TORONTO — Did you know Germany has 5,000 beer brews, 1,500 different varieties of sausage, 140 wines and that German bread making is recognized on the UNESCO list of cultural heritage?

It’s a country of culinary delights and to celebrate all the national delicacies – and another buoyant year of Canadian visitation to Germany – the new Director of the German National Tourist Office in Canada, Julia Dywelski, invited industry partners to toast the holiday season with some traditional German cuisine, festive spirit and, of course, German wine.

“We want to show you what Germany has to offer, our wide range of culinary delights,” said Dywelski at last night’s industry dinner in Toronto. “From homestyle cooking clubs to high-end Michelin-starred restaurants, Germany offers options to satisfy every different kind of traveller. And of course a good glass of wine goes hand in hand with a good meal, and Germany has 13 wine regions with almost 80,000 producers.”

Food and tourism pair together very well in Germany with interesting (and delicious) things to do all across the country. Travellers can visit the fish market in Hamburg, savour gingerbread in North Rhine-Westphalia or goat cheese in Saarland, and scarf down the original bratwurst in Thuringia.

The GNTO created the ‘Culinary Germany’ campaign theme for 2018, serving up promotions incorporating typical traditional offerings from all of the German regions. It also included tourism innovations, special locations and gave visitors the possibility of experiencing these regions through their culinary traditions.

Germany has a wide range of regional cooking styles and specialties. An increasing number of restaurateurs are developing their culinary offerings using regional and seasonal products and traditional recipes, to prepare local and delicious cuisine.

Regional weekly markets or traditional festivals throughout the year provide visitors from around the world with an especially authentic experience of German culture in terms of food and drink.

German wines are also a draw for tourism, and many visitors enjoy wine walking tours that combine active travel and wine tastings. In 13 wine-growing regions, travellers to Germany are accompanied by one of 500 qualified wine tour guides. DWI Riesling Lounges, where select culinary experts introduce German wines, provide an opportunity to discover wines outside of the wine-growing regions.

For more information, visit germany.travel/en.