Travel by coach? Why not?

On the 13^th January 2025, tourism experts will provocatively address the question of why we should actually travel by coach. International experts from travel operators and agencies will debate with representatives from the customer perspective, research and academia about the future of a popular, environmentally friendly form of travel.

The contrasts between group and individual travel are examined as well as cross-generational travel behaviour.

This industry forum aims to constructively and critically analyze both sides of the argument. The day before, event host Erlebnis Bremerhaven offers an original conference location in the Fischbahnhof and an authentic tourism program.

Meeting:  Monday 13th January 2025, 10:00 am

Mayor Melf Grantz and city councillor Torsten von Haaren highlight the importance of coach and group tourism for this diverse coastal city and the inclusion of the “Coach Tourism Day” in Bremerhaven’s range of exciting events – such as SAIL Bremerhaven 2025.

Michael Gerber, CEO of Erlebnis Bremerhaven GmbH sets the tone of the conference of how attractive destinations can motivate group travel.

Keynote speaker Vincent Dewaele, General Manager Busworld International „How the coach satisfies travel needs“ presents the coach as a canvas for unique experiences.

Jay Munro-Michell, ETOA European Tourism Association, contributes with the international perspective: “Global Views: Why

Dieter Gauf, Creator of the long-standing „Day of Coach Tourism“ rolls out the central theme of the industry forum’s script: Coach and youth tour operators as well as organisations for seniors, present different needs and requirements. Travel agencies are the forefront of sales discussions. An expert debate will cover challenging issues.

Guiding the discussion of trade experts is moderator Johannes Hübner, a coach safety expert for the industry and well known in the media, drawing out contributions from the plenary session right from the beginning.

Robert Matussek, Leisure educator and globetrotter provides an impression and experience from the customer’s perspective “Not only positive experiences on coach trips and with fellow travelers”. This is fueled by challenging individualists in a group.

René Lang, CEO of Lang Reisen contrasts this with “How coach tour companies inspire guests”.  On coach trips you take in unforgettable travel experiences in the community of the group. Coach trips are climate-friendly and environmentally friendly.

Anke Budde, President of the Federal Association of the ASR Alliance of Independent Travel Companies, reports on the reasons a coach trip scores points at the time of booking. As the owner of travel agency Budde Urlaubsreisen, she knows what customers want.

Prof. Dr. Gina Wagener, Professor of Tourism/Maritime Tourism, Head of the International Tourism Management course at Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences focuses on the expectations of different generations when it comes to travelling. The question therefore arises to what extent coach trips can be cruises on wheels.

What do seniors expect so that the largest target group remains loyal to the bus trip? Ursula Lenz, who has decades of experience working with seniors, including 20 years as press officer for the BAGSO Federal Working Group of Senior Citizens‘ Organizations and organiser of relevant seminars, describes the needs of seniors in reference to coaches and sense of security in the group.

The motives of the young target groups are completely different, and they will hopefully continue to choose this climate-friendly form of holiday in the future after their first group travel experiences. Kristina Oehler, Managing Director of RUF Jugendreisen Reisen GmbH describes “What young people get excited about on the coach”

This round of experts will certainly generate contributions and challenges from the audience (coach tourism experts and the value chain). Impacted organisations, such as tour operators, tour guides and coach drivers, have already reached out to us. Because they ensure travel success along the way and at the destination.

The day before (Sunday January 12, 2025) an authentic tourism program with visits to the emigrant house and climate house, with experiencial lunch at the Kochfischstudio, a boat trip on the MS Geestemünde and get-together in the Wulsdorfer Buernhus offers exciting backdrops for networking and impressions with a maritime flair.

Patrons are ETOA European Tourism Association and BUSWORLD.

The lively exchange of ideas in the Fischbahnhof on Monday, 13^th  January 2025 continues the innovation series of the “Days of Coach Tourism” for coach and group travel. We are very pleased that, together with Erlebnis Bremerhaven, we can offer participants this high-quality specialist tourism programme. It’s best to register now! (highlights Dieter Gauf). Participation is again free for business professionals.

