JEDDAH: Germany expects to attract many more Saudis this year than before. “Despite the world credit crunch, Germany is one of the few Western countries whose tourist business continues to thrive,” Horst Lommatzsch, director of Frankfurt-based German National Tourist Board told a press conference on the sidelines of a workshop organized by German National Tourist Board and Lufthansa German Airlines at the Jeddah Hilton on Monday night. “We are fully geared up to meet the requirements of Saudi vacationers.”
“A majority of Gulf travelers to Germany are from Saudi Arabia and they are high spenders,” Lommatzsch said, adding that German tourist places are well equipped with the needs of Arab travelers, especially mosques, prayer mats, halal meat and Arabic speakers. The stay of Saudi travelers in Germany averages 19 days.
Vacationers from the Gulf spent 830,000 overnights in various parts of Germany, marking an eight percent jump in 2008 compared to the previous year. Seventy-five percent of the other overseas travelers come from Europe, however, increasing numbers are visiting the country from China and Japan, aside from the Gulf, he added.
“Tourist places including spas and scenery, and facilities for higher education in English language courses, medicine and engineering abound in Germany that has also become a major attraction for shopping. What is more, the entire country has a safe environment,” German Consul General Dr. Michael Zickerick said.