Germany has an Indian (visit duration) problem, and Indians have a German (visa) problem!

Germany wants something about Indians to change, and schnell! From a travel perspective, the country may have many picture-postcard-perfect offerings—from the beauty of the Black Forest region to the legacy charm and vibrant nightlife of Berlin, or its castles, churches and beer-chugging customs. Yet, the nation in the heart of Europe has a problem with Indian tourists and their ‘postcard vacations’.

It is not uncommon for Indians on a Schengen package tour to just ‘cruise’ through the Rhine to take in the sights without even an overnight stay, sometimes termed a ‘postcard vacation’. In comparison, Indian travellers to places like Paris or Amsterdam are not just spending more time, including overnight stays, they also spend more.

“Our longer-term ambition is to double annual overnight stays from India. We see this as a direction for sustained development, with progress shaped by connectivity, accessibility and market conditions. Encouraging repeat visits and broader regional exploration is central to that ambition,” said Petra Hedorfer, CEO of the German National Tourist Board (GNTB) in an exclusive interview with THE WEEK.

Chinese and Indians have been the fastest-growing cohorts on the global tourism circuit, and Germany has decided to double down on wooing more desis as tourists, and not just as professionals or business visitors.

“Germany sees considerable potential to grow further,” she said, laying out the new strategy: more than just building awareness, to target and convert those passing by to stay longer, while at the same time attracting high-potential segments such as wedding and honeymoon travel.

While German Tourism has struggled with the country’s ‘not-so-fun-loving,’ straightjacketed image (Berlin’s nightspots or Munich’s beer gardens might just beg to differ) in the narrative prevalent in the West, with Indians, it has been a case of not being at the centre of the mind space.

Indians either go to the country as business visitors for the many trade fairs and exhibitions the country is noted for, or arrive as students or for professions ranging from engineering to nursing. Then there is also the ‘just passing through’ crowd, with German airline Lufthansa garnering a neat pie of Indian transit business headed for North America.

The job at hand, then, is to convince the tourists, who visit on Schengen itinerary packages planned by Indian travel agents, which invariably place Bollywood-fame Switzerland as well as romantic Paris on top. Germany is often included as just a river cruise or a quick day trip. So much so that German Tourism in recent years even had a campaign running with the tagline ‘Stay a little longer!’

“Germany has much more to offer as a leisure destination—from vibrant cities, cultural heritage and more than 50 UNESCO World Heritage Sites to castles, nature, culinary experiences, shopping and authentic regional experiences,” Hedorfer said. “Another important driver is (families visiting) Indian students who now represent the largest group of international students at German universities and skilled professionals working in Germany. These connections generate travel and are particularly relevant for families, with Germany perceived as a safe, welcoming and family-friendly destination.”

Oktoberfest as a case

Things could be changing, with data showing flight bookings from India to Munich, the main venue of the famed Oktoberfest beer festival, surging by 60 per cent between mid-September and October, the dates of the annual celebration. “Oktoberfest is a great example of how iconic German experiences can drive travel demand…a strong indication of the appeal of major cultural events among Indian travellers. And Germany has a wealth of these signature experiences throughout the year, giving us strong opportunities to create additional reasons to travel,” she added.

The efforts from Germany have included highlighting the wide range of Indian and vegetarian restaurant options in the country. This summer, Taj Group launched Hessischer Hof in Frankfurt, its first hotel in Continental Europe. GNTB is also conducting a Digital Travel Knowledge Tour in India in an effort to understand how Indians plan their travels and what works for them.

The visa problem

While German Tourism has potential, the country’s visa formalities for Indians leave a lot to be desired, with massive amounts of paperwork and running around, and applications sometimes rejected without clarity, or approved for short durations even for repeat Schengen travellers, making them go through the whole procedure the next time.

However, Hedorfer washed her hands off of this aspect, saying, “Visa policy and individual visa decisions are the responsibility of the competent authorities. GNTB’s role is to communicate the needs of the tourism industry and feedback from our travel-trade partners and ensure that these perspectives feed into the wider dialogue.”