German National Tourist Office (GNTO) and Lufthansa Airlines have together announced a competition for the travel trade across the Eastern Province in Saudi Arabia.

This competition is designed to increase passenger volumes to one of Europe’s most vibrant countries.

In recent years Germany has emerged as a major tourist destination registering a discernible increase in the number of visitors, business and tourists alike, to Germany from Saudi Arabia, said an official.

These travelers relish what Germany has to offer, whether it’s state-of-the-art luxurious spas, wellness centers, nature and theme parks to merry festivals, sight-seeing trips, shopping excursions, fascinating art and sport activities like skiing, hiking and canoeing.

'We have observed a marked increase in the number of visitors from the Gulf Countries to Germany. Between the period of 1998 and 2007, the number of overnight stays in Germany grew by almost 134 per cent, which amounts to an annual rise of 11.4 per cent.'

'In 2007 alone, the number of overnight stays increased to a figure of 724,721,' said Antje Roeding, director Gulf Countries of the GNTO.'

'Over the years, many business partnerships were forged resulting in more frequent trips by GCC nationals to spend their vacations in Germany.”

The contest will reward the travel agent selling the highest number of trips to Germany and the Best-selling Office Award for the travel agency that sells most flights to Germany.-TradeArabia News Service