Fischbahnhof Bremerhaven

Best Western Plus Hotel Bremerhaven

Fischkai 2

27572 Bremerhaven

Tel.: +49 (0)471 80935300

Email: info@hotel-bremerhaven.bestwestern.de

Internet: www.bestwestern.de/hotels/Bremerhaven/Best-Western-Plus-Hotel-Bremerhaven

Nordsee Hotel Fischereihafen

Am Schaufenster 7

27572 Bremerhaven

Tel.: +49 (0)471 93200

Email: fischereihafen@nordseehotels.com

Internet: www.nordseehotels.com/fischereihafen

No business without functional supplier-customer-interface

The upcoming Day of Coach Tourism promises an exciting debate of expert speakers, group tour operators and the trade.  

Severe staff shortages and knowledge loss due to the departure of experienced professionals are intensifying the pressure to increase efficiency by deploying automation in sales, procurement and customer administration, enhanced by Artificial Intelligence.

How can small and mid-sized tour operators continue to secure coveted rates, tickets and accommodations so essential for their tour product? Perhaps this is the opportunity for personal, face-to-face created tailormade products, which do not fit in standardised shopping baskets?

More and more tourism service providers replace static contracts with dynamic contracting with electronic data transfers being essential. If traditional businesses can’t meet the pace, can wholesalers and intermediaries with buying power and AI assets solve their problems? Does this offer a competitive advantage for hotels, destinations and packaged service providers still employing personal key account managers and client facing staff?

When issues arise for guides and drivers on group tours on site while no direct contact persons respond

Acknowledged experts from coach entrepreneurs, intermediaries, hospitality, ticketing to event marketing, online and traditional, as well as in-destination driver guides, researchers and lecturers, responsible politicians have the opportunity to exchange views and opinions with decision makers of the value chain from the group travel sector. Insiders share updates on dynamic pricing, cancellation terms, exclusivity and access to cultural offers, Chat GPT drafting proposals, complaint processing and more.

Johannes Huebner, hosts this trade forum – expects a controversial and innovative debate on human-machine-interaction. Press coverage will raise critical questions.

Topics, expert-led contributions and challenges – offers a format for an exciting debate: expert statements, panel discussions with skilled moderation.

This proven meeting format delivers challenges and lively debates by an engaged panel. Dieter Gauf, Director and creator of this annual trade highlight disclosed:” Several leading tourism entrepreneurs have already sent in constructive-critical contributions and are confirmed to add to the debate”. He urges to join the discussion and to get involved: (your feed back is very welcome, please mail to: organisation@tag-der-bustouristik.de)

No participation fee for trade visitors

The Location: Halle (Saale), City of trade, Future-Centre of German Unity invites you to explore many unique attractions. Meet and network with industry colleagues during an attractive sightseeing program and the popular get-together on the evening before the Day of Coach Tourism. The congress is an ideal platform to make contacts with the trade.

The Invitationflyer at the margin introduces the complete program with all speakers, their topics and the framework of all activities.

Register now HERE

Topics – Theses – Interjections – offers a format for an exciting debate: expert statements, panel discussions with skilled moderation.

Pro & Cons: Protagonists of the focused theses explain potentials, backgrounds and constraints. Explosive points are not excluded. Renowned scientists and experts have already confirmed. The program will be announced shortly.

Dialogue: The theses, scenarios and recommendations already introduced during the conception of the conference, such as: Analysis of customer behavior, selection of climate-relevant components, effects of long-distance transport, effect of different models, knowledge of mystery shopping and innovations of group travel. Best practices from home and abroad, and the „view outside the box“ of the specific industry promise an exciting, forward-looking discussion.

Interactive: Please submit additional suggestions and contributions.

Conception: Dieter Gauf

Executive Projectmanager: Wolfgang Gauf

Start into the new Tourism Season and into a new, different Normality 

A panel of experts analysed and discussed: how will coach tourism project its previous market presence into the future and how will it defy crises?

• Coach tourism within the recovery programs of the destinations.
• Where are coaches welcome again?
• Perspectives of coach entrepreneurs  – attractive offers after the crises?
• Alternatives of local tourism industry for group tourism?
• Fresh money to finance relaunch.
• Ukrainian War impairs travel not only in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
• Views beyond the horizon: challenges – particularly Brexit – and chances in Europe, innovations for coach tourism etc.

The 40th „Day of Coach Tourism“ was successfully carried out on Monday, November 7th, 2022 in Wiesbaden, Germany.

