"Last year, Europeans looking to experience culture made 21.8 million trips in Germany, which means we are the no. 1 cultural destination for visitors from the continent," Dr Annette Biener, Director Marketing & Sales South East Asia, GNTB. “As part of our Beethoven campaign, we will be using digital elements to enhance Germany’s standing as a land of music. In addition to the main points of interest in the Bonn region, our campaign will also feature activities across Germany that are designed to boost demand for cultural tourism in general and for the core theme of Germany – Land of Music in particular.”
In view of the anniversary, Lonely Planet has ranked Bonn, where Beethoven was born, fifth on its list of cities to visit around the world in 2020.
Cooperation with the Beethoven anniversary organisers
To promote the anniversary abroad, the GNTB has signed a cooperation agreement with Beethoven Jubila?ums Gesellschaft mbH. A subsidiary of the Beethoven-Haus Foundation, it has a remit to shape, promote and coordinate the anniversary year across the regions as an event of international significance. Access to the global GNTB networks will help the organisation to market this major event more efficiently around the world and to open up new markets.
Focus on key source markets
As part of the campaign, the GNTB is placing relevant content in more than 50 markets around the world. Additional, more in-depth activities are being targeted at defined key markets. For example, B2B events will be held in the US, China and Japan at the start of the 2020 campaign and there was a press highlight tour to the opening concert on 16 December 2019 in Bonn for media representatives from these countries. The GNTB will also be running other B2B events and press highlight tours in top European markets for inbound tourism to Germany over the course of the year.
A modern interpretation of classical heritage
The GNTB is employing the latest digital communication formats in all of its source markets to position the classical heritage of Beethoven in a contemporary manner. For example, a virtual reality app will offer international visitors at GNTB events the unique experience of joining Beethoven at the piano to play parts of the Ninth Symphony. There is also an augmented reality app that allows people to take 'live’ photos with Beethoven. A microsite in German, English, French, Chinese and Japanese provides information on all aspects of the anniversary and related cultural tourism offerings. The GNTB is also organising international social media campaigns and influencer trips. A cooperation with international media partner CNN will produce five films in the series Great Big Story, to be broadcast on the global Turner network.
Based on market research and benchmark analyses, the GNTB develops more than 200 campaigns a year to promote the core brand of Destination Germany. Annual themes that highlight specific events and special occasions, and which raise awareness of lesser- known facets of Destination Germany, complete the brand communication.
About the GNTB
The German National Tourist Board (GNTB) has its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. It works on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) to represent Germany as a tourist destination and is funded by the Ministry in accordance with a decision taken by the German Bundestag. The GNTB develops and communicates strategies and products to promote Germany’s positive image abroad as a tourist destination and to encourage tourists to visit the country. It has 31 agencies around the world to support its activities. More information can be found in our online press centre at www.germany.travel/presse.
