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I TRADE TALK I ITB Berlin gives “a comprehensive overview of the current state of the industry” Sandra Hofherr, Product Manager for Scandinavia and the Azores, Wolters Rundreisen GmbH ITB Berlin News spoke with Sandra Hofherr, Product Manager for Scandinavia and the Azores at German tour operator Wolters Rundreisen GmbH, about how the importance of ITB Berlin for the industry and the specificities of the Scandinavian and Azores markets. Why do you think ITB Berlin is such an important event for the industry? ITB Berlin attracts exhibitors, experts and interested parties from all over the world. As a result, it offers a unique platform for the exchange of information, ideas and business opportunities on a global scale. The show covers various segments of the travel and tourism industry, including hotels, transportation companies, destination agencies, tourist boards, technology companies, tour operators and more. This diversity allows attendees to get a comprehensive overview of the current state of the industry. Scandinavia is one of your main markets. How has that market changed in recent years? The COVID-19 pandemic has changed a lot of things. Many of our personal business relationships have been lost due to staff changes, especially in hotels. Relationships with hotel chains have also changed. There is a push to place bookings either directly on the chains' booking platforms, or in booking centres. How do you select and collaborate with local partners in the Azores' nine islands to ensure the success of these itineraries? For years, we have maintained good relationships with various partners who operate directly in the destination area. They put their heart and soul into their work and have a great deal of expertise in managing the nine islands. This is an enormous advantage for us, and we can react quickly to changes and adapt our products. We are also able to provide our guests with the best possible local support, because the distances to the individual providers are short 12 ITB BERLIN NEWS • THURSDAY 7 TH MARCH 2024 news.itb.com
I TRADE TALK I “Germans continue to have a strong desire to travel” In an exclusive interview with ITB Berlin News, Norbert Fiebig, President of the German travel association, Deutscher Reiseverband (DRV), talks German market travel trends and affirms that his fellow nationals have maintained their wanderlust Germans have gone back to their pre-pandemic early bird booking habits and remain faithful to their favourite summer destinations, but cruises and long haul travel are also seeing a comeback, according to Mr Fiebig. In recent years, what shifts have you noticed in Germans' booking behaviour? During the COVID-19 pandemic, Germans tended to book their holidays with short notice because of the uncertainty. This went against their usual booking behaviour. Last year, we clearly saw a return to prepandemic booking behaviour and the early birds are definitely back. This year early bookings are even stronger than in 2023. Summer trips worth around EUR 3.6 billion were already booked in January, which represents 42% of all last year's summer bookings. Which destinations have emerged as favourites for the upcoming summer season? Germans continue to have a strong desire to travel. This year they are again looking for sun and beaches. The favourite summer destinations are again the classics: Spain with the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands and the Spanish mainland, Greece, and Turkey. Turkey is one of the destinations with the highest demand among Germans for package holidays. Egypt and Tunisia are also catching up fast. How have interest levels in cruises and long-haul flights evolved? In addition to popular Mediterranean destinations, we are also seeing a comeback in long-haul travel this year. Overall, we expect a positive trend in long-haul travel compared to last year, with an 11% increase in the number of travellers and an 18% increase in sales. Many long-haul destinations, such as the USA, Australia, Thailand, and Indonesia, have slowly recovered from the pandemic and are now back at the top of the popularity scale. Cruises have also returned to the market this year. The booking season is progressing well for both ocean and river cruises. What role do you see for the tourism industry in combating climate change, particularly in popular destinations among German travellers? We have to focus our attention and commitment to solve the challenges linked to climate change. The search for sustainable solutions will keep us busy for the upcoming decades. We are taking this challenge very seriously. We have to reduce the carbon footprint across the entire travel chain. Furthermore we have to supply our customers with information on the Norbert Fiebig President, Deutscher Reiseverband (DRV), speaking at this year's ITB Berlin Opening Press Conference ecological impact of specific travel offers. This provides transparency and in this way we can raise travellers' awareness. I am confident that the carbon footprint will become a key competitive factor when it comes to travel Hall 25 / Stand 318 Looking to advertise at ITB Berlin 2024? Getting ready for ITB Berlin News 2025? Would you like to strengthen your brand's presence at the show? Book your advertising or advertorial space in ITB Berlin News now. We'd be happy to discuss opportunities with you. Give us a call at +33 660 42 68 04. We'll help you increase your brand awareness in the tourism industry! ITB BERLIN NEWS • THURSDAY 7 TH MARCH 2024 13
