of the German National Tourist Office, Petra Hedorfer, said, "Germany has always been a very attractive tourist destination on the international stage." A consumer survey based on 12 source markets showed that up to 54.6% of consumers plan to visit Germany in the coming months. In the remaining part of this year, the willingness of potential tourists from several important source markets to travel to Germany is expected to rebound.
Previously, the German Federal Statistical Office released a monthly report for June, stating that the number of overnight stays by international tourists in the month was 7.6 million, a decrease of 12.7% compared to the same period last year. This was mainly because the 2024 European Football Championship held last year attracted many international tourists, setting a new high for the same period. In the first half of 2025, the total number of overnight stays by foreign tourists was 36.4 million, a decrease of 3.2% compared to the same period last year. If the special impact of the European Cup is excluded, this figure increased by 4.0% compared to the first half of 2023.
The data mentioned that by the end of the first half of 2025, the number of travelers entering Germany via air decreased slightly by 4.2% compared to the same period last year. This is attributed to the current flight capacity between Germany and other countries still being 20% lower than before the pandemic. Analysts believe that the continuously rising air traffic control fees and aviation taxes in Germany have also hindered the rapid recovery of its aviation industry in sync with European competitors.
On July 30 this year, the German federal cabinet approved the draft budget for 2026, which plans to allocate 40.6 million euros from the federal budget to the German National Tourist Office for tourism infrastructure construction and marketing promotion. This amount is slightly higher than the 39.9 million euros planned for 2025. The German National Tourist Office evaluated that this sends a strong signal for Germany as a tourist destination and its position in international competition.
Heppe said, "The funds invested by the federal government for the international promotion of Germany as a tourist destination and investment location will have a powerful lever effect. In the current volatile market environment, this funding will provide planning security for our international activities and overseas offices. It will enable us to expand global market operations, increase brand exposure, and advance planned digital projects, thereby consolidating and further enhancing Germany's position in the increasingly competitive tourist destination market."
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Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7566567910387401251/
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