Privacy & cookies
Marc Werner | June 2024
Ready for the international rush of visitors?
UEFA Euro 2024 in Germany is just around the corner and the whole of Germany is preparing for this major sporting event, which is set to crown the new football king of Europe. One winner is already clear in advance: the German hospitality industry. Not only will millions of football fans flock to the stadiums during the European Championships, but a considerable number of international guests are also expected to visit the country's hotels and restaurants.
According to a data survey by the software provider "SiteMinder", international guest arrivals increase by 40% year-on-year during the European Championship months. Reason enough to prepare adequately for international guests. After all, tourism in Germany is set to benefit from the European Championships for a long time to come.
Major international events such as UEFA Euro 2024 offer Germany as a travel destination an excellent platform to present itself to a global audience as a cosmopolitan and hospitable destination. This event could boost tourism to Germany for years to come and further strengthen the country's positive image. Similar successes have already been achieved in the past: After the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Germany achieved 1st place out of 60 nations worldwide in the Anholt Ipsos Nation Brands Index (NBI)* and has consistently remained in the top 3 of the index ever since.
It is also clear that not only the ten host cities, including Berlin, Hamburg, Stuttgart and Munich, but also smaller cities in particular can benefit from the rush of international guests. Anyone travelling to Germany in the coming weeks and staying overnight will have to dig deep into their wallets - hotel prices have exploded. Due to high room prices in the major cities, many football fans are switching to smaller towns in the neighbourhood. This is an almost unique opportunity for smaller establishments in particular, whose share of international guests is otherwise rather low, to present themselves to international guests and to attract them in the long term.
Service quality is the keyword here. It is particularly important to ...
Businesses that cater to their international guests not only increase the satisfaction of their guests, but also their competitiveness. An open and adaptable approach to service can help to ensure that international visitors feel welcome and are happy to return.
One of the biggest hurdles is often still the language barrier. In order to be able to communicate at all and to relieve the burden on human resources, it is important to provide information on site and on the website in several languages - but at least in English, as the lowest common denominator. Contact our translation agency!
In addition to linguistic accessibility, cultural differences should also be taken into account. Understanding and respect for cultural norms and preferences are a must. By adapting the service offering to the expectations of international guests, it is easier to reach and retain them in the long term. Many British guests, for example, are enthusiastic about German traditions, but do not want to give up their "English breakfast".
As your partner for destination and tourism marketing, we support you in your internationalisation projects. In the past, we have already implemented knowledge platforms for the Hamburg metropolitan region and HA Hessen Agentur GmbH, for example, in order to make the businesses in the destinations fit for international guests.
For example, we were able to develop a food translation tool specifically for Hessian cuisine, as well as an English trainer that sends users relevant vocabulary as a quiz by e-mail at regular intervals.
You can find everything else in the GästeNavi Hessen.
* The NBI measures the reputation and image of a country in a wide variety of areas, including the economy, politics and tourist attractiveness.
Are you ready for your internationalisation project?
We would be happy to advise you on the various options with us.