Federal Cabinet Adopts New National Tourism Strategy
© Europa-Park
(eap) The German Federal Cabinet has adopted a new National Tourism Strategy aimed at strengthening the competitiveness of Germany’s tourism and leisure industry. Focus is placed on reducing bureaucracy, strengthening mobility, digitalization, and the recruitment of skilled workers.
According to the Federal Government, the tourism sector is already a significant economic factor for Germany, employing more than two million people. Germany is not only a popular travel destination for visitors from the member states of the European Union but also plays a leading role in international business travel, with a share of around eleven percent. To further expand this role, the strategy envisages the reduction of bureaucratic hurdles for companies, the strengthening of Germany’s connectivity with neighboring countries, improved mobility within the country, and further digitalization of tourism.
Sepp Müller, Deputy Chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the German Bundestag, explains: “With the National Tourism Strategy, we are applying the decisive lever to sustainably strengthen Germany’s competitiveness as a travel destination. A key success of the strategy is the planned modernization of working time regulations. We are replacing the rigid daily maximum working hours with a more flexible weekly approach. In addition, we will consistently digitalize and simplify visa procedures. Tourism is an indispensable engine for our economy. With a value added of 3.7 percent and around 2.7 million employees, the sector secures prosperity throughout the country.”
The German Tourism Association – the umbrella organization of tourism organizations in Germany – as well as the VDFU (German Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions) also welcome the adoption of the National Tourism Strategy. “For the first time, the Federal Government clearly commits to its coordinating role. The fact that the Federal Cabinet has fundamentally addressed tourism after a very long time is also an important signal of the sector’s relevance in Germany,” praises Reinhard Meyer, President of the DTV. “We welcome that the strategy aims to improve the attractiveness of Germany’s travel regions primarily through efficient infrastructure. This creates the basis for sustainable quality in tourism offerings,” says Meyer.
Jürgen Gevers, Managing Director of the VDFU, explains: “That the Federal Government explicitly relies on dialogue with the affected companies in the revision of the National Tourism Strategy is an important and confidence-building signal and can make a significant contribution to the success of the strategy. The VDFU sees itself as a central interface between political objectives and operational implementation in the leisure industry.” ■
