Welcome to the media room of the German National Tourist Office. In this section you will find our latest press releases and press newsletters as well as general information on Germany and upcoming events. Access our picture database online, sign up for our monthly press newsletter or find your media contact at the German National Tourist Office in the Americas. Discover the variety of Germany - we look forward working with you.

Castles, gardens and palaces are luring Americans to Germany in 2008. With over 20,000 castles with amazing architectural features from different epochs, Germany's castles beckon those interested in excellent history, cuisine, culture and luxury. Explore the castles of King Ludwig in Bavaria or retrace the footsteps of Albert and Victoria in Coburg's castles. Or imagine Luther's ordeal during his captivity in the Wartburg Castle in Germany's central state of Thuringia. Live and dine like a king in the five star castle hotels that grace the banks of the Rhine including the Castle Kronberg, the Castle Hotel Lerbach (Restaurant Lerbach) and Schloss Bensberg (Restaurant Vendome) where Dieter Mueller and Joachim Wissler reign in their respective kitchens. Also those seeking great value for their dollars can enjoy historical accommodations. Find castles along the Castle Road from Mannheim and Heidelberg to Prague, where some hotel rooms are as low as 75 Euros for two people. Come to visit Germany and its castles in 2008!

This year we are celebrating the 400s birthday of the first Germans arriving in America. Over 42 million US-citizens are of German origin! In recognition of 400 years of vibrant German contribution to America, the GNTO and the German Information Center and their partners launched a new heritage website. At www.germanoriginality.com, visitors will find links to ancestry websites; the history of famous German Americans and inventions of German origin; German products; an emigration time line; an interactive map of important German American heritage places; as well as community features, including cooking ideas and recipes, German American festivals and events in the U.S. and travel tips and places to share travel and heritage stories and photos.