At the British Youth Travel Awards 2011, Germany ousted traditional favourite Australia to be named the Best International Youth Destination for the year.

The awards, hosted by TV personality and paralympic superstar Ade Adepitan, recognised different organisations and destinations in the youth travel market that focus on giving young people affordable, memorable and enjoyable experiences around the world.

In second and third place for the International award were Australia and Sacramento (capital of the US state of California) respectively, proving that Germany truly excelled to win the prestigious accolade. Klaus Lohmann, director of the German National Tourist Office’s (GNTO) UK and Ireland operations, commented, “we are delighted to have won such a prestigious award. It reaffirms that Germany’s marketing to the youth is seen among the best and recognises our efforts to position the country as a diverse and affordable travel destination with great appeal to young people.”

The executive director at the British Educational Travel Association (BETA), Emma English, congratulated GNTO’s efforts, giving “all credit to Germany for collecting the Best International Youth Destination prize at the 2011 British Youth Travel Awards. Pitted against industry stalwarts Australia, Germany proved that their hard work and commitment to engaging and communicating with the youth market has paid dividends.”

Other awards included Best Mobile App, going to Generator Hostels, spread across various Western European locations, and the Green Tourism Award, won by Madventurer Volunteer Projects. However, the significance of the award won by Germany was highlighted by the BETA chief executive.

“We were delighted to see a big increase in nominations this year, and were all very impressed with the high standards and competition, especially within the ‘Best Educational Product’ and ‘Best Accommodation’ category – with both categories receiving a record number of submissions,” said Ms English.

With beaches in the north, skiing in the south and culture spread across its entirety, Germany certainly serves as an exciting, centrally located destination the for entirety of Europe.