Tenerife sets the standards with new training center
Berlin, ITB 2009. Tenerife is considered one of the most popular medium-range destinations and welcomes five million sun worshipers and outdoor enthusiasts each year. But top athletes from all over the world and renowned professional clubs – be it German Football League clubs Hertha BSC and Hannover 96, handball club Hamburger SV or Germany’s national beach volleyball team Reckermann/Urbatzka – appreciate the climatic and scenic advantages of Tenerife just as much. With a mean annual temperature of 23 degrees Celsius, athletes will find ideal conditions for gaining strength for national and international competitions in the winter months as much as in the summer.

Näher am Kunden – Qatar Airways ist jetzt auch mit einem Verkaufs- und Servicebüro im Zentrum der Hauptstadt vertreten und hat am Rande der Internationalen Tourismus Börse ITB nun ihre neuen Räumlichkeiten offiziell in Betrieb genommen. Im Rahmen einer Eröffnungsfeier mit zahlreichen geladenen Gästen übergab Akbar Al Baker, CEO von Qatar Airways, die Räume an die Kundschaft der Fluggesellschaft.

Die 5-Sterne-Airline steigert mit der neuen, zentralen Büropräsenz die Servicequalität für den wichtigen Berliner Markt noch einmal deutlich. Akbar Al Baker: „Qatar Airways gehört zum exklusiven Kreis der 5-Sterne Airlines dieser Welt. Zu unserem Premium-Anspruch gehört es daher, mit einem zentral gelegenen und ansprechend gestalteten Hauptstadtbüro hier in Berlin am gegenüber vom Potsdamer Platz mitten in der Stadt für alle Kunden und Geschäftspartner präsent zu sein.“

Domestic tourism January to December 2008
Number of stays increased by 1.9 percent – notable growth in long-term stays – earnings increased by seven percent – more price sensitivity. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania showing largest growth. Bavaria still popular destination. Leading trade fairs important growth drivers in city tourism.

For 2008, the Federal Statistical Office counted a total of 313.04 million stays of German guests at lodging establishments with more than nine beds and on camping sites, translating to an increase of 1.9 percent as compared to 2007. The figures show that German guests tended to more often spend their holidays – main holidays in particular – in their own country. 

ITB Berlin, March 2009 – Malaysia has had a highly successful tourism year 2008. The year 2009, too, started out promisingly: In January, the Southeast Asian country was visited by 5.1% more tourists than in the previous year. The „Visit Malaysia Year“ and the following „One Golden Celebration“ campaign attracted more international visitors to Malaysia than ever in the last year. The targeted number of 21.5 million international visitors was exceeded – with the German-speaking markets actually showing upper two-digit growth.

German vacationers go against the trend and travel more frequently

The problems of year 2008 left their mark on Serbia, too, forcing a setback on the travel country after eight years of continuous growth. And reaching the previous year’s leap to 696,045 visitors again in these economically difficult times would have resembled a small miracle. Still: With 646,494 registered foreign visitors, the small Balkan state can hold its own in the international competition, even though this represents a minus of almost seven percent.

With the implementation of the summer flight plan on March 29, 2009, customers of SWISS will be able to benefit from a direct connection between Zurich and Lyon – with flexible connecting flights from and to Germany. The French metropolis will be serviced four times a day by an Avro RJ100.

SWISS is one of the few airlines capable of taking up additional destinations in the summer flight plan of 2009 despite the tense market environment and going against the industry trend by expanding their route network.