Tourism in Germany
Wikipedia - Recent changes [en] - Friday, April 24, 2026expanded and reorganised the lead section, removed unsourced info
← Previous revision Revision as of 08:13, 24 April 2026 Line 4: Line 4: {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}[[File:Deutschland Übersichtskarte.png|thumb|400px|Physical map of Germany]] [[File:Deutschland Übersichtskarte.png|thumb|400px|Physical map of Germany]]Germany is the [[World Tourism rankings|eight-most-visited country]] in the world,<ref name="april11">{{cite journal |url=http://www.unwto.org/facts/eng/pdf/barometer/UNWTO_Barom11_iu_april_excerpt.pdf |title=Interim Update |journal=UNWTO World Tourism Barometer |access-date=26 June 2011 |date=April 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150101005051/http://www.unwto.org/facts/eng/pdf/barometer/UNWTO_Barom11_iu_april_excerpt.pdf |archive-date=1 January 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://dtxtq4w60xqpw.cloudfront.net/sites/all/files/pdf/unwto_highlights13_en_hr_0.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=11 July 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004212850/http://dtxtq4w60xqpw.cloudfront.net/sites/all/files/pdf/unwto_highlights13_en_hr_0.pdf |archive-date=4 October 2013 }}</ref> with a total of 407.26 million overnights during 2012.<ref name="deutschertourismusverband">[http://www.deutschertourismusverband.de/fileadmin/Mediendatenbank/PDFs/Zahlen_Daten_Fakten_2012_aktuell.pdf Zahlen Daten Fakten 2012] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150101015058/http://www.deutschertourismusverband.de/fileadmin/Mediendatenbank/PDFs/Zahlen_Daten_Fakten_2012_aktuell.pdf |date=1 January 2015 }} (in German), German National Tourist Board</ref> This number includes 68.83 million nights by foreign visitors, the majority of foreign tourists in 2009 coming from the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland (see table). Additionally, more than 30% of Germans spend their holiday in their own country. According to [[Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report]]s, Germany is ranked 3 out of 136 countries in the [[Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report#2017 Ranking|2017 report]], and is rated as one of the safest travel destinations worldwide.
In 2012, over 30.4 million international tourists arrived in Germany, bringing over US$38 billion in international tourism receipts to the country.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://dtxtq4w60xqpw.cloudfront.net/sites/all/files/pdf/unwto_highlights13_en_lr_0.pdf |title=Tourism Highlights 2013 edition |publisher=UNWTO |access-date=26 November 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131127174556/http://dtxtq4w60xqpw.cloudfront.net/sites/all/files/pdf/unwto_highlights13_en_lr_0.pdf |archive-date=27 November 2013 }}</ref> As of 2023, Germany is the world's third-largest tourism market, with the sector contributing approximately $487.6 billion to the country's GDP.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://wttc.org/news/us-remains-the-worlds-most-powerful-travel-and-tourism-market |title=U.S. Remains the World's Most Powerful Travel & Tourism Market |publisher=[[World Travel & Tourism Council]] |date=4 September 2024 |access-date=24 April 2026}}</ref> The [[ITB Berlin]] is the world's leading tourism [[trade fair]].<ref>{{cite web|title=ITB Berlin: The World's Leading Travel Trade Show|url=http://www.expodatabase.com/tradeshow/itb-berlin-the-worlds-leading-travel-trade-show-908.html|website=expodatabase.com|publisher=M+A Expo Database|access-date=13 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191020023934/https://www.expodatabase.com/tradeshow/itb-berlin-the-worlds-leading-travel-trade-show-908.html|archive-date=20 October 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> '''Tourism in Germany''' is a significant sector of the [[Economy of Germany|national economy]]. As of 2023, Germany is the world's third-largest tourism market, with the sector contributing approximately $487.6 billion to the country's GDP.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://wttc.org/news/us-remains-the-worlds-most-powerful-travel-and-tourism-market |title=U.S. Remains the World's Most Powerful Travel & Tourism Market |publisher=[[World Travel & Tourism Council]] |date=4 September 2024 |access-date=24 April 2026}}</ref> It is the [[World Tourism rankings|eight-most-visited country]] in the world,<ref name="april11">{{cite journal |url=http://www.unwto.org/facts/eng/pdf/barometer/UNWTO_Barom11_iu_april_excerpt.pdf |title=Interim Update |journal=UNWTO World Tourism Barometer |access-date=26 June 2011 |date=April 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150101005051/http://www.unwto.org/facts/eng/pdf/barometer/UNWTO_Barom11_iu_april_excerpt.pdf |archive-date=1 January 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://dtxtq4w60xqpw.cloudfront.net/sites/all/files/pdf/unwto_highlights13_en_hr_0.