Not surprisingly, 2021 has been acknowledged as a “year of transition” for tourism in Germany, with the country’s tourism board expecting a gradual return to domestic and intra-European travel in the summer months, but a slower roll-out for international travel.

“Despite ongoing lockdown phases and travel restrictions, there are reasons for cautious optimism,” says Petra Hedorfer, Chairwoman of the Executive Board for the German National Tourist Board, who notes that leisure travel is expected to return before business travel, but that a full recovery to “pre-crisis” levels is likely to take until 2024.

“The prerequisite for market recovery still is the digital transformation, innovations, and a sustainable direction for Germany tourism,” she says.

Virtual experiences

But in the meantime, the GNTB continues to promote a host of virtual experiences that potential visitors can use to plan or inspire future trips, or simply as a diversion from the ongoing pandemic blues.

Visitors to the extensive Discover Germany at Home site can go up the Berlin TV tower, or explore the island of Langeeog, or find themselves in the Partnach Gorge in Bavaria.

There is music, videos, and virtual museum tours, plus 3D and 360-degree sightseeing of castles, landscapes, and architectural masterpieces; not to mention maps, podcasts, and quizzes.

And that isn’t enough, the site offers a true taste of Germany with a long list of recipes of traditional recipes ranging from doughnuts to cabbage rolls that can be tried at home.

As the site advises, “dream now, visit later.”

Check out the site HERE.