Don’t delay, it's time to start selling the Oberammergau Passion Play today
Ann Ruppenstein
The origins of the Passion Play date back to the 1600s, when according to the lore, the residents of Oberammergau, Germany made a deal to be spared from the bubonic plague by staging the story of the life and death of Jesus Christ.
Since 1634, the Passion Play has been performed continually in the quaint town surrounded by the Ammergauer Alps, making it the world’s longest running play.
Originally set to take place in 2020, the next staging of the popular play is now being planned for a five-month run in 2022. Although it may seem far off, Julia Dywelski, director of the German National Tourist Office, says the Passion Play is something agents should focus on selling now.
“Oberammergau is a bucket list item and it has always been one of these experiences that sell out a few years in advance,” Dywelski tells Travel Courier. “With the play running from May through October, travelling in the summer also requires a bit more planning in terms of accommodations during the high season.”
Meanwhile, Jeff Roy, Executive Vice President for Collette, says the tour operator has been offering tour itineraries featuring the Oberammergau Passion Play for four decades, and they have sold out every time.
“Oberammergau is a once-in-a-decade event with limited dates and tickets. Normally, we are sold out a year in advance of the Passion Play, so reserving space early is important,” Roy says. “Many guests who were planning to attend the Play in 2020 have shifted their bookings to the new dates, which creates additional urgency for agents whose clients are interested. This is an event that will sell out, sooner rather than later. In 2022, Collette will be offering six different tour itineraries throughout Europe, each including the special chance for your clients to see the Play.”
Beyond the Passion Play
Although the Passion Play is a highlight for many, Dywelski points out that the town of Oberammergau is still a must-see during a visit to Germany when the performance isn’t taking place.
“Oberammergau has a colourful array of art, culture and tradition and with that comes a unique mixture of its people loving their home and their cosmopolitan hospitality,” she says. “The core of town is dotted with houses and homes that are decorated with ornate frescoes called Lüftlmalerei. Furthermore the tradition of woodcarving is very much alive. While you’d think that time has frozen here, this is where tradition meets modern life and blends very uniquely.”
Julia Dywelski
German National Tourist Office
Describing Oberammergau as a quaint little town in Bavaria, Roy says the village is “widely known for three things: a tradition of wood-carving, buildings that are elaborately painted, and a 380 year long tradition of its town residents performing in the Passion Play every ten years.”
Packaging tips for agents
For advisors looking to create a custom itinerary for clients, some amazing destinations and attractions like Ettal Abbey, Neuschwanstein Castle and Garmisch-Partenkirchen are all in Oberammergau’s close vicinity.
“A few more hours out are Munich, that is easily accessible from Oberammergau, but also Ulm, Nuremberg and Konstanz for example or the Black Forest and the castles along the Rhine river,” says Dywelski. “With Oberammergau’s location the trips are not too long to explore most of Germany’s South with Bavaria and Baden-Wuerttemberg. But as Germany has a great public transportation system with its train network, you could also make it up to the North.”
River cruising for unique options
Oberammergau can also easily be combined with clients’ river cruise plans on The Danube. Two unique itinerary options that encompass the Passion Play include:
Adding Oberammergau & Munich to an eight-day Danube river cruise with Emerald
Emerald Cruises has planned special Passion Play river cruises departures ideal for Canadian travellers looking to make the most of their time in Europe. The 10-day journeys combine admission to the show and overnight stays in Oberammergau and nearby Munich with an eight-day sailing along one of Europe’s most famed rivers, the Danube. Departures are available in May, June, July and September 2022, giving potential guests lots of flexibility with their trip planning and witnessing a tradition that is 380 years in the making.
Pre-Cruise Oberammergau Extension By Uniworld Boutique River Cruises
Uniworld will offer its new pre-cruise Oberammergau extension on select sailings of S.S. Beatrice’s Delightful Danube itinerary in conjunction with Oberammergau’s 42nd production, running from May 25 to Sept. 14, 2022. Clients who book this four-day pre-cruise extension will experience a morning of leisure in Oberammergau, followed by the Passion Play. The extension package also includes a three-course dinner during the show, hotel transfer from Munich Airport, a one-night stay in Munich, a two-night stay in Oberammergau, premium reserved seating to the Passion Play, two dinners, transportation to and from the show, and more.
Photos courtesy: Florian Wagner, Markus Spiske and Oberammergau.
