Germany – it wasn’t just for the World Cup

The global popularity of Germany as a destination for travellers is undiminished even after last year’s World Cup frenzy has ended: 9.9 million overnight stays by international visitors to Germany in the first three months of 2007 account for a rise of 6.9 percent.

The figures for March alone with 3.7 million overnight stays and a growth of 9.6 percent show that Germany has been able to build on the considerable success it enjoyed in 2006. In North West Europe, the United Kingdom, the third most important source market for travel to Germany, achieved growth of 6.9 percent from and 803.566 overnight stays from January to March 2007.

German regions that particularly stood out in the first quarter of 2007 are the Saarland in the very West of Germany, benefiting from the package offers linked to nearby Luxembourg, Europe’s Capital of Culture 2007. Incoming tourism increased by 28.8 percent. Brandenburg and Thuringia in Eastern Germany recorded increases of 20 and 19.7 percent respectively. The most popular destination for international visitors to Germany was Bavaria with a total of 2.4 million, up ten percent on the number of overnight stays by international visitors in the first quarter of 2006.

German cities, providing excellent shopping facilities and a wide range of cultural attractions, are particularly popular with foreign visitors. Berlin is on top with 1.3 million overnight stays and an increase of 18.2 percent for the first three months of 2007, followed by Munich (800.000, up 15 percent). The strongest growth in incoming tourism among the members of the “Magic Cities” marketing association, Germany’s nine largest cities, was recorded by Dresden with an increase of 21.3 percent.

For more information on travel to Germany, visit Germany-tourism.co.uk.