TourNatur attracts Hikers to Düsseldorf

The heart of the German hiking scene beats on the Rhine: In its ninth year now the hiking and trekking fair TourNatur is an established fixture for hiking enthusiasts and experts. Once again this year the only public-access trade fair on this topic attracted over 41,000 visitors to the Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre over a period of three days thereby achieving last year’s good results. Commenting on this result Helmut Winkler, Director of TourNatur, said: “Hiking tourism is benefited by the current megatrends neo-ecology and health that go hand in hand with a pronounced longing for nature and increased health awareness. Hiking is a gentle, health-promoting sport in nature and as such an ideal compensation for stressful office and urban life. More and more people have started to realise this,” says Winkler who continues “and given that outdoor apparel is becoming more functional and fashionable it is now proving popular as daywear giving us a growing target group here. TourNatur is so successful because it pools a comprehensive range of tourist destinations and gear.” TourNatur 2011 saw 275 exhibitors present their latest hiking and trekking gear as well as 5,000 travel destinations suitable for hiking.

The partners of TourNatur also took a positive stock of the fair voicing their satisfaction at the attendance. The German Hiking Association focused on college hiking this year. Ute Dicks, General Manager of the “Deutscher Wanderverband” commented on this: “Boasting high-calibre scientists the symposium on college hiking organised at TourNatur clearly demonstrated the many benefits of teaching pupils and students on nature field trips. Now the aim is to realise more “outdoor schooling” concepts in the German educational system the way they have been customary in Norway for a long time already.” One thing was sure for Michael Sänger, Editor-in-Chief of the “Wandermagazin” journal after this year’s TourNatur: “We are seeing a strong trend towards high-quality, certified hiking experiences. Furthermore, the range offered continues to include a wide variety of high-quality options. TourNatur has secured the pole position for hiking and trekking as a marketplace offering high-quality experiences.”

One focal point at TourNatur is the independent advice offered in the equipment segment. At the consultancy centre TourParcours hiking experts Dr. Ulrike Poller, Dr. Wolfgang Todt and Ralf Stefan Beppler answered numerous questions from visitors. According to Dr. Wolfgang Todt both concrete, very detailed questions were asked in view of already scheduled tours or trips and general advice was sought for basic equipment. “We cover everything in the range from underwear and backpacks to footwear. Soft and hard shell are in great demand as is advice on backpacks. Many hikers still carry the weight on their shoulders rather than on their hips, which is why we were able to produce a wow effect for many with our advice – even for those visiting us with their own gear.”

Those wanting to shop for gear after the consulting session did so at the stand of the Düsseldorf specialist store Sack & Pack, for instance. Owner Klaus Mensch was very satisfied with both the movement at his stand and sales: “Attendance is really good and my feeling is that the trade fair continues to be received very well. It seems to me customers familiar with the outdoor sector and capable of appreciating the ranges and those less into hiking/trekking and probably only dropping in from the CARAVAN SALON were just about balanced.“

Tourism exhibitors were also delighted with visitors’ avid and targeted interest. Catherine Bitzer of Chiemgau Tourismus e.V. said: “Demand was very good and feedback was positive across the board. Many people know our region now making plans for their return next season. We meet a highly qualified audience here who are very clear on what information they need. We are visited by both hikers and many cyclists and we even welcomed a considerable number of Dutchmen here. For us it’s really a very good trade fair.”

Confirming this statement Manfred Jordan, Project Director of TourNatur at the North Rhine-Westphalian section of the German Alpine Club, even said: “We found that TourNatur is the most important trade fair for our Public Relations in North Rhine-Westphalia. There is no better platform. Our ranges meet with a lot of interest and we have already recruited some new members here. Going down particularly well with visitors is the combination of information and action at the climbing snake here at our stand. Many visitors specifically come to see us for that.”

As part of TourNatur 2011 the German Hiking Association awarded a total of 20 trails as “Qualitätsweg Wanderbares Deutschland” (Quality Trail Hikeable Germany). The new trails are: Besinnungsweg Ehinger Alb, Bestwiger Panoramaweg, three Eifel experience “loops” (Mühlenroute, Im Meulenwald, Säubrennerroute), Karstwanderweg, Oderlandweg, Schlaubetal-Wanderweg and three trails in the Palatinate region (Pfälzer Höhenweg, Pfälzer Waldpfad, Pfälzer Weinsteig). The re-certified trails that succeeded in demonstrating their quality yet again include: Uplandsteig, Spessartwege1 and 2, Hermannsweg, Diemelsteig, Europäische Wasserscheideweg, Harzer-Hexen-Stieg, Medebacher Bergweg and Viadukt Wanderweg. In addition to this a jury of the “Wandermagazin” awarded the Schluchtensteig Naturpark Südschwarzwald and Traumpfad Monrealer Ritterschlag in the Rhine-Mosel-Eifel region where the Mosel and Rhine valleys meet near Koblenz with the title “Germany’s Most Beautiful Hiking Trails”. The “Wandermagazin Award” for innovative achievements in tourism went to the NATURSCHAUSPIEL.at project in Upper Austria in 2011.

The next TourNatur will be held in Düsseldorf from 31 August to 2 September 2012.