An excursion boat sails along the Spree in Berlin-Mitte past a flowering blue rain bush.
© dpa
Tourism in the capital continues to pick up. 6.1 million people visited Berlin in the first six months of the year, according to the Berlin-Brandenburg Statistical Office. This was 6.5 percent more than in the same period last year. The number of overnight stays rose by almost four percent to 14.4 million in the same period.
According to the statisticians, more than a third of the 2.2 million visitors came from abroad. This corresponded to an increase in foreign visitors of 13.4 percent. According to the tourism company VisitBerlin, the European Football Championship in June, which included the final and other matches in Berlin's Olympic Stadium, also contributed to this. However, according to the statistics office, even fewer guests came to Berlin in June than in the previous year.
Most foreign tourists came from the United Kingdom, the USA and the Netherlands. The average bed occupancy rate in the first half of the year was just under 54%. "Berlin is on trend and is attracting more and more guests from all over the world," said Senator for Economic Affairs Franziska Giffey (SPD). In spring, Giffey had set an annual target of 30 million overnight stays. To achieve this, tourism would have to increase somewhat in the second half of the year.
In the second half of the year, numerous anniversaries and events offer occasions for a trip to Berlin. The coming fall is all about the 35th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Berlin is also looking forward to other anniversaries: the IFA is celebrating its 100th anniversary and, under the motto "Celebrating Freedom", the 20th Festival of Lights will light up numerous buildings and public spaces in bright colors.