In 2008, Stuttgart and Mumbai would be celebrating its 40th anniversary of twinning arrangement between the two cities and our Editor caught up with Hans Jörg Hadbawnik, the Regional Director (Russia & India) of Stuttgart Marketing, to find out more about the city and its environs.

What is there for the leisure traveller to see in and around the Stuttgart region?
Stuttgart is known for the world famous automobile Mercedes Benz and many people from India have the wrong perception that Stuttgart is an industrial city. In fact, it isn't. Although the city has a big factory of Mercedes Benz, it is primarily assembling the cars. Stuttgart region has a wonderful landscape and there is lots to offer in terms of history, culture, wine tours including wine tasting and visit to wine museum and we have the Neckar river going thru the city of Stuttgart. Stuttgart is also famous for its cuisine as we have a very high density of restaurants in the city including more than 10 Indian restaurants.

As Stuttgart is perceived to be a destination for business, how do you plan attracting leisure travellers?
We can combine business travel with leisure travel and once the business is over and done, families can join in for 3 or 4 days to explore the region in and around Stuttgart. That would be our primary objective. A minimum of 3 nights is highly recommended and we have excellent connections to Stuttgart International airport which has 65 international airlines that fly into the city from 32 different countries. Although there are no direct flights from India, there are convenient connections into Stuttgart from Mumbai and/or Delhi via major European cities including Frankfurt, Munich, Vienna, Milan as well as Copenhagen to name a few of them. Stuttgart is located in the middle of Frankfurt and Munich and hence from any of these cities one can reach Stuttgart within 2 hours by road or 90 minutes by train. This February we are celebrating the 40th anniversary between the sister cities Mumbai and Stuttgart and we are planning major celebrations for the twinning arrangement between the two cities by organizing events in Mumbai during the first week of February.

How many people from India visit Germany every year?
In 2006, we had 18000 people from India visiting Germany. After Frankfurt and Munich, Stuttgart is the next most important destination for Indian travellers and we expect the number of visitors from India to Stuttgart increasing in the current year especially as we are celebrating 40 years of the twinning arrangements between the cities. The good thing about the city is that it is a year round destination as we have mild winters and pleasant summers. Black Forest is just one hour drive from Stuttgart and the route is very picturesque indeed. Even Lake Constance is two hours drive from Stuttgart. Hence, it is ideal to combine a few places in and around the region. Within an hour's drive from Stuttgart you are in France and in 30 minutes you can be in Switzerland or Austria so it is convenient to visit Stuttgart as well as neighbouring countries, most of which require the common Schengen visa. Stuttgart has year round events which can be easily combined by visits to the museums including the Mercedes Benz Museum which is a must visit for lovers of automobile. Then there are wine festivals, beer festivals and we also have Christmas Markets. Hence, we see a great potential and increase in visitors in the current year to Stuttgart.

From which places does Stuttgart receive lot of visitors?
Our major tourist traffic currently is from Switzerland, Austria, U.K., USA and the people visiting from India and Russia is on the rise.

Indian visitors generally prefer Indian food or vegetarian options. How do you plan addressing this situation?
As mentioned earlier, we currently have more than ten Indian restaurants as Indian food is popular amongst Germans as well. Besides, many German restaurants also serve vegetarian food, so choice of cuisine shouldn't be a problem for the Indian visitor.

What has your experience been especially visiting India?
Although this is my first trip to Mumbai, I have been to Delhi in the past and as I see more of your country, I seem to enjoy it. I quite liked Delhi, Rajasthan and I am highly impressed with the response from Mumbai.

Which are your preferred places you travel to when you want to get out of Stuttgart?
Black Forest is definitely one place worth visiting. The region around Stuttgart has many castles which are worth a visit. There are several day trips to regions around Stuttgart that one can do not only within Germany but also include visits to neighbouring countries especially France, Switzerland and Austria.

STUTTGART- the great star of southern Germany

Stuttgart is the city of poets, philosophers, tinkers and inventors. Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach constructed the first fast running petrol engine of the world in Stuttgart. The great philosopher Hegel was born here and your visit to Stuttgart must include visits to the:

1. Mercedes Benz World: go thru 120 years of automobile history spreads over nine floors of fascinating architecture.
2. Museum in Le Corbusier-House: see the modern Bauhaus architecture and the unique architecture of the houses in the Weissenhof colony and visit the museum in the fascinating Corbusier House.
3. Mineral Spas: With over 19 springs ,enjoy the experience of bathing in sparkling Champagne in one of the three Stuttgart mineral spas.
4. Opera and Ballet: A visit to the award winning State Opera is a must for all visitors and the Stuttgart ballet has always been a leading ballet ensemble in the world for more than 40 years.
5. Castles and Wines: Stuttgart is a region famous for its fine wines and has many castles too including the imposing Old and New Castles, former residence of the Württemberg Kings and hidden in the forests you will fine the fairy tale castle of Solitude in rococo style.

You can take a 90 minutes sightseeing tour of Stuttgart which includes visits to some of the major sights including the fantastic cultural mile, historical city centre and a visit to the world famous Weissenhof Colony. You can book online with www.stuttgart-tourist.de or even thru COMPACT TRAVELS. Contact +91 (022) 22828208 or 22812593 or email tours@rbcsgroup.com to get interesting facts on Stuttgart and the Baden Württemberg region as well as other regions of Germany.

If you plan to stay a few more days in Stuttgart, you can visit the Baroque Castle in Ludwigsburg which is 20 minutes by tram as well as the former free imperial city of Esslingen and the University city of Tübingen, all within 30 to 45 minutes by rail. There is lots to see in and around the region of Baden Württemberg and Stuttgart is an ideal hub to explore this wonderful region.
 

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