In 2014 foreign visitors accounted for 75.6 million overnight stays in Germany, according to figures released by the Federal Statistical Office, marking an increase of five percent on the preceding year. Petra Hedorfer of the (DZT) National German Tourist board announced these new figures on Wednesday at the International Tourism Fair in Berlin. She said this was "further evidence that Germany had arrived in the league of top international travel destinations."

Visitors from non-European countries account for 25 percent of German incoming tourism. The greatest growth in this sector has been created by guests from the Arab Gulf States followed by China. There has also been a steady increase in the number of visitors from the USA, which remains Germany's most important overseas market.

The majority of Germany's foreign visitors come from Europe. In this sector the greatest increase was accounted for by Switzerland, followed by Great Britain and Poland.

ej,ks/sc (dpa, DZT, Federal Statistical Office)