The fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of Germany are among the most important milestones in recent German history. What’s more, the events of that time gave the country’s inbound tourism industry an unprecedented boost. “Reunification has been a boon to all Germans,” says Iris Gleicke, Member of the German Parliament and Federal Government Commissioner for the New Federal States and for SMEs and Tourism.
“The harmonization is clearly visible in the modernized and – in many places – carefully restored city centers, the improved transport routes and an internationally competitive medium-sized business sector in eastern Germany. Huge potential and major opportunities exist in the rural regions there. It is therefore important to further strengthen the tourism infrastructure,” continued Gleicke, who is also Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.
“Since 1993, when inbound tourism statistics were first recorded for the country as a whole, the number of overnight stays by foreign visitors in Germany has almost doubled. A total of 34.1 million additional overnight stays have been made by visitors from abroad, with 11.8 million of those in the new federal states in eastern Germany,” says Petra Hedorfer, Chief Executive Officer of the German National Tourist Board (GNTB). Destination Germany excelled itself in 2013, with the number of overnight stays by international visitors surpassing the milestone 70-million mark for the first time, increasing by 4,5 per cent compared to the previous year.
The GNTB is taking the opportunity to put the anniversaries of the fall of the Berlin Wall and German reunification at the heart of its international sales and marketing activities for 2014 and 2015. “25 years on from the fall of the Wall, we are presenting Destination Germany from 25 exciting new perspectives. The campaign highlights cultural attractions and captivating landscapes in every region,” continues Hedorfer. The campaign highlights cultural attractions and captivating landscapes in every region,” continues Hedorfer.
German National Tourist Board, www.germany.travel