Bundesverband der Deutschen Tourismuswirtschaft e. V. (BTW)

Tourism in the Federal Republic of Germany generates 4 percent of Germany's value added, putting it on a par with sectors such as the automotive industry or mechanical engineering. This is according to the report "Current data on the tourism industry - economic significance and sustainability" by the Federal Statistical Office. Travellers spend 330 billion euros on tourism-related goods and services within Germany. Around 2.8 million people are directly employed in tourism as a result. In addition, there are 1.3 million people who produce intermediate inputs for the production of tourism-related goods and services. In summary, about 9 percent of all employees in Germany work directly or indirectly for tourism.

One association - numerous interests

With regard to the enormous importance of tourism for the federal government and the states, the BTW has a special responsibility. It unites and represents the interests of numerous companies and associations from the sometimes extremely diverse sub-sectors of the industry. The spectrum ranges from air, road and rail transport to hotels and restaurants, travel agencies and tour operators to congress centres and tourism marketing. The broad spectrum includes both private tourism and the business travel sector.

Focus on megatrends

The work of the BTW is no less diverse. The main focus is on overarching, multi-faceted trends and topics such as digitalisation, sustainability and economic policy framework conditions for tourism. In addition, the BTW advocates for the preservation of freedom of travel and the exchange of people and cultures - mobile and stationary, at home and abroad, across all professional and regional borders.