Germany Travel Mart™ by the GNTB sends a clear signal for Germany’s inbound tourism industry

Frankfurt am Main, 21 April 2026 – The German National Tourist Board (GNTB) draws a positive conclusion following the 52nd Germany Travel Mart™ (GTM), held from 19 to 21 April 2026 in Oberhausen. The 200 accredited buyers from the international travel industry scheduled around 4,500 appointments with 165 tourism companies and organisations during the workshop via the GNTB’s online booking system.

94 per cent of participants in an on-site survey confirmed that they were satisfied or very satisfied with this year’s GTM. 98 per cent were able to successfully conclude new business deals, and 85 per cent intend to participate in GTM again in the future.

GTM 2026 was hosted by OWT Oberhausener Wirtschafts- und Tourismusförderung GmbH (OWT). Deutsche Lufthansa and Sixt supported the event as premium partners.

At the close of the event, Petra Hedorfer, Chief Executive Officer of the German National Tourist Board, symbolically handed over the hosting role for GTM to Bremerhaven. The seaport city will host the 53rd GTM from 29 May to 2 June 2027.

Petra Hedorfer, CEO of the GNTB, commented: “Especially in the current challenging geopolitical situation, GTM has once again proven itself as a strong platform for successful business contacts in our globally connected industry. Representatives of the international travel industry from more than 30 countries confirmed this in numerous discussions.

I would like to express my thanks to OWT for the professional organisation of this year’s GTM. With a varied supporting programme, we were able to present to our international guests the dynamic transformation of the Ruhr region into an attractive destination with a broad cultural offering. I am confident that Bremerhaven will also provide an excellent setting next year to showcase the strength and innovative capacity of the German tourism industry to international buyers.”

Michael Gerber, Managing Director of Erlebnis Bremerhaven GmbH, said: “That the Germany Travel Mart™ 2027 has been awarded to Bremerhaven in the year following our city’s 200th anniversary is both an honour and a recognition of our work. Hosting GTM underlines Bremerhaven’s importance within German tourism. We are very much looking forward to the three days in 2027. As the largest city on Germany’s North Sea coast, we are an attractive destination for city tourism and at the same time a magnet for North Sea holidaymakers – from the German Emigration Centre and Klimahaus Bremerhaven to the German Maritime Museum and Zoo am Meer, the smallest scientifically managed zoo in Europe.”

Andreas Hugle, Head of Destination Development at Erlebnis Bremerhaven GmbH, added: “With SAIL, we regularly host major international events – and GTM will also bring the world to us. This opportunity gives us additional momentum for our future tourism development.”

Image note

From left to right: Julia Grundmann, Head of International Markets & SME and Travel Industry Cooperation; Michael Gerber, Managing Director of Erlebnis Bremerhaven GmbH; Petra Hedorfer, Chief Executive Officer of the German National Tourist Board; Rainer Suhr, Head of Tourism and Marketing, OWT Oberhausener Wirtschafts- und Tourismusförderung GmbH