Tag Archives: Yamina Sofo

German National Tourist Board (GNTB) has confirmed the resumption of international tourism with the country opening to global travellers under existing visa regulations, including those from across the GCC, from 25 June 2021. “Opening our borders to international visitors ahead of the summer travel period is vital for the domestic tourism ecosystem and we anticipate Germany being recognised as a go to travel destination this year,” said Yamina Sofo, Director of Sales and Marketing of the German National Tourist Office Gulf Countries. “During the past few months, we have been working closely with our travel partners across the region to ensure Germany remains top of mind once borders reopen.” To ensure tourism remains safe for all, visitors are required to register at www.einreiseanmeldung.de to gain entry, which includes uploading proof of vaccination against COVID-19 in digital or paper form (e.g. WHO vaccination booklet) with a vaccine approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). This must also be printed and carried as proof. Vaccines approved include Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson. A period of at least 14 days must have elapsed since receiving the last vaccine dose. For full entry requirements, visitors are advised to refer to www.bmi.bund.de. Those travelling from countries with variant concerns are unable to transit through Germany to another European country. Travellers must check with the individual German federal state they plan to visit as all have different rules to follow prior to arrival. “Germany has a wealth of summer activities for international travellers, from spa and wellness breaks, and nature trails through forests, to city-based culinary experiences and cultural explorations across multiple regions,” Sofo added.

In a recent interview with Yamina Sofo – Director of – German National Tourism Office (GNTO) in Dubai for GCC countries shared with us that they are hopeful about summer as most tourism establishments opens for guests in Germany.  At the press conference it was revealed that Berlin would be one of the first destinations to open for fully vaccinated travellers with those recommended by the EU whereas other travellers may have to undergo PCR tests, however, more details are to be shared very soon. Sofo reiterated, “we are very hopeful for the summer, so already by next week, a lot of the tourism establishments are reopening for guests from Germany itself, the neighboring countries, and then hopefully summer and maybe already in June for overseas customers. So it’s going to be in phases. But by the time our valued GCC guests can travel to Germany, Germany is well up and running and the safety standards are very high and in place. The GCC countries are the third most important overseas market for Germany incoming tourism so they’re very high and extremely important for our tourism industry profits, and they’re highly appreciated and welcomed. So over time in 2019, we had 1.6 million guests overnight, guests from the GCC countries. Last year the number was lower unfortunately, but we had to reach 300,000. So this shows really the eagerness of GCC travellers to come to Germany even in the most difficult situations, and we appreciate that a lot. So we are very hopeful because we know the industry, we know the guests here – they have their suitcases packed. They are ready to go, and so we anticipate a very …

German National Tourist Board’s (GNTB) has launched its latest campaign, German.Local.Culture., on the back of a successful Arabian Travel Market (ATM 2021) participation which stimulated strong interest from GCC travel representatives. As one of Germany’s top three source markets, which registered more than 1.6 million overnight stays in 2019, the GCC is a key focus for the tourism board, who led a delegation of six tourism partners during the first live travel exhibition in Dubai this week. “The relationship between the GCC and Germany remains extremely strong, and with the announcement earlier about changes to quarantine regulations, we are optimistic for a swift traveller recovery from the region,” said Yamina Sofo, Director of Sales & Marketing, German National Tourist Office (GNTO), the regional office of GNTB. “The new campaign, German.Local.Culture., will not only showcase the very best that Germany and our regions has to offer, but will further showcase the destination as a must visit.” “The German.Local.Culture. campaign addresses the increased longing of travellers for authenticity and traditions and gives insights into German customs from handicrafts to local and regionally typical dishes,” Petra Hedorfer, Chairwoman of the Executive Board of the GNTB, said. Commenting on the success of ATM, Robert Lekel, Marketing Manager at Munich Tourism, said: “It was great being at ATM this year, we are able to be visible and show future and returning customers, and travellers, that we are waiting for them and hopeful for flights again. We felt the positive spirit between everyone, we are very happy to connect once again.” His thoughts were echoed by Cornelia Stahr, Head of Global Marketing at Baden-Baden Tourism, who added: “I am very happy the Arabian Travel Market could …

