Germany promotes driving tours for Chinese  

德国打出“自驾游”招牌吸引中国年轻游客

Beijing (ECNS) -- Germany's travel department has started an advertising campaign for driving trips in an effort to avoid losing the tourism race with other European countries.

The travel department noticed that Germany has been lagging behind other European countries in terms of attracting Chinese tourists, who have been shopping for brand-name perfumes in France and clothes in Italy.

An advertising campaign targeting young Chinese tourists publicizes the cultural image of Germany and was launched after the department cemented a strategic cooperation with Travelzoo, the New York-listed online supplier of travel deals.

Altogether nine driving routes have been planned for young Chinese tourists, and apps in Chinese and English were unveiled to offer travel tips, as the department predicts that driving tours will become popular by the explosive growth of Chinese tourists by 2020.

Jason Yap, CEO of Travelzoo Asia Pacific, said Chinese tourists are mainly young people aged 20 to 40. As a unique group with eagerness to experience the world, they will exert an increasing influence on the global tourist market, he added.

The World Tourism Organization estimates that China will supply 100 million annual travelers abroad by 2020.