As part of the efforts to consolidate the strong bilateral relations, and further tap into the high-potential Arabian Gulf Cooperation Council (AGCC) states and beyond, The German National Tourist Board (GNTB) opened its first Middle East office in Dubai.

This is the 29th overseas office of the board which is responsible for promoting domestic tourism and position Germany as a multi-faceted and attractive vacation destination.

The facility was officially opened at a ceremony attended by dignitaries and government officials.  The opening of GNTB office comes on the back of a 15 % increase in AGCC visitors to Germany.

Mr. Khalid A bin Sulayem, Director General, Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), said: "The opening of GNTB office strong reflects the successes of the tourism industry in both the destinations. It will help broaden the bilateral relations, especially in tourism industry, and build a more positive image. Like Germany, commitment to sustainable tourism, quality service and diversity remains core to our growth dynamics."

The DTCM opened a fully-fledged representation office in Frankfurt nearly a decade ago and successfully tapped the German market. There has been a 331 % increase in the number of German hotel establishment guests to Dubai in the past seven years. The year 2005 is expected to be better than 2004 which recorded 51 % growth.

Dubai topped the list of long-haul destinations worldwide last year that received the highest number of hotel guests out of Germany..

The number of Arabian Gulf state visitors to Germany has been steadily growing over the years, with the year 2004 recording a 15 % increase in overnight stays by AGCC visitors. Last year, over 100,000 overnight stays from the UAE were recorded.

Mrs. Petra Hedorfer, Chief Executive Officer, German National Tourist Board, said: "Dubai is now on the global stage and clearly offers itself as a successful role model for others in the region. We consider Dubai as an ideal destination to access the regional markets."

Ms.Mara Kaselitz, Director of DTCM Germany, said: "For Dubai, Germany is the second largest source market in Europe. The increase in flights by Lufthansa, Emirates and other airlines contributed to spectacular growth in visitor arrivals from the UAE to Germany."

Mr. Eyad Ali Abdul Rahman, DTCM Manager Media Relations, said: "In the same way Germans have given their strong confidence in Dubai, we are confidence that the GNTB will be able to attract more AGCC and other Arab visitors to Germany. We look forward to a mutually beneficial relationship between the two tourism promotion bodies as well as both the destinations."

The two-way growth in tourism and business sectors is reflected amply by the 56 weekly flights between Germany and the UAE. Dubai's success in tourism in a relatively short span of time echoed in German parliament recently when its high-power panel invited the DTCM to give a presentation on the emirate.

In order to increase the number of Arab visitors to Germany, the GNTB has lined up a number of marketing and promotional initiatives. Banking on the positive image that Germany enjoys among the Arabs, the GNTB participated in the Arabian Travel Market (ATM-2005) held in May under the auspicious of the DTCM.