More than 170 professionals of the coach tourism industry and their international business partners attended the popular „Day of Coach Tourism /Tag der Bustouristik“: the European meeting for all seriously involved with and interested in promoting the  coach and group tourism sectors.
It turned out to be a highly rewarding business networking opportunity :The  pre-conference Get-together on the evening of Sunday, November, 6th  2022 in the Sektkellerei Henkell -Freixenet ,Sparkling Wine Cellars kicked-off the face-to-face meeting of the trade – finally, after the long spred of video conferences during the pandemic.

The Conference Theme:  New Normality for Coach Tourism – Return to the Future analysed the situation of coach tourism in the stage of a hopefully receeding Covid pandemic and the consequences of the Ukrainian War for tourism industry. The cross-industry expert-debate elaborated recovery programs and focused on solutions.

Karl-Reinhard Wissmüller, Chairman of Landesverband Hessischer Omnibusunternehmen LHO (bus operator association) came full circle in his speech with the very first „Tag der Bustouristik“ in 1982, then under the patronship of LHO. In reference to the economic importance and ecological benefits of coachtravel he substantiated political demands. He hopes for free entry of coaches into cities and touristic sites throughout Europe. Christiane Hinninger, Commissioner for Economic Developement of the City of Wiesbaden underlined the contribution of coach travellers for the Hessian capital and vice versa the attraction for coach tourism. She also assured to evaluate Wissmüllers demands for optimized coach stops.

Coach travel is special – particularly because „the way is the goal“. The Coach is the medium to make travel dreams come true. In his impulse statement Vincent Dewaele, General Manager of BUSWORLD International, illustrated the decisive role of this very special transportation vehicle. BUSWORLD exhibitions globaly present high technology around the bus, which truthfully can claim to be global champion of all motorized vehicles for climate protection. Furthermore these exhibitions generate important findings for sustainable travel.  BUSWORLD is the coachpartner of „Tag der Bustouristik“.

Dieter Gauf, Director and screenwriter of „Tag der Bustouristik“ explained the philosophy and concept of this independent trade symposion throughout 40 years:  exploration of explosive, often controversial topics, a special culture for controversy  and search for solutions, with reknown, valiant expertspeakers  Gauf highlighted impulses given and themes, which are still urgent. He thanked several previous experts which had contributed to the series of conventions.

Return to the future: in order to build upon tried and tested experience it is necessary to analyse the causes. Gauf rendered current results of of consumer and market behaviour research in the era of Covid and Ukrainian war and findings of consumer reaction in and after crises as basis for the subsequent debate.

Johannes Hübner, TV and radio commentator and anchorman of trade debates moderated the exiting exchange of information and views. „Topics, Theses Interjections“ was the frame for this debate, particularly to trigger input of the plenary.

Priority of coach tourism within the recovery programs of tourism destinations? Is local tourism industry prepared for relaunch? Are coaches welcome again or will mistakes be repeated? Some overlook the benefits of coaches and bar coach entry as unsuitable measure against overtourism. Lockout after lockdown? Romeo Draghicchio, Member of the Board of Corps Touristique CT and Director of  Kroatische Zentrale für Tourismus (Croatian Tourist Board in Germany) stood up to these burning questions. Speaking for the CT as the association of international tourist boards representing global tourism diversity. On the other hand he brought in the experiences of the popular coach destination Croatia. Obviously there exist disparities among different countries and regions in the splits between persistent regulations and emerging incentives. One of the many discussion inputs from the plenary: Madame Karine Lober, director of  Atout France (French Tourist Board in Germany and Poland) elaborated how and where regions of the „Grande Nation“ are again promoting coach tourism

Martin Michel, CEO of Wiesbaden Congress & Marketing GmbH presented a German contrast: Destination Wiesbaden Rheingau – a bestpractice of joint marketing and one-shop for offers of Wiesbaden and the popular Rheingau region. „2023 – Wiesbaden im Rheingau“

Sean Taggart, Director of European Tourism Association ETOA and patron of “Tag der Bustouristik“, contributed international perspectives. E.g. findings of global travel and how coach operators und service providers are preparing for relaunch. He also explained perceptions of ETOA workshops in respect to procurement of tourism services and conditionspolicy. Representing an European association with British roots, Taggart also focused on Brexit. Brexit has considerable consequences for global travel particulary via UK gateways to and from EU. E.g. margin taxation and visa procedures.  Human capital flight is a severe brake for growth in tourism industry, particularly brain drain of qualified staff. Incidentally Taggart is also owner of TourEasy, UK`s first and only carbon-free coach touroperator.

