Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe was added to the list of 38 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Germany in July. The country’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites are among the major elements promoting its cultural tourism. (GNTO)
Asian travelers have contributed significantly to the increase in foreign overnight visitors in Germany with a rise of 3.4 percent in July, according to a German National Tourist Office tourism report.
From January to July, the number of nights spent by Asian travelers increased by 2.3 percent with Chinese tourists taking up the largest share of the increase at 10 percent, followed by Koreans at 6.8 percent. Germany has seen an overall 3.4 percent increase in foreigners’ overnight stays over the same period at 40 million.
Asian tourists are the second-largest tourist group to Germany as they make up 10.5 percent of total travelers. Europeans accounted for 75.7 percent as of the first half of 2013.
Germany saw a great increase in the number of nights spent by Koreans last year with 425,530, a 22.1 percent rise from 2011.
“We aim to reach more than 600,000 overnights by Koreans in 2020. We see a great potential in the growth of Korean travelers to Germany,” said Petra Hedorfer, CEO of the German National Tourist Board.
Germany has been the No. 2 European destination for Koreans: 44 percent of them visit the country for leisure and holidays and 49 percent visit for business trips.
The German tourist board has announced travel campaigns for next year as it aims to appeal to travelers from around the world.
“The UNESCO World Heritage Sites are crucial elements that draw foreign tourists to Germany. The purpose of 34 percent of cultural tourism in Germany is to visit the heritage sites,” explained Hedorfer.
Germany has 38 of the world’s 962 registered UNESCO World Heritage Sites, ranging from historical buildings and cathedrals to natural landscape and even whole towns.
In July, Bergpark Wilhelmshhe joined the list of cultural sites. The grand hillside park was recognized for its unique blend of landscape design from both the Baroque and Romantic periods. The park is also well known for Kassel Documenta, an international art exhibition of contemporary art held every five years.
By Lee Woo-young (wylee@heraldcorp.com)
