Hannover Marketing & Tourism, Inc.

VPR - Annual Kickoff Event for Bus and Group Tour Operators in Hanover

"VPR Internationaler Verband der Paketer e. V.", or VPR International e.V. for short, is an association of leading tour operators and tourism service providers in the bus and group tourism sector. Package tour operators are wholesalers active in the B2B sector (reseller segment) who compile and offer attractive travel packages using tourism services and individual components such as hotel accommodations, events, or sightseeing tours.

Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen—one of the most popular attractions in Lower Saxony — Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen – a popular tourist attraction in Lower Saxony

The kickoff event for 2017, known as the VPR VIP Meetup, will take place for the first time in Hannover from February 2–5. The approximately 350 participants will have the opportunity to learn about the latest tourism offerings and services at a dedicated travel fair. Hannover Marketing und Tourismus GmbH will be presenting itself alongside its partners—the Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen, the adventure zoo, Marienburg Castle, the GOP Varieté Theater, and the “9 Cities +1”—with its own Hannover booth. Mayor Stefan Schostok highlights the state capital’s tourism appeal: “Hannover is delighted by the interest shown by leading group tour operators. More than 3.8 million overnight stays in the Region Hannover, including 2.2 million in the state capital each year, demonstrate that we have a great deal to offer a wide variety of travelers. We are also impressively demonstrating this at the exclusive travel fair held during this industry gathering at the start of the year with a Hannover booth.”

New town hall — New City Hall overlooking Human Rights Square, formerly Trammplatz.

An evening event at the Hannover adventure zoo on Thursday and a gala evening on Friday round out the first two days of the event. As part of the VPR VIP Meetup, participants from “9 Cities +1” and the HMTG are invited to join free tours of the Hannover vacation region and the 9 cities over the weekend (February 4 and 5). Options include a city tour to the Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen, the New Town Hall, and the Old Town, including a brief visit to the GOP Varieté Theater, as well as a trip to Marienburg Castle or the Autostadt in Wolfsburg. So far, around 150 participants have already signed up. Tina Behringer, President of VPR International e.V., is delighted by the high level of interest: “Hannover is one of the attractive ‘9 Cities +1’ in Lower Saxony and offers a wide range of sights, a rich history, a special charm, and a unique experience.”

“9 Cities +1” in Lower Saxony

Hanover, Braunschweig, Celle, Göttingen, Goslar, Hamelin, Hildesheim, Lüneburg, Wolfenbüttel, and the Autostadt in Wolfsburg are jointly promoting Lower Saxony abroad. In addition to joint presentations at travel fairs and trade events, the activities focus particularly on international press relations tailored to each target market. The primary target audience here is travel journalists, as well as an increasing number of (young) travel bloggers. The unique combination of the various sights and event highlights of the “9 Cities + 1 in Lower Saxony” creates attractive packages for multi-day trips to Lower Saxony by international visitors. The city partnership has been active in neighboring European countries for 33 years and is thus a fixture in tourism marketing for Lower Saxony.

Press contact:
Hannover Marketing und Tourismus GmbH
Maike Scheunemann
7 Vahrenwalder Street, 30165 Hannover
Phone: 0511/123490-26
Email: presse@hannover-marketing.de

Published: February 2, 2017

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A tour of the nine +2 cities in Lower Saxony offers plenty of variety.

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