Stay Just A Little Bit Longer In Germany

During the 49th Germany Travel Mart held recently in Essen, Germany, the German National Tourist Board emphasized the significance of sustainable tourism. Set to the doo-wop song “Stay” by Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs featuring the lyrics ‘please, please stay, just a little bit longer,’ the GNTB revealed a look at a new tourism campaign that embraces the concepts of responsible and immersive travel.

“It’s the perfect soundtrack for promoting sustainable travel in Destination Germany with our new campaign Stay A Little Bit Longer, coming out soon,” said Petra Hedorfer, the CEO of the GNTB. “Stay a little bit longer is a key factor in travel. Take time out, feel the atmosphere, encounter people and their culture, experience nature and enjoy, and last but not least, think of your carbon footprint.”

Considered the most important sales event for German incoming tourism, the 49th instalment of GTM was also organized as a Green Meeting. For example, participants took public transit to get to the trade show for business meetings and utilized train travel for inter-city connections as opposed to private transfers or connecting flights. CO2 emissions from international flights were also offset.

“Tourism with little regard for the environment, resources, and social responsibility is unsustainable. It is clear that tourism in the new normal will be more sustainable and more responsible. We need to work together to make this happen,” she shared. “We are seeing a growing interest in sustainability. People want authenticity. They are much more aware of their own responsibility and of the importance of the environment. International research shows that customers will choose sustainable travel if the option is there.”

For the full story, check out the latest issue of CANADIAN TRAVEL PRESS.