For over 85 years Omnibusbetrieb (bus operator) Philippi has overcome many crises. Mark Philippi, busoperator in the third generation and also member of LHO board dealt with the outlook for bus operators after the current crisis.scenario: It is important to regain consumer trust and goodwill. And to generate consumer needs and fulfill their desires. He sees sustainability in ecological and climate-friendly coaches as ways to success. And nature experience as a new form of luxury.
Finally he constated staff shortage and the need for staff-training. Members of the tourmanager and touristguide associations brought valuable interventions from within the plenary.

The Ukrainian war affects group travel destinations in Eastern Europe and Central Asia – key markets of small and middlesize special touroperatos – such as Jochen Szech, owner of GO-EAST Reisen und member of the board of  Allianz Selbständiger Reiseunternehmen ASR Bundesverband (federation of independent touroperators). The war forced him to replace an essential market completely. Unfortunately many customers also refuse to travel to regions in more distant surroundings not even affected. As a solution he develops tours to regions with similiar character, such as Albania, where he can employ special knowhow for travel to unexplored destinations..

After financial grants and government aid programs are running out, the industry will need new money. Volker Schatten, expert on crowd investments illuminated alternatives to traditional bank loans.

During and after these expert statements many participants joined the debate. One pressing question involved the integration of longdistance regular coach services into government subsidized nationwide 49-Euro-Tickets.

The Get-together on the evening before the convention proved to be a treasured platform for person-to-person communication – sorely missed during the long covid-interruption. 120 guests came to the kick-off at the Sektkellerei Henkell -Freixenet. This sparklingwine cellar is a very popular program module of event tours. The VPR, Verband der Paketreiseveranstalter (tour wholesaler association) surprised the participants with a birthday cake celebrating 40 years „Tag der Bustouristik:  Dieter Gauf and members of VPR presidium Maurice Masternak, Carsten Dreyer und Generalmanager Florian Gärtner cut the cake. Several coach and grouptravel entrepreneurs had already explored the city and museums of Wiesbaden..

„Now it is important to look at the future, build upon tried and tested to exploit new opportunities.“ Dieter Gauf, Organizer of „Tag der Bustouristik“

Gauf also commended the excellent support of Wiesbaden Congress & Marketing GmbH, the host of 40.“Tag der Bustouristik“; „From the start we knew and experienced Wiesbaden as the perfect partner. Their special motivation, flexibility and expertise were particularly crucial during the hot covid phase and the consequential postponement of the original meeting date in January.

The historical Wiesbaden Kurhaus was an impressive location for our anniversary convention and a showpiece for what a host city can offer.“

The 41. „Tag der Bustouristik –  Day of Coach Tourism“

will be on 15. January 2024 in Halle (Saale).

Organizer: Dieter Gauf                 Projectmanager: Wolfgang Gauf

Please use the contact form for further information HERE or send us an E-Mail.

Fotos: 4C Concept

Fotos: Wiesbaden Congress & Marketing GmbH

Fotos: 4C Concept

• Keynote-Message: Dr.Oliver Franz, Mayor of Wiesbaden and Commissioner for Economic Developement
• Karl-Reinhard Wissmüller, Chairman LHO Federation of Coachoperators
• Introduction and Screenplay of the Conference:
  Dieter Gauf, Editor, Consultant and Organizer of „Tag der Bustouristik“
• Challenges and Opportunities for Coach Tourism Recovery across Europe Sean Taggart, Commercial Director, European Tourism Association (ETOA)
• Hanna Kleber, President Corps Touristique – International Touristboards contributing Inspiration to Global Tourism Diversity
• Wiesbaden Rheingau – Best practice for Destination Marketing and Grouptourism, Martin Michel, CEO Wiesbaden Tourismus
• Philippi Reisen Entrepreneurs since 85 years – Mark Philippi illuminates Perspectives of Coachtourism after the Pandemic.
• Online Distribution and/or face-to-face selling: Travel Agencies as Point of Sale. Jochen Szech, President of ASR Federation of Independent Touroperators and Travel Agents
• Vincent Dewaele, Busworld International
• Fresh Money for the Trade: Dr. Ralf Beck, Author of Brauchen wir noch Banken – do we still need banks ?
• Anchorman of the paneldiscussion:
  Johannes Hübner, TV and Radio commentator, Head of Coach Safety Initiative RBI

• Patronship: ETOA European Tourism Association
• Strategic Supporter: BUSWORLD