Dubai, 9 June 2010 – With over 77,949 arrivals and more than 270,891 overnight stays in 2009, Munich is once more the favourite destination in Germany for travellers from the Gulf region. Last year arrivals increased by 22% in comparison to 2008, according to statistics released by the Munich Tourist Office.
For Arab guests there are plenty of sights to see and things to do in the Bavarian metropolis that is home to 1.3 million people. Travellers from the Gulf region particularly enjoy the great shopping opportunities, the historical architecture and the inviting parks and gardens of the city. The green countryside surrounding Munich with its beautiful lakes and castles also draws thousands of people each year to enjoy the fresh summer climate in the south of Germany. The attractiveness of the city was also underlined by Munich’s successful participation at this year’s Arabian Travel Market in Dubai where representatives were pleased with the very positive response they received from visitors to their stand.
With so many enjoying the attractions of the city, Munich is very well prepared to welcome Arab travellers. Not only do plenty of luxury hotels employ Arabic-speaking staff, offer special menus and reserve entire floors for their regular visitors from the Gulf region. The Arab guests also contribute significantly to making Munich a city where men and women wearing traditional regional attire define the cityscape in the summer.
Moreover, Munich also offers abundant shopping opportunities to its guests. Everything is available from haute couture on the exclusive Maximilianstrasse, where a number of top couturiers present their creations, to plenty of department stores as well as handicrafts and souvenirs shops.
As Kholoud Al Shirawi from Abu Dhabi says: “The opportunities to shop for high-end fashion are endless here and this is one of the main reasons for me to return to Munich every year with my family and friends. I love walking along Maximilianstrasse to discover the latest creations of famous designers. The atmosphere is great and people are so friendly and welcoming. I also really enjoy going for a walk through the city centre to see the major sights that are so close to each other.”
For those visitors who are expected to flock to Munich in high numbers again this year, the safe and family-friendly atmosphere is another important reason to return regularly during the summer. Other reasons include relaxing visits to the English Garden and the city’s plentiful welcoming street cafés that are full of other Gulf tourists as well.
Families travelling with children are bound to visit places such as Hellabrunn Zoo, Westpark with its several playgrounds, and the well-known Botanical Garden.
In Bavaria Filmstadt, Germany’s Film City, visitors can take a look behind the scenes of the film business. In this area around 150 hours of cinema and TV films are produced every year, including famous movies such as “The Never-Ending Story", of which visitors can explore the sets and scenery on site.
The close surroundings of Munich also attract more and more of the numerous visitors from the GCC region. With the Alps just a stone's throw away, there are many possibilities for outdoor sports, such as paragliding, hiking, mountain climbing or mountain biking during the summer months.
Neuschwanstein Castle, also located near Munich, welcomes its visitors towering 200 meters above the river valley. First open to the public in 1886, the "fairytale castle" of King Ludwig II continues to draw over one million visitors a year, including many visitors from the GCC region who decide not to miss out on this integral part of a unique “Bavarian experience”.