Germany: GNTB highlights growth potential for coach tourism through international marketing

Germany

Stable demand, strong overseas markets and digital innovation position coach travel as a future-oriented segment of Destination Germany

Coach tourism continues to play a solid role in the global growth market of international travel, offering new growth and revenue opportunities for medium-sized operators. This was the key message delivered by Petra Hedorfer, Chairwoman of the Executive Board of the German National Tourist Board (GNTB), in her keynote address at the 43rd Day of Coach Tourism in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Coach travel as a stable pillar of international tourism

With the exception of the COVID-19 period, data from the IPK International World Travel Monitor show that in each of the past ten years more than four million Europeans have chosen the coach as their primary mode of transport when travelling to Germany. This corresponds to a consistently stable market share of seven to eight percent. The strongest source markets for coach arrivals remain neighbouring countries, led by Poland, Switzerland, France, the Netherlands and Austria.

High potential from overseas markets

Beyond Europe, the GNTB sees significant growth potential among long-haul travellers. According to IPK data, 37 percent of overseas visitors undertake round trips within Germany after arriving at international airports, with the coach emerging as the preferred mode of transport for these itineraries. Petra Hedorfer underlined the economic relevance of this segment: “From an economic perspective, travellers to Germany from overseas markets are of particular interest for international marketing. According to the Federal Statistical Office, they accounted for 22.9 percent of all overnight stays by foreign guests in Germany in 2024, and according to IPK, they generated 35 percent of total travel revenues. In addition, almost 70 percent of them are repeat visitors. Coach tours are an excellent way to inspire these guests with service, quality, and comfort.”

Digital transformation and AI as growth drivers

Looking ahead, the GNTB identifies digital transformation and the use of artificial intelligence as key levers for strengthening Germany’s position as a coach destination. One example is the AI-generated travel companion “Emma”, which is expected to act as a brand ambassador for coach travel to Germany in the future, enhancing inspiration and orientation for international travellers.

Data partnerships to support infrastructure and visibility

The GNTB is also cooperating with the Bus Power Monitor of the RDA International Coach Tourism Association. Through its global network, the GNTB contributes inbound travel data to support future capacity planning, including charging infrastructure for coaches. This collaboration lays the groundwork for integrating tourism data on popular coach destinations into the GNTB Knowledge Graph as semantically structured information.

The aim is to improve visibility and bookability across AI-driven search engines and global marketing platforms, thereby strengthening the international competitiveness of Germany’s coach tourism sector.

International marketing opportunities across key markets

A wide range of participation options in GNTB marketing activities across around 35 international markets is available via the GNTB Activity Board on germany.travel, offering coach tour operators concrete entry points into global destination marketing and future-oriented growth.