Berlin, 17 September 2012 How does the city view its tourists? “Tourists, Berlin loves you!” – that’s what Berliners think according to a current representative survey on the visitors to the city. 91% of the polled Berliners are proud to see people from all over the world visit the city. Nine out of 10 interviewed (89%) consider themselves neither restricted nor disturbed by the increase in tourism in the city. A large part of those who feel disturbed are incomers with a duration of residence of less than 10 years in the city. And 86% believe that people in the capital city are good hosts. This is the result of a poll amongst 1,029 female and male Berliners from all boroughs.

Governing Mayor Klaus Wowereit comments: “Berlin is popular with tourists – and this is a mutual feeling. The study shows that the Berliners are pleased about the visitors and all attempts to suggest a major conflict in certain parts of the city do not correspond to reality. Berlin is pleased about the interest of visitors; Berlin is an open and international city. And whenever the infrastructure needs to be readjusted to the many visitors, the city Senate will press for the necessary measures to be taken. For the city, tourism has actually become an important economic factor – with EUR 10.3 billion sales revenues in the tourism and convention industry, almost 300,000 jobs around tourism. We want to further expand this.”

The force of attraction of the German capital is today as strong as never before. “The world loves Berlin and the Berliners love their guests”, says Burkhard Kieker, CEO of visitBerlin. “All the prerequisites are met for our city to remain on the winning track.” The German capital experienced an unprecedented development in tourism over the last years which took half a century and longer in other cities, according to Kieker.

During the last 10 years arrivals and room nights almost doubled. In 2011 Berlin recorded 22.4 million room nights for accommodation providers.

Further results of the study: tourism is a benefit for the city

Tourism is a benefit for the city: 85% of those polled believe that income from tourism benefits the city. The low number of those feeling disturbed by the Berlin tourists mention as main reasons a crowded inner city and public transportation. The share of inhabitants feeling disturbed is highest in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg.

The representative study was initiated by visitBerlin. It was carried out as a telephone interview poll by Info Markt- und Meinungsforschung GmbH. Download the study at press.visitBerlin.de.