Three agents from the Birmingham area recently joined a Taber Holidays educational to Stuttgart and the Black Forest. Flying with Maersk Air, an independent carrier operating for British Airways, the group had a city tour of Stuttgart. Next up was a trip by rail to Triberg in the Black Forest, notable for its famed waterfall – the largest in Germany. Also on offer was a tour of the region’s historic working farms, and a visit to nearby Schonach to see the town’s giant cuckoo clocks. We asked for their impressions before and after the trip.
Agents and operators can get more information on the region from the following organisation’s stands: Stuttgart Marketing, Schwarzwald Tourismus (the Black Forest Tourist Board) and Holidays Around the Waterfalls, the Black Forest.
Before: I studied German at school but I had never been there. It was not really a place I had any great inclination to visit and was certainly not top of my list. But we do get a fair number of requests for Germany so I felt the trip would be useful. I suppose I had all the usual stereotypes about Germany and the German people in mind – I expected them to be very efficient and shout a lot. I had also heard a lot about how good the Germany’s railway system was so I was quite interested to see if it lived up to its reputation.
After: The trip completely changed my perceptions of Germany. Cities are all pretty similar around the world and Stuttgart has all the usual shops and fast-food chains – but somehow this was a surprise to me and made me realise that the people are not so very different from us. The trains are very different. The journey to Triberg took 2hrs but it was a pleasure because the trains were so fast and comfortable and you really have a good chance to admire the changing scenery. Triberg in the Black Forest was lovely and I am now promoting it to families and those looking for short breaks. Having never wanted to go, I would now certainly go back.
Jo Findlay, Sales Consultant, Pilnicks Travel, Malvern, Age: 20
Before: I had never been to Germany before. I knew the Black Forest was very popular and so guessed it must be pretty spectacular. But I couldn’t really imagine how the cities or towns would look. There had been a lot of snow just before our visit and also avalanches in neighbouring Austria, so we knew it would be snowy and expected that would make it all the more pretty. I went with an open mind and thought I’d just take it as it came. We had sold a few holidays a year to Germany but it wasn’t a destination that came up a great deal.
After: The thing which surprised me about Stuttgart was the amount of greenery. There are a lot of parks very close to the city centre and on the hills all around are vineyards – I just never expected that from a city. The motor and art museums were interesting, there were plenty of places to eat and it was a very relaxed city. In the Black Forest, the house-sized cuckoo clock was amazing – we could walk inside the mechanism – and the farms were very interesting. I find it easier to sell Germany now and this region certainly has something to appeal to most people. I would definitely go back.
Davina Barnes, Sales Consultant, Villair Travel, Ashby de la Zouch, Leicester, Age: 20
Before: I was rarely asked for Germany and I had never been there myself. I imagined it would be a mix of Austria and France. I had been to Switzerland so I thought the Black Forest would be similar scenically. Germany never occurred to me as a place to suggest for holidays because, if I’m honest, I didn’t know much about what was there. I thought the people would be rude, like pushing to the front of the queue and grabbing the best sun beds.
After: I was really surprised at how much Germany has to offer both historically and culturally and feel it is seriously underrated as a holiday destination. Anyone who likes walking or lakes and mountain holidays will love the Black Forest and I would certainly pay to go back with my family. The stereotype image of the Germans is a complete mistake – the people are really pleasant and friendly, very modern and European. Our image of them has stayed stuck in the past but they have definitely moved on. I am now actively promoting Germany and think it could be much more popular if there was more awareness of what is there.
Joanna Fleming, Sales Consultant, East Murcia Co-Op Travel, Rugby, Age: 40