Home » Europe » German National Tourist Board and UEFA EURO GmbH partner to promote UEFA EURO 2024 tourism in Germany
Saturday, June 22, 2024
Reading time: 2 minutes
UEFA EURO 2024 will further boost travel sentiment already high among European and international visitors, attracting more international tourists. The German National Tourist Board (GNTB) is promoting the major event through a strategic partnership with UEFA EURO GmbH. GNTB expects an increase of more than three million international overnight stays as football fans flock to Germany to watch the matches and explore the country.
This influx will lead to a significant increase in hotels and restaurants across the country. There will be a surge in visitors not only in the 10 host cities, which will have their large stadiums and fan zones, but also in the rural areas, where the 24 teams and their support staff will stay. In addition, EURO 2024 will offer a rich cultural experience with more than 300 events in 45 locations across Germany.
Petra Hedorfer, CEO of GNTB, explains: “The Men’s European Football Championship in Germany is an event whose significance goes far beyond a sporting tournament. In the context of EURO 2024, we are promoting longer stays for our international guests that go beyond just attending a football match. Recent exclusive real-time GNTB surveys in three strong sending markets (Great Britain, France and Spain) confirm our strategic approach: 92% of those surveyed who will be coming to Germany for UEFA EURO 2024 want to extend their stay in the country beyond just attending the match. 38% plan to spend up to three nights sightseeing in the host city, 14% would like to explore the host city and its surroundings for three days and 40% intend to stay at least four nights in Germany. In addition to the economic benefits, the Euro offers a great opportunity to present Germany as a welcoming and international country in the long term and to once again boost Germany’s image as a travel destination, just like in the fairy tale summer of 2006.”
According to the latest data from the Federal Statistical Office, the number of international overnight stays in hotels and guesthouses with 10 or more beds rose by 5.5% to a total of 21.3 million in the first four months of 2024. In April alone, the figure recovered to 89.5% of the 2019 level.
The European Travel Commission (ETC) reports that Europeans’ travel intentions for May to October 2024 have risen three percentage points from last year to 75.4%. Notably, it finds that 8.1% of respondents plan to travel within Europe for events such as sporting events and festivals in the next six months. The ETC’s Long-haul Travel Barometer also highlights strong interest in long-haul travel from key international markets.
France and Germany are expected to experience significant tourism growth in 2024, with France hosting the Olympics and Germany hosting UEFA EURO 2024. ETC’s Q1 2024 report predicts increased tourism spending in these countries. Additionally, the GNTB travel industry expert panel indicates a significant rise in business confidence in Germany, with current business conditions scoring 53 points in Q2 2024, nearly double the score for the same period last year. The overall business climate index also improved year-on-year, from 46 points to 58 points.
Tags: Europe, Events, Federal Statistical Office, Football Fans, German National Tourist Board, Germany, Hotels, International Tourists, Partnerships, Sporting Events, Tourism News, Travel Destinations, Travel News, UEFA EURO 2024, UEFA EURO GmbH
