Saxony popular with tourists from abroad

Saxony is enjoying an increasing number of tourists from abroad. They are the growth driver for the industry, explained Veronika Hiebl, Managing Director of Tourismus Marketing Gesellschaft Sachsen (TMGS). From January to the end of October, there was a nine percent increase in overnight stays by foreign guests compared to the same period last year. The figure for arrivals was 8.5 percent.

Tourism experts promoted travel to Saxony in twelve countries

The statistics relate to hotels and guesthouses with more than ten beds. The development is a clear indication of TMGS's successful strategy of constant and intensive advertising abroad, emphasized Hiebl. Travel to Saxony has been promoted at more than 60 trade fairs, presentations and workshops in twelve countries in Europe, Asia and America.

In addition, there was advertising on posters in major European cities, on social media and in foreign-language newsletters as well as press activities, he added. Saxony is primarily advertising for guests in Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Italy, the UK and the long-distance markets of China and the USA.

Increase in guests, especially from Poland, the Czech Republic and the USA

According to TMGS, almost 817,000 arrivals and around 1.9 million overnight stays by foreign guests were recorded in the first ten months of this year. This currently corresponds to eleven percent of all overnight stays (around 17 million). The statistics show particularly good results for tourists from Poland, with arrivals up 10.2 percent and overnight stays up 8.3 percent.

Guests from the Czech Republic also achieved top results with an increase of 11.6 percent in arrivals and 6.2 percent in overnight stays. "The development of guests from the USA was just as successful, with 15.2 percent more guests and 16.1 percent more overnight stays," emphasized Hiebl. Overnight stays by German tourists in Saxony, on the other hand, were slightly below the previous year's figure (minus 0.4 percent).