Germany has seen a steady increase in international arrivals – from 18.4 million arrivals in 2003 to 24.3 million arrivals in 2007 – fuelled by the popularity of city breaks and more frequent air services operated by low-cost carriers (LCCs). Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt and Cologne have all seen a jump in international (and domestic) visits. The German capital tops the list, registering 7.1 million visits in 2007, up from 5.9 million in 2005. In 2006, Germany hosted the FIFA World Cup and that also boosted inbound travel.

Tourists originating in Germany’s ‘traditional’ source markets (Netherlands, UK, North America) have been augmented by new arrivals from other areas of the globe, such as the Gulf States, Eastern Europe and the People’s Republic of China. In 2007, 1 million travellers from China and Hong Kong came to Germany – 400,000 more than in 2003.

Germany represents the largest outbound market in the world and in 2007, Germans continued to travel beyond their own borders in ever greater numbers, sampling emerging tourist destinations like Poland and the Czech Republic. Last year, 49.1 million Germans travelled abroad (compared to 29.7 million who took holidays at home), spending €61 billion on leisure and business travel.

Mintel Oxygen’s Country Reports are quarterly tourism profiles of destination countries. Each issue features six profiles, all providing a cross-section of countries either established or emerging as tourism destinations. The reports are compiled by a global network of industry analysts, who provide market-based information as well as detailed, insightful and localised interpretation of the facts and figures.

Each profile contains information on:

Tourist arrivals - overnights and expenditure

Purpose of visit - business, leisure or VFR

Accommodation supply - operating performance

Tourism policy - management

Transport - access and infrastructure

Tourism funding - promotion and future development