Fotoeins Fotografie

By HL fotoeins on 20 Apr 2015

I’m excited to return “home” to Germany next week.

Thanks to an invitation from the Canadian office of the German National Tourism Board (Deutsche Zentrale für Tourismus), I’m pleased to participate in the annual Germany Travel Mart (GTM) as a representative of the Canadian contingent of travel trade and press. The 41st version of this meeting takes place in the state of Thuringia with the hub of activity at the Messe Erfurt (Erfurt Exhibition Centre).

The Messe Erfurt states:

Der GTM Germany Travel Mart™ 2015 findet vom 26. bis zum 28. April 2015 in Erfurt und Weimar statt. Bei dem größten Incoming-Workshop für den Deutschlandtourismus treffen rund 350 deutsche Anbieter mit über 600 „Hosted Buyer“ und Journalisten aus rund 45 Ländern zusammen, um das Reiseland Deutschland gemeinsam weltweit optimal zu vermarkten. „Wir freuen uns sehr, dass wir unseren wichtigsten Incoming-Workshop 2015 zum ersten Mal in Thüringen veranstalten werden“, betont Petra Hedorfer, Vorsitzende des Vorstandes der Deutschen Zentrale für Tourismus. „Ich bin überzeugt, dass unsere internationalen Teilnehmer in Erfurt und Weimar mit großer Gastfreundschaft und Professionalität empfangen werden“, so Hedorfer weiter. Die Verkaufsveranstaltung für das Reiseland Deutschland wird jährlich in wechselnden Orten und Regionen Deutschlands ausgetragen.

My approximate translation:

The GTM Germany Travel Mart 2015 takes place in Erfurt and Weimar from April 26 to 28. In the largest incoming workshop on tourism to Germany, over 350 German suppliers will meet with over 600 “hosted buyers” and journalists from 45 countries worldwide to collaborate in targeting and marketing Germany as a travel destination. “We are very pleased we will be hosting our main incoming workshop in 2015 for the first time in the state of Thuringia,” says Petra Hedorfer, CEO of the German National Tourist Board. “I am convinced our international participants will receive in Erfurt and Weimar the greatest in hospitality and professionalism.” The sales event for Destination Germany is held annually in different locations and regions in Germany.

Germany Travel Mart 2015 : Erfurt & Weimar, Thuringia

Erfurt: Merchants’ Bridge, by Toma Babovic for Thüringer Tourismus GmbH (DZT)

Weimar: Schloss Belvedere, by Maik Schuck for Weimar GmbH (DZT)

I’m looking forward to meeting many people representing city, state, and regional destinations throughout Germany. This trip helps with my ongoing wish to spend more time in the “former East”. I’m also looking forward to visiting Erfurt, Weimar, and Thuringia for the first time.

With 2015 particularly special as the 25th anniversary of German reunification, I’m hoping to learn about Cranach Senior and Junior whose birth is marked by the 500th anniversary this year, to wrap my head around the early 20th-century Bauhaus art and design movement, and to uncover more about Martin Luther in the lead-up to the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in 2017.

From 22 to 25 April, I’m in Eastern Saxony on a pre-conference tour to learn about a number of traditions and customs in the area. From 26 to 28 April inclusive, I’m in Erfurt for GTM. From 29 April to 1 May inclusive, I’m in Weimar.

I’m blogging and on social media during the pre-conference tour and during the conference. Stay tuned for updates: here on my blog, on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

The first three images above are provided courtesy by the Deutsche Zentrale für Tourismus (DZT, German National Tourism Board); none of these three images may be distributed through social media as stipulated by the DZT. The fourth image is a screen capture from the GTM Networking Tool.

This post appears on Fotoeins Fotopress at fotoeins.com as http://wp.me/p1BIdT-6Bw.