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Ready for kick-off?

(09 June 2005)


Picture: Image Bank

The Germans are always prepared for the World Cup and the German 2006 Travel Weekly Academy ensures you’ll be ready for clients travelling to the football.

The Academy’s nine modules cover the major German cities, transport, accommodation and, of course, the football teams and stadia.

The 2006 tournament will bring thousands of new and old visitors to Germany and the Academy is designed to combine information about the country with a look at some of the facts, figures, people and places that make it what it is today.

Module 1: Germany introduction
Germany’s 16 federal states have something for everyone, from the foothills of the Alps in the south to the Baltic and North Sea coasts in the north. The west boasts the Rhine and Moselle rivers and a fascinating industrial history, while the east offers cities such as Dresden and Berlin and beautiful countryside around the River Elbe. Find out about the currency, population, food, culture, the regions and facts of the country.

Module 2: Football in Germany
This module will test you on the facts and figures of German football. Find out about the Bundesliga, the teams and where the German Cup Final is played. By the end of this module you’ll have a better idea of the history of football in Germany, how to get to certain stadiums and how to get hold of match tickets. There is also a comprehensive guide to the 2006 World Cup.

Module 3: Transport and Accommodation
Find out about air, rail and road links to Germany. Discover the journey times and how to travel around the country, and the accommodation your clients will find. Germans are proud of their transport system, and it’s a good way of backing up a potential sale. You’ll learn about the best ways of getting there and the most convenient way to travel from place to place. Look out for questions on great-value combination travel tickets.

Module 4: Hamburg and Hanover
The northern-most cities are an interesting mix of history, culture and modern. They have a history stretching back many hundreds of years, but are culturally and commercially modern cities. Hamburg has a huge working harbour, while Hanover is renowned as a cultural centre and a venue for conferences and trade fairs. Volkswagen’s Wolfsburg Autostadt, situated nearby, is a popular attraction as well as a working factory.

Module 5: Berlin and Leipzig
In the east are Berlin, Germany’s famous capital, and Leipzig, a major sporting city where the DFB (German Football Association) was founded in 1900. Berlin lies in the middle of the state of Brandenburg, of which Potsdam is the capital, and is a state in its own right. Leipzig’s history is characterised by music and politics, as well as sport, and is formerly home to Bach, Mendelssohn and Wagner.

Module 6: Gelsenkirchen and Cologne
In the west of the country we find Gelsenkirchen, a famous footballing town and home of Schalke ’04, and Cologne, the cathedral city on the banks of the Rhine. Gelsenkirchen is a major industrial town which has undergone astonishing regeneration in recent years, while Cologne boasts a 2,000-year history as a cultural centre. Today both are vibrant, welcoming places with a wealth of local and regional attractions.

Module 7: Dortmund and Frankfurt
Dortmund is home to another famous football team, and Frankfurt am Main is the financial centre whose skyline has earned it the nickname Mainhattan. Dortmund was one of the major coal-producing cities of the Ruhr area, and its industrial heritage remains a key element of its modern tourist industry. Frankfurt is often thought of as the headquarters of the European Central Bank, but it’s also a historic, highly cultured and cosmopolitan city.

Module 8: Kaiserslautern and Stuttgart
Further south is Kaiserslautern in the Rheinland-Pfalz region and Stuttgart, the capital of Baden-Württemberg. Kaiserslautern takes it name from the Hohenstaufen Emperor (Kaiser) Barbarossa, who built an imperial palace here 850 years ago. Stuttgart, generally considered Germany’s hip-hop capital and ornamented by architectural styles from medieval to post-modern and Bauhaus, can boast an equal mix of cultural variety, history and natural beauty.

Module 9: Nuremberg and Munich
The last two cities are in the southeast of Germany. Nuremberg is famous for its unique medieval atmosphere and is full of boutiques, shops, bars and restaurants. The city also hosts one of the most famous Christmas markets in the country. Munich, Germany’s southernmost city, is home to the distinctive Church of Our Lady and thrives on balancing the beautiful game with high culture and historic sites with well-used pubs. Oh, and you may have heard of its football team: they’re called FC Bayern...

Join the Academy by logging on to www.travelweekly.co.uk/academycourses/germany2006.

Certificates are awarded after successfully completing all modules, with prizes up for grabs.