SouthWest Germany’s Specialist Program for Travel Agents
Informs, delights and awards certificates and a trip!
In little over a few hours, travel agents and anyone interested in
SouthWest Germany, officially the federal state of Baden-Württemberg, is a beautiful part of Germany that offers green hills and valleys, caves of ancient art and forests, large and small rivers and lakes, as well as great cities, palaces, castles and medieval monasteries. The variety means that visitors can have a total, in-depth German experience in just one visit. And, it is easy for travel agents to help their clients create that dream vacation.
The specialist program has 11 modules each with a different topic. The modules introduce the visitor with basic knowledge courses about why to go covering the top highlights such as the famous cities and towns; how to get there by plane, train, bus or car; and the best time of year to go. The variety of modules lead the travel agent through the courses in a fun, interactive and engaging manner so time passes quickly.
In the heart of Europe, SouthWest Germany is the country’s sunniest region. Bordering on France, Switzerland and Austria, SouthWest Germany offers visitors the perfect European experience. Rail is the convenient alternative to flying and is often the quickest way of getting around Europe and South-West Germany. Long-distance and local train times are coordinated to ensure quick, easy connections. The ICE-Intercity Express high-speed service offers at least one train every hour between Germany’s major cities and neighboring countries. SouthWest Germany has an excellent network of highways (Autobahn) and there are seven international airports.
World-famous highlights include the beautiful Black Forest and the sophisticated spa resort of Baden-Baden, but there are also lesser-known treasures and ready-to-be-discovered small town gems. SouthWest Germany appeals to young and old alike, thanks to its combination of unspoiled nature, outdoor activities, unique historical palaces and castles and world-class natural spas. It also offers fun festivals, and award-winning restaurants and wines. Anytime of year is fun in SouthWest Germany because there are the Christmas markets, skiing and winter sports and the Carnival (Fas’nacht) celebrations in the Black Forest; fall is a perfect time for enjoying the wines and going hiking through the two luscious wine regions as well as raising a Stein at Stuttgart’s famous beer festival; summer is wonderful for visiting the luxurious and historic castles and palaces while spring is perfect for almost everything especially the gardens and the fruit trees and indulging in the annual treat of white asparagus which is on every menu. At every time of year, the cities and towns, museums, opera, dance and festivals entertain and delight with their regular cultural performances and displays.
SouthWest Germany offers charming villages going back in time, historic towns and luxurious getaways. The university cities of Heidelberg, Tuebingen and Freiburg are vivacious and historic, each has its own highlights such as the Chocol’Art chocolate market in Tuebingen at Christmas time or the music festival in Heidelberg where famous people perform in intimate places throughout the town in the spring. Freiburg has an amazing wine festival in July and yet, at any time of year, these towns offer museums, restaurants and fabulous charm. Baden-Baden is a luxurious getaway where highlights include the world class performances at the Spielhaus and the casino.
SouthWest Germany has the potential to absorb visitors so while it is possible to see the entire state in seven to 10 days, we recommend spending one month. Of course this may be difficult for people who don’t have so much vacation time so it is understandable if you have to limit your time to certain regions or routes all of which are content and activity rich so you can experience a lot in a short time.
The north provides the towns of Heidelberg, the castle road, the Technomuseum of Mannheim, the ZKM Center for Art and Media in Karlsruhe and many castles and palaces such as royal palace and gardens of Schwetzingen and the asparagus route. The middle of the state is home to the capital of Stuttgart surrounded by the wine region of Wuerttemberg. Stuttgart has two world class art museums as well as museums for architecture and antiques. Einstein came from the town of Ulm in Swabia where there is also a fantastic bread museum and this is close to a great beer route and the town of Ehingen on the Danube as well as the baroque route and some of Europe’s most extraordinary cave art as well as the town of Ravensburg of puzzle fame. The Black Forest provides endless possibilities for hiking and biking and outdoor experiences. In the south, bordering Switzerland and Austria, Lake Constance is a paradise for families interested in the Bronze Age Village, the seaside castle of Meersburg, the UNESCO World heritage monastery island of Reichenau and the garden island of Mainau and the Zeppelin Museum to name a few.
Many travelers delight in that SouthWest Germay is a haven and heaven for car lovers. This is where the world’s first car was made and today the tradition of producing top notch cars of the future has not let up. Both Mercedes and Porsche call Stuttgart home. They have extraordinary museums and restaurants and interactive and changing exhibits. Stuttgart also is home to two car themed hotels and a world class car trading center where visitors can rent vintage cars, trade in their own vintage autos.. There are additional car museums in Ladenburg and Sinsheim and the Formula 1 racetrack at Sinsheim where visitors can complete test drives. So, whether you choose to do European delivery and picnic in a Porsche or you prefer to visit the work studios of Daimler and Maybach outside of Stuttgart and the museum dedicated to Benz in Mannheim, there are endless opportunities for gearheads.
Participants will learn about all of the above and more and those who complete all of the course modules earn a special certification that they can scan and upload to their websites and put in their signatures. It is a great way to start the year and give travel agents an opportunity to reach out to their clients with their new expertise and ideas. Those who complete eight of the 11 modules may be entered for a free trip to SouthWest Germany.
