News from the German Travel Association (DRV): DRV

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DRV represents the interests of small, mid-sized and large companies in the travel industry vis a vis service providers from inside and outside Germany and vis a vis German, European and international policy makers.

NEWS

Growing demand for holiday tours: Tour operators and travel agencies achieve new sales records in 2012

: © DRV, Jürgen Büchy

The German Travel Association (DRV) draws a balance of the 2012 travel season. "Last year was a very successful year for our sector. Despite all the talk about economic crisis, the Germans enjoy travelling and they travel more frequently, spending even more money than before for their most beautiful weeks of the year", summarizes DRV President Jürgen Büchy. The Germans are willing to pay more for travel, and they attach great importance to quality and service. This is confirmed by the final figures for the 2012 travel season and the first trends for this year. The leading tourism industry association presented these figures shortly before the start of ITB Berlin, the world's biggest travel trade show. more

Germans remain loyal to their favourite destinations: Significant increase in bookings to the Mediterranean for the summer holidays

Customers attach more importance to quality: In 2012, Germans spent more money on their holidays than in the previous year; they are again willing to pay more on travel contrary to all "talks about crisis". The outlook for the coming season continues to be very optimistic. This is confirmed by analyses of the most popular holiday destinations of the last year and of the first trends for 2013, presented by the German Travel Association (DRV) in the run-up to the international ITB trade show. "Tour operators and travel agencies were able to draw the attention of their guests to the quality of organized travel products and convince them that it is worthwhile having their holiday trips professionally organized," says DRV President Jürgen Büchy. more

New record: almost 2 million cruise passengers: 20 years of DRV survey prove continuing growth course

Full steam ahead: cruises are gaining more and more popularity. In 2012, the German cruise market saw again significant growth. On March 7, 2013, the German Travel Association (DRV) informed at the ITB Berlin, the world's biggest tourism trade show, that for the first time nearly two million Germans, i.e. 1,980,897 passengers, spent their holidays on an ocean cruise liner or a river cruiser. This corresponds to an increase of 7.1 percent compared to the previous year (2011: 1.8 million passengers). With a rise by 7.9 percent to EUR 3.1bn, total turnover surpassed for the first time the three-billion-euros mark. Thus, the cruise market was able to increase its share of the German tour operator market by 0.3 percentage points to 12.7 percent compared with the previous year. more

EcoTrophea 2013 contest launched: German Travel Association (DRV) awards prizes to sustainable tourism projects

The tourism industry association is looking for environmetally-friendly mobility concepts for tourism regions, examples of social commitment in tourist countries or measures helping to preserve the natural and cultural heritage in holiday destinations. The DRV is launching its 26th contest for the international award in favour of environmental protection and social responsibility in tourism; it addresses exemplary and innovative projects in tourism that wish to participate in the EcoTrophea 2013 contest. The projects should take account of ecological and social interests and help promote sustainable travel offers among as many guests as possible. You will find the application form here more

Award for integrated concept: EcoTrophea 2012 goes to Huilo Huilo Biological Reserve in Chile

: © DRV

The German Travel Association (DRV) awards the EcoTrophea 2012 to the Chilean Biological Reserve of Huilo Huilo with its world-famous tree houses for its holistic sustainability concept including nature conservation, integration and tourism. "Huilo Huilo shows in an excellent and exemplary way how nature conservation and tourism can be of mutual benefit to one another,"explains Andreas Müseler, Chairman of the DRV Sustainability Committee, the decision of the EcoTrophea jury. more

Tourism sector pledges to uphold Code of Ethics: Promoting corporate social responsibility and sustainability

: ©DRV

The German tourism sector confirms its commitment to responsible and sustainable tourism. In the presence of the most senior representative of the travel industry to the United Nations, Taleb Rifai, the German Travel Association (DRV) as well as leading tour operators and airlines signed the World Tourism Organization's (UNWTO) Global Code of Ethics for Tourism on Saturday, November 17, 2012. The Code including a set of ten principles provides tourism operators with recommendations for more understanding of and respect for their own staff, people in the host countries as well as towards the natural and cultural heritage. The guidelines of the World Tourism Organization are intended as a roadmap towards developement and the implementation of responsible and sustainable tourism. more

Discrimination against travel agencies

Lufthansa has eliminated its fee for bookings on its website valid from 2nd of April 2012. DRV-Vice President Otto Schweisgut, Spokesman of the small and mid-sized travel agents of the German Travel Association - Deutscher ReiseVerband (DRV) - has pointed out adverse Lufthansa, that the cancellation of the service charge for online flight bookings is a discrimination against the travel agencies that cannot be accepted. Lufthansa distorts competition seriously. The airline pretends opposite its customers that the online distribution of tickets does not cause any costs. Which is totally false. Because the distribution of tickets on the website of the airline causes also extensive costs for employees, the technical equipment and for the marketing.

Strategic partnership: BARIG and DRV announce closer collaboration

The board of Airline Representatives in Germany (Barig) and the German Travel Association (DRV) want to work closer in future. "We have a lot of topics in common about which we already talk, but from now on we will communicate them more to the outside", said Barig Secretary General Martin Gaebges. There are topics as the German ticket tax, climate protection in tourism, questions about travel law or development of computer reservation systems and operating schedules that affect DRV members as well as Barig members. more

Code of Conduct for the protection of children from sexual exploitation in travel and tourism

The sexual exploitation of children in tourism is a problem which concerns not only holiday destinations (mainly South-East Asia, Latin America, Africa and Eastern Europe), but also outbound countries like Germany. Since travel and tourism infrastructures like hotels and airlines are often used in this context, the travel and tourism industry has taken steps to help stem the sexual exploitation of minors in travel and tourism. more