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=11 July 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004212850/http://dtxtq4w60xqpw.cloudfront.net/sites/all/files/pdf/unwto_highlights13_en_hr_0.pdf |archive-date=4 October 2013 }}</ref> with a total of 407.26 million overnight stays in 2012.<ref name="deutschertourismusverband">[http://www.deutschertourismusverband.de/fileadmin/Mediendatenbank/PDFs/Zahlen_Daten_Fakten_2012_aktuell.pdf Zahlen Daten Fakten 2012] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150101015058/http://www.deutschertourismusverband.de/fileadmin/Mediendatenbank/PDFs/Zahlen_Daten_Fakten_2012_aktuell.pdf |date=1 January 2015 }} (in German), German National Tourist Board</ref> This number includes 68.83 million nights by foreign visitors. In 2012, over 30.4 million international tourists arrived in Germany, bringing over US$38 billion in international tourism receipts to the country.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://dtxtq4w60xqpw.cloudfront.net/sites/all/files/pdf/unwto_highlights13_en_lr_0.pdf |title=Tourism Highlights 2013 edition |publisher=UNWTO |access-date=26 November 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131127174556/http://dtxtq4w60xqpw.cloudfront.net/sites/all/files/pdf/unwto_highlights13_en_lr_0.pdf |archive-date=27 November 2013 }}</ref>
Germany’s main tourist destinations include its major cities as well as rural and scenic areas such as the [[Bavarian Alps]], the [[Black Forest]], the [[Rhine Valley]], and the [[Baltic Sea|Baltic]] and [[North Sea]] coastlines. The country contains numerous [[List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Germany|UNESCO World Heritage Sites]] and [[National parks in Germany|national parks]] as well as a large number of museums, historic monuments, castles, and churches that draw culturally motivated visitors. ⚫ According to surveys,{{cn|date=December 2024}} the top three reasons for tourists to come to Germany are the [[Culture of Germany|German culture]], outdoor activities, German holidays and festivities, the countryside and rural areas, and the German cities.{{clarification needed|date=December 2024}}
Germany is also known internationally for several recurring events and traditions that attract tourists, including the [[Oktoberfest|Munich Oktoberfest]] and the [[Christmas markets]] held in many towns and cities during the [[Advent]] season. Business and conference tourism is an additional component of the sector, with Germany hosting a number of major international [[trade fair]]s throughout the year.
Tourism infrastructure in Germany includes an extensive [[Rail transport in Germany|rail network]], [[Autobahn|motorway system]], and [[List of airports in Germany|several major international airports]]. The sector is supported at the national level by the [[German National Tourist Board]], which promotes Germany as a travel destination in international markets. The [[ITB Berlin]] is the world's leading tourism trade fair.<ref>{{cite web|title=ITB Berlin: The World's Leading Travel Trade Show|url=http://www.expodatabase.com/tradeshow/itb-berlin-the-worlds-leading-travel-trade-show-908.html|website=expodatabase.com|publisher=M+A Expo Database|access-date=13 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191020023934/https://www.expodatabase.com/tradeshow/itb-berlin-the-worlds-leading-travel-trade-show-908.html|archive-date=20 October 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>
⚫ According to [[Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report]]s, Germany is ranked 3 out of 136 countries in the [[Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report#2017 Ranking|2017 report]], and is rated as one of the safest travel destinations worldwide. According to surveys,{{cn|date=December 2024}} the top three reasons for tourists to come to Germany are the [[Culture of Germany|German culture]], outdoor activities, German holidays and festivities, the countryside and rural areas, and the German cities.{{clarification needed|date=December 2024}}
== History == == History ==