Skip to content Skip to Search
Skip navigation

Germany’s green tourism propels GCC tourist rise

By Pramod Kumar
German National Tourist Board
Overnight stay in Mettlach portaledges. The GCC region is now the third-largest Asian source market for inbound tourism to Germany

Overnight stays from GCC tourists to Germany surged 40.9 percent year on year in the first half of 2023#, driven by the growing appeal for eco-conscious attractions and initiatives, the German National Tourist Board (GNTB) said in a statemen.t

The GCC region is now the third-largest Asian source market for inbound tourism to Germany, with overnight stays at 478,715 in H1 2023, compared to 338,000 in H1 2022 and only 81,000 in H1 2021.

The number of Gulf nationals arriving in the West European nation rose 593 percent annually in the year to June 30, 2023.

The number is still 10.3 percent below the pre-pandemic levels of 2019, but a 40.9 percent increase from 2022. 

Yamina Sofo, director at the German National Tourist Office, said that the GCC stands out as one of the top Asian source markets, with both longstanding and first-time travellers increasingly eager to explore Germany.

Latest articles

A Geely Galaxy E8 electric vehicle at Auto China 2024. Geely is one of the most popular Chinese car brands in the Gulf

Chinese carmakers ‘taking Gulf by storm’

Chinese carmakers now claim a sizeable chunk of new car sales in the Gulf and it is likely they will increase their market share further by wooing regional consumers through their vehicles’ innovative designs and perceived value for money. That is the prediction of Amir Khurshid, CEO of Saudi Arabia’s ThinkDirect Automotive Consulting and an […]

UAE’s RedBird IMI acquires UK TV producer for $1.5bn

RedBird IMI, A US investment management company partly owned by Abu Dhabi’s International Media Investments, has acquired All3Media, the UK’s largest independent TV production company behind hits such as Fleabag, The Traitors and Gogglebox. The for £1.15 billion ($1.5 billion) deal is the largest for RedBird IMI to date, the company said in a statement. […]

PIF's Starbucks shareholdings were cut almost by half from 6.3 million shares to 3.8 million

PIF slashes Starbucks stake as it cuts US stocks by $15bn

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has slashed its US equity holdings by 42 percent to $20.6 billion, including its stake in Starbucks, the global coffee chain that has suffered calls for a boycott as a result of the Gaza conflict. The latest US government data highlights funding challenges facing the Saudi giga-projects.  The filing […]

Tunisia olives

Soaring olive oil exports help Tunisia balance books

Tunisia’s soaring olive oil exports have almost doubled to close to $1 billion in just five months, helping it claw back its current account deficit.   However the increased revenues merely “paint over the cracks” and the country is still probably heading towards a sovereign default, according to an economic expert. Tunisia’s current account deficit narrowed […]