Berlin, 8 October 2010 Despite the highest rainfall in around 130 years, the number of tourists visiting Berlin in August has continued to grow. According to the Berlin-Brandenburg Statistical Office, there were once again more than two million overnight stays in the eighth month of this year. A total of 817,500 visitors from Germany and abroad came to the German capital. This was eight percent more than in the same month last year. The number of overnight stays increased by 6.4 percent to 2.1 million

Mainly international visitors travelled to the German capital. Their number increased in August by 16.8 percent to 341,600. Visitors from abroad counted for 995,000 overnight stays in accommodation facilities in Berlin - an increase of 14.1 percent. Most international visitors to Berlin came from Italy (43,102 arrivals), Spain (34,805 arrivals) and Great Britain (29,196 arrivals). However, especially high growth rates were indicated from Austria (+30.3 percent) and France (+27.1 percent).

"Despite the rain in August, international visitors have not been deterred from visiting the German capital", say visitBerlin Managing Director Burkhard Kieker.

The number of German visitors increased by 2.4 percent and amounted to 475,900 guests. However, the number of overnight stays from Germany almost remained constant at 1.1 million (0.3 percent). In August, 111,700 beds in 751 accommodation facilities were available to visitors to the German capital. 60.2 percent of them were occupied.

(1 497 characters)