Germany sees record number of tourists in 2012

There's been a renewed boom in tourism in Germany over the past 12 months. Preliminary data indicate another record for the third year in a row, with overnight stays by foreigners rising particularly strongly. The German tourism industry logged another record year in 2012, preliminary data from the National Statistics Office (Destatis) showed on Monday. The released figures revealed that overnight stays by tourists in hotels, guesthouses or at camping sites had risen sharply for the third consecutive year, reaching a record number of 406 million throughout 2012, up from 394 million a year earlier. The industry thus experienced its most successful year since 1992, when relevant statistics were first compiled. Cross-border tourism up The German National Tourist Board (DZT) attributed the bumper year to a favorable value-for-money ratio and a diverse range of experiences on offer. It noted that foreign tourists made the biggest contribution to the 2012 success story, with the volume of guests from abroad rising by 8 percent between January and November - the most recent figures available. "When foreign tourists travel, Germany is bound to be on their itinerary," DZT chief Petra Hedorfer said in a statement. Within Europe, Germany remains the second most popular destination behind long-standing favorite Spain.