The COVID-19 pandemic has made travellers around the world even more concerned about sustainability. Unspoilt nature, careful use of resources and a focus on wellbeing are gaining in importance. The German National Tourist Board (GNTB) is picking up on this trend and expanding the scope of its ‘Feel Good’ campaign in 2021. Across 14 markets, the GNTB is promoting Destination Germany’s wide range of sustainable tourism offerings.
Petra Hedorfer, CEO of the GNTB: “The latest Sustainability Report by Booking.com shows that the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly accelerated the shift in travellers’ values towards wellbeing, sustainability and social responsibility. 83 per cent of the respondents from the 30 countries surveyed believe that sustainable travel is vital, while 61 per cent said that the pandemic has made them want to travel more sustainably in the future. This shift in customer expectations demonstrates that we are on the right track with our long-term strategy to position sustainability as a facet of the Destination Germany brand. The ‘Feel Good’ campaign in the international source markets showcases sustainable, high-quality products with the aim of boosting the restart of inbound tourism.”
‘Feel Good’ in 2021
The GNTB campaign includes a selection of cities, regions and accommodation providers that are particularly committed to sustainability in tourism. The ‘Feel Good’ campaign also showcases specific travel experiences that bring sustainable products and services at the destination to life. These experiences allow travellers to engage with locals and discover sustainability at first hand. Four clusters have been created to better outline the offerings: ‘Active Outdoors’, ‘Education and Experiences’, ‘Responsible Enjoyment’ and ‘Sustainable Experiences in Towns and Cities’. Tips for sustainable travel complement the information on offer, while a multilingual CO2 calculator enables travellers to document their trip’s emissions and offset them through their local schemes.
The 2021 ‘Feel Good’ campaign will run in Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Austria and Poland, in the key European source markets Sweden, Italy, Spain and the UK, and in the key overseas markets USA, China and Japan.
Advertising in international social media, including Facebook News Feed, Instagram Feed and Instagram Explore Feed, and in stories on Facebook and Instagram, will take customers to a microsite featuring a selection of cities, regions and hotels. The offerings presented on the microsite have been curated by the GNTB in cooperation with the regional tourism organizations and sustainability experts.
Petra Hedorfer: “Service providers along the tourism value chain are developing professional offerings that meet customers’ growing expectations in terms of environmental responsibility, sustainability and values. The campaign focuses on added value for the visitor: certified sustainable offers that represent quality, convenience, enjoyment, authenticity and regionality, and which help to mitigate climate change.”
Deutsche Bahn – comprehensive commitment to sustainability
As a Premium Partner, Deutsche Bahn is heavily involved in delivering the ‘Feel Good’ campaign. The company, Germany’s national rail provider, has initiated numerous measures to protect the climate, nature and resources, reduce noise pollution and meet its sustainability goals. For example, Deutsche Bahn already buys enough electricity from renewable energy sources to operate all of its electrically powered InterCityExpress and InterCity/EuroCity trains. By 2038, regional and freight transport should also be running entirely on green electricity. In addition to decarbonisation, Deutsche Bahn is investing in innovative measures to reduce rail traffic noise and on sustainability in its work processes.
