2015 boosts awareness for living traditions in travel destination Germany

Germany’s ‘Traditions and Customs’ are the focus of the German National Tourism Board’s (GNTB) worldwide tourism campaign for 2015. The inclusion in a nationwide inventory, of 27 traditions or living expressions inherited from our ancestors and passed on to our descendants, reveals the importance and appreciation of this almost imperceptible aspect of Germany’s intangible cultural heritage, which corresponds with selected themes being communicated by the GNTB as part of its campaign.

“According to the GNTB quality monitor, ‘Traditions and History of the Region’ is one of the top ten reasons tourists decide to visit Germany. With this new campaign, the GNTB has seized this trend to inspire foreign visitors to come and experience these elements of Germany’s intangible cultural heritage” explains Petra Hedorfer, Chief Executive Officer of the GNTB.

Christoph Wulf, Chairman of the Expert Committee for Intangible Cultural Heritage of the German Commission for UNESCO adds: “The GNTB’s new ‘Traditions and Customs’ campaign will play an important role in passing on this indefinable part of Germany’s cultural heritage, ancient fascinating knowledge and skills from person to person. These living traditions are an expression of Germany’s creativity and the ingenuity down the years. The GNTB’s worldwide marketing activities will help to enhance appreciation of intangible cultural heritage such as this, which is cherished in Germany.”

The Swabian–Alemannic carnival, the Rhineland Carnival in all its local variants, the Charcoal Burner’s Craft and the Tar Distillery, the Social Customs and Festivals of the Lusatian Sorbs, the Biike Burning, the Salt Panners’ Fraternity in the Valley

Article source: http://www.examiner.com/article/2015-boosts-awareness-for-living-traditions-travel-destination-germany