Yamina Soufou, the director of the German National Tourist Office for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, tourists from the United Arab Emirates, including citizens and residents, account for about 25% to 30% of all Gulf tourists visiting Germany, making them the largest group from the region.
This insight was shared during Germany’s participation at the Arab Travel Market 2025 held in Dubai, where the country has a broader representation this year with 27 exhibitors from various tourism sectors, featuring destinations such as Frankfurt, Berlin, Düsseldorf, and Munich, along with hotels of different categories, medical centers, destination management companies, and luxury shopping outlets.
Soufou highlighted the significant importance of the Emirati market for Germany’s tourism sector, forecasting a stronger performance in 2025, driven by an expanded air connectivity. She noted the introduction of a new direct flight route between Abu Dhabi and Berlin through Eurowings, which marks the first direct air connection between the two capitals.
Furthermore, Yenis Aehsen, the general director of Düsseldorf Tourism, mentioned that tourists from the UAE represent the largest portion of visitors to Düsseldorf, emphasizing that the city offers a blend of wellness and entertainment tourism, making it an ideal destination for families and culture and arts enthusiasts.
Aehsen reiterated that sustainability is a top priority for the city, with ambitions to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035, further establishing Düsseldorf as a responsible tourism hub.
He also emphasized the significance of the Arab Travel Market as a primary platform for tourism promotion and partnership development, particularly in the fields of wellness tourism, conferences, and healthcare, which are growing increasingly popular among visitors from the Gulf countries.