Middle class target as Germany out to woo Indian tourists

Seeking to hardsell the country as a travel destination to India's "emerging economy", Germany today launched a campaign directed specifically at the middle class segment with a view to boosting tourism in the ongoing year.
At a joint press conference, German Ambassador to India Michael Steiner and the Director of the German National Tourist Office, Romit Theophlus, listed the measures being taken by the country in this regard.
The duo spoke of "affordable hotel rates" and the vibrant cultural and social milieu of Germany as they emphasised on the country's tourist-friendly attributes. Citing a survey, they said that Germany had the world's largest number of "livable" cities which offer an "unmatched" quality of life.

"We are going to promote our tradition, modernity as well as technology. The lesser known but equally fascinating multicultural cities, which makes the country more diverse, would also be promoted," Steiner said.
Giving his overview of the major cities, which he said captured the variety of the country, Steiner observed, "While Berlin is vibrant and Hamburg is open, Munich is more settled than the rest."
He said that since 2007, the number of "overnight stays" by Indians had seen a jump of over 72 per cent. "We are expecting a 6 to 7 per cent growth from the visitor segments from India."

Romit said the theme of the campaign would be, 'Germany- Traditions and Customs', and the social media would be used to strengthen the country's image as a traditional and cultural destination, highlighting its culinary delights and art and crafts.

"We aim to attract the middle class in the emerging Indian economy," he added.
Meanwhile, talking about the video in which he has teamed up with his wife Eliese and Congress leader Salman Khurshid as the trio act out a song from the Bollywood blockbuster 'Kal Ho na Ho' movie, Steiner said it was a conscious diplomatic move.
"The intention was to show that we are not all that serious. It was to show that modern diplomacy is more than just ties between governments. It's also about people to people relations and diplomacy has to open itself up to things that interest people," he said.