Germany’s cultural heritage has received a significant boost with the recent addition of two new sites to the UNESCO World Heritage List. The UNESCO committee has recognized the Residence Ensemble Schwerin and the Saxon settlements of the Herrnhuter Brüdergemeine, bringing Germany to an impressive total of 54 UNESCO World Heritage sites. This achievement solidifies Germany’s position as the country with the third-highest number of UNESCO sites worldwide. Germany has also been the leading cultural travel destination for Europeans for over a decade, and these new additions provide even more reasons for tourists to explore the country’s rich heritage.
The Residence Ensemble Schwerin is a testament to the flourishing court culture of the 19th century, featuring a harmonious blend of well-preserved architecture and natural beauty. The centerpiece of this ensemble is the grand palace, surrounded by picturesque lakes. The site also includes a court theater, a museum, and various administrative buildings, making it a significant cultural landmark in MecklenburgVorpommern, which already has two UNESCO sites: the old towns of Stralsund and Wismar.
The settlements of the Moravian Brethren were also added to the UNESCO list. The Brethren congregation was founded in the Saxon town of Herrnhut. It is seen as a model for religious and social organisation of the city and is reflected in the spatial planning and architecture of more than 30 settlements worldwide*. Following Muskauer Park and the Ore Mountains, it is the third UNESCO site to be added to Saxony.
We are proud to have 54 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Germany, showcasing Germany’s rich cultural and natural heritage. These sites are not only important to Germany but also for Indian travellers who love exploring these hidden gems” said Romit Theophilus, Director of Marketing & Sales Office of GNTO India.
The GNTB’s primary strategic areas of action are: –
– Conducting targeted market research and analysis of market-specific customer demand in relation to various aspects of travel in the context of sustainability and culture among those with values-based lifestyles.
– Supporting the travel industry, which is dominated by small and medium-sized businesses, through relationship management and the sharing of knowledge.
– Raising awareness of the Destination Germany brand and enhancing the brand profile with a focus on sustainability and climate change mitigation.
Focus on sustainability and digitalisation
The GNTB promotes forward-looking tourism in line with the objectives of the German government. The focus here is on sustainability and digitalisation.
To make inbound tourism more sustainable and competitive, our organisation follows a three-pillar strategy that combines the sharing of knowledge with external partners and a supporting communications strategy with our internal sustainability initiative. The GNTB positions Germany as a sustainable and inclusive destination in the international travel market.
The GNTB is a pioneer when it comes to using immersive technologies (virtual, augmented and mixed reality), voice assistants and other conversational interfaces, and artificial intelligence applications such as chatbots. To ensure that tourism offerings are visible on AI-based marketing platforms, the GNTB coordinates the German tourism industry’s open-data/knowledge graph project.
