Frankfurt Tourism targets leisure, family and group travel from Indian market

During a recent visit to Mumbai, Leona Flach, Manager of Tourism and Marketing at Frankfurt Tourism Board, highlighted India’s growing significance as a key market for their initiatives. Flach acknowledged the increasing number of Indian tourists visiting Germany, specifically Frankfurt, attributing it to the city’s central location in Germany and Europe “Because Frankfurt is located in the middle of Germany and Europe and there exists a very good flight connections. Hence, reaching Frankfurt from all across the globe (including India) is easy. There is a big traffic from India to Frankfurt and vice versa,” she said.

While Frankfurt is traditionally known for conferences, Flach expressed a shift in focus towards attracting tourists in the leisure, family, and group travel segments. The goal is to dispel the perception that Frankfurt is solely a business destination and showcase its diverse attractions.

“Frankfurt boasts an impressive array of distinguished museums dedicated to art, science, and history. The city is charming to explore on foot, as many of these museums and attractions are conveniently located within a short walking distance from the downtown core,” Flach added. The New Old Town is another attraction of Frankfurt, which was reconstructed from 2012 – 2018 as part of a major urban development project. “This Old Town is nicely reconstructed which was bombed during the second world war. It’s a historical city,” said Flach.

The city is set to host five Euro-Cup 2024 matches in June-July, promising a significant event for the soccer fans around the world. In order to engage with the travel trade, Frankfurt Tourism plans to organise a Sales Mission in Mumbai in April, along with a seminar in August or September. Key cities such as Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai remain their target markets. The first two quarters of 2023 had witnessed a 120% increase in the number of visitors that flocked the city of Frankfurt from India.

Acknowledging visa-related challenges, Flach expressed optimism, mentioning ongoing communication with the German National Tourist Board (GNTB) to address these issues. She hopes for positive developments in resolving visa concerns to enhance the overall travel experience for Indian visitors to Frankfurt.