Tourism industry in the capital region
With its central location in Europe, the city offers companies in the tourism industry outstanding potential for development.
With an annual turnover of 11.6 billion euros, and approx. 235,000 jobs, the tourism industry is one of the city’s most important industries. The number of overnight stays has been on the rise for years, growing more than almost any other metropolis. In 2019 it grew to 34.1 million – a record.
Berlin has firmly established itself among the top three travel destinations in Europe and, as the largest German cultural metropolis, is the most popular city travel destination in Germany. The relatively low price level favors this development: Berlin is an affordable world city.
At a glance:
- In 2019, the total number of overnight stays was roughly 34.1 million, an increase of 3.8 % over the previous year.
- The number of foreign visitors staying overnight in Berlin (15.5 million) corresponds to 45.4 % of all overnight stays.
- The number of national visitors staying overnight (18.6 million) increased by 4.7 % compared to the previous year.
- The number of visitors reached a new high of roughly 14 million, a 3.4 % increase.
- The number of international visitors was approximately 5.5 million or 1.5 % more than the previous year. Germans accounted for roughly 8.5 million visitors, a 4.7 % increase.
- Most foreign visitors came from the UK, the US, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands.
- In a nationwide comparison, the tourism in Berlin grows twice as much and is therefore the growth motor of Germany’s outbound tourism.
Associations and institutions in Berlin
- Alliance of Independent Travel Businesses
(Allianz selbständiger Reiseunternehmen Bundesverband e.V.) - German Tourism Industry Association
(Bundesverband der Deutschen Tourismuswirtschaft e.V.) - German National Tourist Board
(Deutsche Zentrale für Tourismus - DZT) - German Travel Association
(Deutscher Reise Verband - DRV) - German Tourism Association
(Deutscher Tourismusverband e.V. - DTV) - German Association of Hotels and Inns
(Hotel und Gaststättenverband Berlin e.V.) - German Hotel Association
(Hotelverband Deutschland - IHA) - IATA International Air Transport Association
Training and professional development
- German Seminar for Tourism
(Deutsches Seminar für Tourismus Berlin - DSFT) - Institute for Tourism and Development
(Studienkreis für Tourismus und Entwicklung) - Willy-Scharnow Institute of Tourism
(Willy-Scharnow-Institut für Tourismus)