German National Tourist Board (GNTB) is participating at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) this week, which is taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), the first international travel trade event to take place in-person since the outbreak. The GNTB wanted to raise awareness of what Germany and in particular Berlin, has to offer city, nature and culture enthusiasts living in the GCC countries, by showcasing the exciting facets and flair of Germany such as customs, crafts, local food and drink, culture and architecture, and the varied countryside and nature on the doorstep of many German cities. Speaking at the press conference at Arabian Travel Market in Dubai, said Yamina Sofo, Director Sales & Marketing, German National Tourist Office Gulf Countries (GNTO) said, “With the success of the national vaccination programmes in the GCC countries, particularly in the UAE where more than 11.5 million doses have been administered so far (over 70% of the UAE population have received vaccines and 40% are fully vaccinated), we remain optimistic that the pre-crisis level of incoming travel from the UAE to Germany can be regained by end of 2022. “It gives us immense pleasure to be here, at ATM, to showcase our unique German culture to not only GCC travellers but outbound tourists across the Middle East. We hope to encourage demand for city and nature holidays coupled with sustainable tourism, which draws attention to the many different ways of discovering Destination Germany with its wide range of traditions and attractions,” Sofo added. Commenting on Berlin’s readiness for the return of inbound tourism, Burkhard Kieker, CEO, visitBerlin, said, “Like no other city, Berlin is poised for yet another new start in 2021 – …

MARHABA Europe is set to return to Dubai this month with a delegation of almost 60 exhibitors from across Austria, France, Germany and Switzerland, presenting a united tourism front ahead of this year’s Arabian Travel Market. The two-day event, which will take place between 14-15 May at W Dubai, The Palm, will host close to 80 travel professionals from the GCC, Israel, Jordan and Lebanon who will meet with the European exhibitors. The schedule of B2B meetings aims to strengthen ties and encourage business between the countries across the travel sector, inviting attendees to interact with European airports, shopping facilities, local tourist boards, hotels, destination management companies, and transport companies keen to network with local representatives and to bridge communication between the regions. MARHABA Europe will also host a Gala dinner on 14 May which offers a much welcome opportunity to network with industry professionals, with Ambassadors to the UAE from Austria, France, Germany and Switzerland set to be in attendance. Yamina Sofo, Director of Sales & Marketing, German National Tourist Office (GNTO), the regional office of German National Tourist Board (GNTB) said, “As one of our top three overseas source markets, the GCC is vital for our restart activity in encouraging travel to Germany. MARHABA Europe’s return provides us with an ideal opportunity to reengage and further develop B2B partnerships between the two regions which will support our continued efforts to position Germany as a destination of choice. Matthias Albrecht, Director GCC of Switzerland Tourism commented, “When speaking to our GCC guests, we really feel that they are desperate to travel again to Switzerland and Europe; therefore, MARHABA Europe is a fantastic way to reconnect tourism professionals with each …

Germany is firmly establishing its position as a leading destination for outdoor tourism, encouraging travellers to consider its nature and outdoor activities following the lift of post-pandemic travel measures, with the German National Tourist Board (GNTB) leading the charge in presenting the country’s offering to GCC travellers. The European country is the ideal travel destination for its array of outdoor locations, wildlife, sports, and adventure tour offerings, favoured by both domestic and international travellers. Germany’s tourism sector is inviting visitors to explore its parks, nature trails, and other open spaces with all the family. “Travellers from the GCC are eager to explore while ensuring they are keeping their families safe,” Yamina Sofo, Director Sales & Marketing, German National Tourist Office Gulf Countries said. “We are encouraging future travellers to consider nature-oriented holidays as an option, and Germany boasts a wealth of offerings across the regions, suitable for families, or solo travellers.”

Berlin lifestyle and Healthcare webinar concluded with a very good number of participants from the region. There were three speakers at the session; starting things off with Yamina Sofo, Director, Sales & Marketing German National Tourist Office, Gulf countries, Ralf Ostendorf, Director Market Management Market & Media Relations Asia, Australia, Middle East, Berlin Tourismus & Kongress GmbH and Stefan Boeckle – Director Vivantes International Medicine – Vivantes Hospital Group. The host Sofo, started off the session with the current situation in Germany and requested to be on guard with the regulations that change every day due to the pandemic situation. She further reiterated that the 16 federal states in Germany has different or unique rules to each state, hence should be carefully checked before sending the travellers on medical tourism. She requested to log into the site and find out details at this point of time. Taking over from her was Ralf Ostendorf Director Market Management Market & Media Relations Asia, Australia, Middle East, Berlin Tourismus&KongressGmbH . He shared about the destination of Berlin and the many diverse offerings it has to entice the GCC visitors. From the famous Berlin wall memorials, to uniquely Berlin products and brands that will not be available anywhere else in the world. He further iterated the importance of the Christmas markets which is very unique to the destination and much looked forward to by many visitors. Berlin apart from its diverse culture, lifestyle also features the best healthcare facilities in Europe. He mentioned about the partners in Berlin which specialise in various medical conditions and how the network connects with patients to give them a seamless experience to the patient as well as the …

