2026: German National Tourist Board Focuses on Culture, Cuisine, Cities, and Nature to Promote Germany's Appeal

Munich: Marienplatz (C)DZT/Dagmar Schwelle

Germany captivates international visitors with its unique artistic and cultural scene, unlike any other country. In 2026, we aim to attract even more visitors than last year by promoting Germany as a tourist destination through social media and other channels, highlighting its culture, nature, and culinary offerings.

Our organization supports the April Dream project, which aims to share dreams on April 1st. This press release represents a dream of the German National Tourist Board.

In 2026, the German National Tourist Board will focus on four global campaigns and three key themes, solidifying Germany's position as a destination for culture and city tourism, while emphasizing authentic experiences, culinary delights, and nature.

City Campaign: "Your Next Stop: Travel Destination Germany" We will launch an inspiration-driven sales promotion campaign showcasing the lifestyle of major cities and the unique charm of smaller towns.

"Culinary Germany" Campaign We will promote Germany to the world as a diverse and attractive culinary destination.

"Feel Good – Erlebnisse, die bleiben" (Sustainable experiences that last) We aim to position Germany as a destination with numerous certified sustainable tourism products.

"Season's Greetings from Germany" While cities like Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt, and Nuremberg are popular for their large and diverse Christmas markets, we will also stimulate travel demand for smaller towns and rural areas.

Key Themes for 2026 150th Anniversary of the Bayreuth Festival In 2026, leveraging the 150th anniversary of the Bayreuth Festival, we will promote cities and regions associated with Richard Wagner as beacons of cultural tourism.

Family and Friends in Nature We will focus on activities enjoyed with family and friends in nature, such as hiking, cycling, and water-based experiences.

3. 2027 International Horticultural Exhibition (IGA) Ruhr Region To coincide with the 2027 International Horticultural Exhibition (IGA), one of the world's leading garden festivals held every ten years, we will highlight the Ruhr region as "the greenest industrial region in the world."

Global Campaign Implementation Plan in Japan Among the aforementioned global campaign themes and key themes, the "Culinary Germany" campaign, the City campaign, and the Christmas campaign will be actively promoted in Japan through content marketing and social media. For the "Culinary Germany" and Christmas campaigns, we plan to deploy widgets utilizing the DZT Knowledge Graph on Japanese travel websites. The 150th anniversary of the Bayreuth Festival will be a particularly important communication theme for Japan, given the large number of opera fans. Regarding the IGA International Horticultural Exhibition, rather than focusing solely on garden show tourism, we will emphasize the greening of former industrial areas and sustainable regional development. The aim is to stimulate demand for site visits as practical examples for regions in Japan with similar industrial structures.

About the German National Tourist Board (DZT) The German National Tourist Board (DZT) represents Germany as a travel destination on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) and is funded by the BMWE based on a resolution of the German Federal Parliament. In collaboration with the inbound tourism industry in Germany, private partners, and various travel associations, the DZT develops strategies and implements marketing activities to enhance the image of Germany as a travel destination and promote travel to Germany for foreign visitors.

The DZT's core strategies are: - Market research conducted with clear objectives and evidence-based analysis of market-specific customer needs (Sinus-Milieus). - Strengthening cooperation and information sharing, particularly with small and medium-sized enterprises that form the core of Germany's inbound tourism industry. - Enhancing the brand image and brand strength of Germany as a travel destination.

Focus Themes: Digitalization and Sustainability The German National Tourist Board (DZT) is committed to promoting forward-looking tourism in line with the German government's objectives. Key priorities include digitalization and sustainability.

To foster more sustainable and competitive incoming tourism, the DZT employs a three-pillar strategy: first, sharing knowledge externally; second, combining this with internal sustainability initiatives; and third, positioning Germany as a universally accessible and sustainable tourism destination in the international tourism market. The DZT is a pioneer in the practical application of emerging technologies such as AI chatbots and conversational interfaces, as well as VR, AR, and MR. Through an AI-powered marketing platform, the DZT is implementing an open data/knowledge graph project for the German tourism economy to present tourism services and offers in a clear and understandable manner.

The DZT conducts its marketing activities through 19 overseas offices worldwide, including Tokyo, and is managed by its headquarters in Frankfurt.

* "April Dream" is a project by PR TIMES where companies share their future aspirations on April 1st. We are serious about making these dreams a reality.