Berlin, 9 March 2010 The year 2009 was the most successful year ever for Berlin tourism. Around 8.3 million persons visited the German capital last year, an increase of 4.5 percent. During the same period, the number of overnight stays in commercial accommodations rose by 6.2 percent to 18.87 million.

Last year, a total of 5.4 million visitors from elsewhere in Germany traveled to Berlin, where they spent 11.4 million nights. That represents an increase of 4.5 percent in arrivals and 6.4 percent in guest-nights. The number of visitors from abroad grew as well. There were 2.88 million visitors from outside Germany, which is 4.6 percent more than last year. They accounted for 7.5 million guest-nights, an increase of 5.9 percent. The most important foreign markets were the United Kingdom, Italy, and the Netherlands.

Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit comments, “Berlin is one of the big winners in urban tourism. Hardly any other major city can point to an increase in visitor numbers even in times of crisis. Whether they come for shopping, culture, or sporting events, tourists from around the world are very fond of our city, and we come across as an open and liberal metropolis. Certainly, 2009 was a special year for the German capital. The IAAF World Championships in Athletics and the twentieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall were exceptional events that drew many visitors from around the world. But the great potential of Berlin is also getting a long-term boost from the tourism strategy of the Berlin legislature. This is allowing us to preserve jobs and strengthen the economic resources in Berlin.”

Professor Ulrike Rockmann, president of the State Statistical Institute Berlin-Brandenburg, notes, “There was growth in Berlin tourism, contrary to the trend for the country as a whole. Significantly more visitors from Germany and abroad traveled to the city. And the guests also stayed longer than in Hamburg or Munich, an average of 2.3 days.”

Burkhard Kieker, President/CEO of Berlin Tourismus Marketing GmbH, says, “Berlin is a winner in the crisis. That’s also evident from the comparison with our competitors. The world is interested in what Berliners have made of their city. And the latest numbers show that visitors like the result.”

The total number of beds rose by 10.1 percent. In December, there were 109,700 beds available to Berlin tourists in 726 commercial accommodations (including holiday camping sites).

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