Ahlan wa Sahlan: Leading Munich tabloid greets countless Gulf Arabs in Arabic
The German daily newspaper Abendzeitung published on its front page a lead story with a very unusual headline “Ahlan wa Sahlan” (Arabic for welcome). According to the Bavarian tabloid, one of the three leading publications in Munich, the Bavarian capital welcomes a record-breaking number of visitors from the GCC countries this year. Until now, the number has reached some 80,000 Gulf travelers.
The article explains the reasons for Munich being a favourite destination for GCC tourists: Munich provides its visitors with a safe and family-friendly atmosphere, high-class entertainment activities, exclusive shopping opportunities and well equipped medical services.
On the newspaper’s online web site, the article received an overwhelming response from German readers expressing their excitement about the increasing number of GCC tourists flocking to Munich. Eva, a German female, commented: “I am very pleased to see so many people from the GCC region in Munich, this has really added to the city’s unique international flair. It also gives Munich’s residents the opportunity to be acquainted with the genuine Arabian traditions and culture. I admire the Arab women very much and I think that their traditional black-coloured dresses add a special splendour to their appearance and eventually make them look like princesses. However, this does not apply to the Arab men’s outfits and hereby I recommend they seek their wives’ advice whenever they decide to renew their wardrobe.”
According to statistics released by the Munich Tourism Office, with over 77,949 arrivals and more than 270,891 overnight stays in 2009, Munich is once more the favourite destination in Germany for travellers from the Gulf region. Last year arrivals increased by 22% in comparison to 2008.
There are plenty of sights to see and things to do in the Bavarian metropolis that is home to 1.3 million people. Travellers from the Gulf region particularly enjoy the great shopping opportunities, the historical architecture and the inviting parks and gardens of the city. The green countryside surrounding Munich with its beautiful lakes and castles also draws thousands of people each year to enjoy the fresh summer climate in the south of Germany.
For Arab guests not only do plenty of luxury hotels employ Arabic-speaking staff, but offer special menus and reserve entire floors for their regular visitors from the Gulf region. The Arab guests also contribute significantly to making Munich a city where men and women wearing traditional regional attire define the cityscape in the summer. Moreover, Munich offers abundant shopping opportunities to its guests: Everything is available from haute couture on the exclusive Maximilianstrasse, where a number of top couturiers present their creations, to plenty of department stores as well as handicrafts and souvenirs shops.
Azizah Al Kaabi, a tourist from the UAE visiting Munich every year with her family, says, “Munich has a special charm. In addition to its picturesque nature and beautiful climate, I love walking along its famous streets and enjoy a cup of coffee in Munich’s ambient coffee shops. What I like most about Munich is the Maximilianstreet which boasts with affordable high-class local and international fashion brands.”
Abdul Aziz Al Madani a tourist from Saudi Arabia visiting Munich for the first time with his family, says, “The city is wonderful! I have strolled the city centre and enjoyed seeing the major sites that are so close to each other. The people of Munich are very friendly and welcoming.”
Some tourists believe that the respect for personal freedom in Germany, as compared to other European countries, has contributed immensely to increasing the number of Arab tourists flocking to Germany. Germany is considered an affordable luxurious tourist destination with prices as low as 30 to 40% less than any Western European country. Moreover, the country has an excellent price ratio in hotel accommodations, with rates for overnight stays in German cities relatively low, compared to France and the United Kingdom. In 2009 the average price for a hotel room in Germany was 80 Euros, whereas in the rest of the European Union you would need to pay 94 Euros on an average.
