María del Mar Domínguez I Berlin, (EFE).- If something has been discussed this year at the Andalusian events at the ITB tourist fair in Berlin, it is the need to improve air connectivity, both in Germany and in other distant markets with great potential, such as the United States and Asia.
The importance of having direct flights was summed up by the head of Tourism, Arturo Bernal: “with greater connectivity, we would have better results than the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands or Catalonia”, which advance the Andalusian community as recipients of German travelers.
Tourists have to make it easy, shortening the journey to the destination, so better air connectivity has a direct impact on the increase in travelers from a certain market.
The Board’s objective is to lay the foundations for future agreements that allow for increased air connectivity with Germany.
To this end, they also work with intermediaries to attract tourists in autumn and winter whose main motivations are nature, culture, golf, or urban getaways.
The ITB fair has returned this 2023, after three years of face-to-face absence due to the pandemic, in all its splendor. Full tables and a business atmosphere in an exclusively professional event.
Stop at the Turkish market
Andalusia has a 500 square meter exhibitor at this fair. The colors of the Andalucía brand predominate on a white background, and images of the Alhambra in Granada, the Jewish Quarter in Córdoba or the Cimbarra Waterfall in Jaén draw attention, all of which are attractions for visiting this region.
Tourism prospects in 2023 are good despite inflation and the war in Ukraine. Spain perceives this year as that of the recovery of international tourism and in destinations such as Andalusia it is expected to reach, and even exceed, the levels prior to the pandemic.
The German market, one of the most important for the Andalusian community along with the British, stands out for being one of the most powerful in the world: the German traveler does not easily give up vacations.
After the impact of covid-19, Turkey, one of Spain’s competing destinations in this market, was “reactivating a lot”. However, due to recent “unpleasant events”, such as the earthquake that occurred a month ago in the southwest of the country, there has been a “standstill”, explained Bernal.
“Curiously, this audience has not been transferred to other markets,” said Bernal, who met at the ITB fair with the president of the German travel agency association (DRV), Norbert Fiebig, as well as operators and several airlines to improve air connectivity.
Although it would be possible for tourists to be diverted to other Mediterranean destinations, Bernal has indicated that this is not happening and has stressed that the average expenditure of German tourists in Andalusia was 113 euros per person per day in 2022.
Events and market niche
“It doubles that of competing destinations such as Turkey and Greece, so “it is much more interesting for intermediary companies to work with that client (who goes to the Andalusian community), than with another who goes to those destinations.”
The celebration of the Solheim Golf Cup next September at Finca Cortesín, in Casares (Málaga), will be a great showcase of the Andalusian offer in markets with many golf fans, such as Germany, and also outside Europe. The Ministry has spent years betting on large events for the projection of the destination throughout the world.
In the tourism field, Andalusia aspires to host the next two congresses of the German travel agency association, DRV, in 2024 and 2025, and the next two editions of the connectivity forum in Europe and the world Routes, in 2025 and 2028, respectively.
But the bet not only covers the sports and tourism field, as demonstrated by the recent agreement between the Board and the Latin Recording Academy, for Andalusia to host the Latin Grammy Awards gala next November, which for the first time will be outside of the United States.
The increase in energy costs in Central Europe and the rise of teleworking have also created opportunities to attract digital nomads and destinations with infrastructures and a good climate, such as Andalusia, have put the batteries for it.
Capture Generation Z
One of the companies that is in charge of finding accommodation for them is Holiday2Malaga. Its owner, Trinidad Mena, affirms that Germans are 25% of her clientele, have a technological profile and are usually between 30 and 50 years old.
“Germans really like to be independent”, and they are looking for apartments to telework with a powerful Wi-Fi network and a desk, he has indicated. This company, which markets 172 with accommodations in Malaga, the Costa del Sol and Granada, expects to increase its offer to 300 by the end of the year.
With its sights set on the future of tourism, Andalusia is also designing a strategy to attract young people from Generation Z (18 to 25 years old) through its own consumption channels.EFE