BERLIN SETS NEW TOURISM RECORD Exceptional growth from the US and Canada
Posted on 02/23/2016 | About Berlin, Germany
Berlin has hosted more visitors than ever in 2015, surpassing the 30 million overnights mark and posting a 5.4 percent increase over the previous year. Overall, a record 12.37 million guests arrived in Berlin, where they spent a total of 30.25 million overnights.
In just the past five years, Berlin’s tourism numbers have increased by 10 million, from 20.8 to 30.25 million hotel stays. The share of overnights by German guests remained the highest at nearly 55 percent, but visitor numbers from abroad are increasing steadily.Berlin's governing mayor, Michael Müller, says: "Tourism remains a success story. The cosmopolitan and welcoming capital of Germany is becoming even more popular internationally, as a destination to visit, as a place to live, or as a filming location for international productions. Tourism is therefore a significant economic factor for our city and an important element for promoting our culture.”Burkhard Kieker, CEO of visitBerlin: "Berlin's magnetism as a world city remains unbroken, attracting more and more visitors from other continents. The world is a guest in our city".Exceptional growth from the US and Canada.In 2015, overnights from the USA for the first time exceeded the one-million mark, making the US the strongest overseas market for Berlin tourism. Worldwide, the source market USA has surpassed Italy and now holds a strong second place just behind the UK. A total of 388,965 (+12.9%) US citizens spent 1.08 million nights (+17%) in Berlin’s hotels and guest houses, averaging 2.8 nights per visit. Tourism numbers from Canada continued to increase in 2015, showing an 8.6 percent growth in Canadian arrivals (49,570) and a plus of 10.7 percent in overnights (150,899). Canada remains Berlin’s third most significant overseas market, after the USA and Brazil.Comparing international tourism stays in Berlin to the whole of Germany, recent statistics show that every sixth international overnight happens in the country’s capital. With an increase of 5.4 percent, Berlin’s overnight figures are growing at almost twice the rate as for whole country (+3 percent).Berlin convention business strongly contributed to the city’s success, showing a 7 percent boost in overnights by convention participants. In 2015, 11.37 million (+4 percent) took part in some 135,000 events (+3 percent), including 2.3 million international attendees.