The first webinar on SouthWest Germany concluded yesterday with 235 participants from GCC; UAE, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain. Starting off the webinar Yamina Sofo – Director, Sales & Marketing – German National Tourist Office shared that over 2019, there had been 1.8 million overnight stays from GCC nationals. Sofo gave an overview of the destination and reiterated that Germany is an Arab travellers paradise as it has all the different activities much loved by the clientele. From sightseeing sites, to cultural and historical areas with many castles and shopping areas that include some of the most famous luxury brands, Michelin star restaurants and many areas that offer halal food options. Natalie DietlSales and Marketing Manager from State Tourist Board SouthWest Germany explained the many historical and traditional areas one can visit and explore as well as the more modern areas that are well received. From authentic museums to high end dining restaurants to river boat cruises that are one of a kind are some of the key highlights presented about the destination. Dietl also mentioned the special training programme for travel agents about the destination ‘Time to go cuckoo’ and requested that they have a look at the site. Christian Gross, Head of Incoming/MICE – Hochschwarzwald Tourism (HochschwarzwaldTourismus GmbH- (Black forest highlands) was the next speaker to share about the naturally unique destination that is both picturesque and breath taking for every visitor. He explained about the many activities that can be enjoyed at the Black forest highlands which includes from canoeing to hiking or biking or just gliding from tree tops, taking a boat cruise or a cable car to enjoy the spectacular view. …

As we count down for one of the most loved European destinations in the GCC, German National Tourist Office (GNTO) Gulf Countries will host a special webinar on September 21, 2020 at 11am UAE time to discover the destination in the comfort of your home. Yamina Sofo – Director, Sales & Marketing – German National Tourist Office, Gulf countries shared, “We would like to highlight the importance of the destination of Germany as one of the preferred travel destinations for the GCC nationals due to its diversity. The Webinar is a perfect platform to reach out to the travel professionals in the region. Germany ticks all the boxes, whether for wellness and recreation, nature and sightseeing or simply for entertainment and shopping – offering high quality services, great value for money, luxury accommodation and facilities as well as environmentally-friendly transportation links throughout the entire country.” There will be a total of four speakers including Sofo, representing the German National Tourist Office, Gulf countries, who will share details about the importance of the ME market and the current numbers among many other general topics about the destination. Joining her from the State Tourist Board SouthWest Germany will be Natalie Dietl, Sales & Marketing Overseas; she will speak about Southwest Germany as a special vacation destination offering something for every age from nature to culture and culinary experience in the sunniest state of Germany. The next speaker will be from Hochschwarzwald Tourism (HochschwarzwaldTourismus GmbH- (Black forest highlands) Christian Gross, Head of Incoming/MICE. Some of the topics that he will cover include; Where are the Black forest highlands located and how to get there? How does it look like in the region? For …

German National Tourist Office (GNTO) Gulf Countries will host a special webinar on September 21, 2020 at 11am UAE time to discover the destination in the comfort of your home. Yamina Sofo – Director, Sales & Marketing – German National Tourist Office, Gulf countries shared, “We would like to highlight the importance of the destination of Germany as one of the preferred travel destinations for the GCC nationals due to its diversity. The Webinar is a perfect platform to reach out to the travel professionals in the region. Germany ticks all the boxes, whether for wellness and recreation, nature and sightseeing or simply for entertainment and shopping – offering high quality services, great value for money, luxury accommodation and facilities as well as environmentally-friendly transportation links throughout the entire country.” There will be a total of four speakers including Sofo, representing the German National Tourist Office, Gulf countries, who will share details about the importance of the ME market and the current numbers among many other general topics about the destination. Joining her from the State Tourist Board SouthWest Germany will be Janina Wittmann, Marketing & Sales Manager; she will speak about Southwest Germany as a special vacation destination offering something for every age from nature to culture and culinary experience in the sunniest state of Germany. The next speaker will be from Hochschwarzwald Tourism (Hochschwarzwald Tourismus GmbH- (Black forest highlands) Christian Gross, Head of Incoming/MICE. Some of the topics that he will cover include; Where are the Black forest highlands located and how to get there? How does it look like in the region? For which target group is the region interesting? Which activities are offered in the black …