The German National Tourist Board, with its year-end summary for 2017, is once more able to report a record result for incoming tourism for the eighth year in a row. According to (preliminary) latest data from the Federal Statistical Office for the period January to December 2017, 83.9 million international overnight stays were registered in accommodation establishments with at least 10 beds – a 3.6% increase compared to the previous year.
Petra Hedorfer, Chief Executive, GNTB, said: “In a highly competitive environment, we were able to grow dynamically once more throughout 2017. We have further expanded our leading position as a business travel destination, as a trade fair location and as a convention destination. Furthermore, Germany is booming on the international market as a holiday destination. With its excellent brand positioning, Germany offers itself as a real alternative to other established holiday destinations – Germany is ‘Simply Inspiring’.”
The figures for the UK and Ireland specifically ended 2017 on a positive trend: an increase of 0.5% for the UK and 4.6% for Ireland. The top five destinations for visitors from Ireland were Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt and Cologne in that order (measured in overnight stays).
Incoming Tourism Major Economic Factor
According to the DIW (German Institute for Economic Research), tourism accounts for 3.9% of Germany’s gross economic product – more than mechanical engineering or the retail trade. Foreign overnight guests generate around €37 billion, almost 30% of tourist consumption in Germany.
