Over 800 leading German tourism players were in the UAE capital over the National Weekend holiday for the 64th Annual Congress of the German Travel Association (DRV).

The meeting, which took place at the five-star The St Regis Saadiyat Island Resort in Abu Dhabi, was co-hosted by Etihad Airways and Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) and supported by Germany’s second largest carrier and strategic Etihad Airways partner airberlin.

The congress featured some of the biggest names in the international travel business including CEOs and senior executives from tour operators and travel agencies of all sizes and service providers, including airlines, cruise lines and insurance companies.

Mubarak Al Shamisi, director, Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau, part of TCA Abu Dhabi, said: “Germany is now our third largest overseas source market for hotel guests after India and the UK. In the first 10 months of this year 106,635 Germans stayed in our hotels and resorts --- which was up 11 per cent on last year. This all translated into 506,123 guest nights – which was a 9 per cent year-on-year increase - with an average stay of 4.75 nights”

He also acknowledged airberlin on its new daily service from Stuttgart to Abu Dhabi, which altogether now offers 63 flights per week from Germany to Abu Dhabi jointly with Etihad Airways.

"Germany remains one of the emirate’s leading source markets for hotel guests and with increasing air links, upward momentum looks set to continue,” Al Shamisi said.

While in Abu Dhabi, the delegates attended a number of site workshops on major attractions including Yas Waterworld, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, an Abu Dhabi city tour and desert experience. – TradeArabia News Service