"digitalization" is one of the strategies five years in advance

At the beginning of May, the 2021 virtual GTM in Germany came to an end. This is the second time the GTM has met people from all over the world online. The annual German Travel Fair is the largest inbound travel fair in Germany. According to statistics, during the three-day negotiation this year, nearly 50 Chinese buyers and German suppliers have held more than 580 meetings and held more than 250 meetings with German suppliers. Hotels, passenger transportation, leisure travel companies, as well as immigration services and local tourism agencies conducted in-depth understanding, and obtained the latest travel information in Germany.

According to Li Zhaohui, the chief representative of the German National Tourism Administration, this online trade fair has opened up many possibilities for the Sino-German tourism industry through digital means. She believes that 2021 will be the year of transition for German inbound tourism out of the epidemic, and related measures and recovery plans for German inbound tourism under the epidemic are underway. “We all have a positive attitude towards future recovery.”

For overseas tourism bureaus that have experienced the black swan epidemic, 2020 will not be easy. Looking back on the measures taken over the past year, the performance of the German Tourism Administration is remarkable. The first batch of estimates of the possible impact of the epidemic, and timely launch of the "Travel in Germany" theme promotion activities; launch the "Travel in Germany" tour in the Chinese market through mini programs, official accounts and online live broadcasts; "German City Tour" ”, “German Kitchen” and other live programs link German city business cards and authentic food “clouds” to people... It can be said that digital marketing keeps the German Tourism Bureau from leaving people’s sight.

It is not difficult to find that under the epidemic, the German Tourist Office is also quietly changing the scope of promotion. In addition to traditional tourist attractions, the real experiences and unique discoveries gained from visiting small areas have become new motives for future travel; in addition to large and large cities, some small and medium-sized towns and their customs also draw people's curiosity ; The themes of sustainable travel, close contact with nature, and self-driving, cycling and hiking have been raised to new heights.

From the user side, we can see four changes. First, affected by the epidemic, everyone will put safety in a more important position when choosing a travel destination. From the perspective of travel mode, firstly, it will change from group tour to self-guided tour and customized tour, and the corresponding transportation will be more from bus to train, self-driving, etc. At the same time, as people's awareness of environmental protection and sustainable development increases, the proportion of train travel and self-driving will definitely increase.

Second, people will choose to travel between nature more and enjoy the good scenery while doing some outdoor sports, such as hiking, cycling, camping and RV, etc. This proportion will continue to rise in future tourism.

The third is that people's points of interest and product demand have changed. For example, I prefer themed and in-depth travel, which means that the concept of slow travel will be more in-depth; the impact of consumption upgrades will be significant, and five-star, luxury hotels, and design homestays will be more considered when choosing.

Fourth, the weight of digital media for travelers in decision-making and planning has increased. Because of the epidemic, social distance and travel restrictions, people rely more on digital means for information and communication.