The year 2017 was the best in Cologne’s tourism history, with a total of 3.59m arriving guests and 6.24m overnight stays.
According to official registration records, there were 7.3 per cent more arrivals and 8.1 per cent more overnight stays in hotels compared to the previous year. The increases for visitors from abroad were even greater, with an 8.9 per cent increase of arrivals and a 9.2 per cent increase of overnight stays.
A new study published by the tourism consulting company dwif confirms the increased value creation that tourism brings to Cologne.
“In Cologne, tourism is a strong cross-sectoral industry,” explains Elisabeth Thelen, chairwoman of the Supervisory Board of KölnTourismus GmbH, who adds: “It benefits not only related sectors such as hotels, restaurants and the retail trade but also numerous service providers and suppliers from a great variety of business areas.”
In the past five years, the number of overnight stays by tourists in Cologne has increased by 23.2 per cent — far more than the corresponding increase for tourists in Germany as a whole (11.2 per cent) and the average increase in overnight stays in the ten biggest German cities (17.9 per cent).
“The visitor figures, which have once again increased significantly, demonstrate that Cologne continues to be an attractive destination for business and leisure travellers from Germany and abroad,” says Josef Sommer, CEO of the Cologne Tourist Board.
“The remarkable increase in visitors from abroad testifies to Cologne’s huge appeal as a travel destination,” says Sommer.
Top image (left to right): Stephanie Kleine Klausing (director Conventions & Marketing of the Cologne Tourist Board); Alexander Hoeckle (director International and Business Support Section of the IHK); Elisabeth Thelen; Josef Sommer | Images © Dieter Jacobi
