- Over eight million overnight stays for the first time since the start of the pandemic
- Eleven percent increase in overnight stays by foreign guests
- “Hello, Saxony-Anhalt” offers as part of the state’s touristic campaign
MAGDEBURG, Germany, March 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Tourism professionals of the Investment and Marketing Corporation Saxony-Anhalt mbH (IMG) are happy about the increased numbers of overnight stays and a strong year for tourism in 2023. According to the State Statistical Office, overnight tourism in Saxony-Anhalt has now almost returned to the level of the pre-pandemic year 2019. Saxony-Anhalt recorded around 3.4 million guest arrivals and 8.4 million overnight stays. This corresponds to an increase of seven percent in guest arrivals and six percent in overnight stays compared to the previous year. Also, eleven percent more international guests came to Saxony-Anhalt with over a quarter of a million arrivals, which clearly exceeds the pre-Corona level.
This good news and the new offers “Hello, Saxony-Anhalt” were presented at the joint booth of the German National Tourist Board (GNTB) at the ITB 2024. For “Hello, Saxony-Anhalt” travel and excursion destinations were selected that, based on market research, serve the various expectations of the most important guest groups: the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Saxony-Anhalt, active offers in picturesque landscapes and fascinating places in transition.
Dr. Robert Franke, Managing Director of the IMG, underlined the quality of “Hello, Saxony-Anhalt”: “The five travel regions between Harz and Heide as well as the cities of Magdeburg, Dessau-Roßlau and Halle (Saale) offer unforgettable experiences. That and inspiring routes allow for the greatest possible variety in the shortest possible travel time.” Here are some examples:
The “Sweden package” – Culture and Cuisine in Halle (Saale) offers three days of cultural immersion, including guided tours of the historical center, visits to the “Nebra Sky Disk” and exhibitions at the Moritzburg Art Museum. Composer Handel’s influence is prominent, with a museum, a monument on the marketplace, and various concerts. A trip upstream the Saale to Naumburg Cathedral and sampling the Saale-Unstrut wine complete the experience.
The “USA package” – Inspiring: the World Heritage Region focuses on the world heritage region, particularly Lutherstadt Wittenberg, where guests make a journey through time back to the Reformation and explore Luther House, the Castle Church, and the Cranach Yards. Day trips to UNESCO sites like Dessau-Wörlitz Garden Kingdom, best explored by gondola rides, and Bauhaus Dessau with its iconic buildings and visits to the Bauhaus Museum are recommended.
Harz Mountain Special for guests from the Netherlands and Denmark centers on family-friendly activities in Wernigerode, such as exploring the city center with its half-timbered houses and visiting the Castle with a gorgeous view into the Harz Mountains and the Christianental Wildlife Park. Adrenaline-seekers try the Harz Zipline, wall running, or boat rides, with a visit to Brocken Summit as a must. Formerly a fortress on the Iron Curtain between East and West, it is today the last stop of the famous Brocken Railway.
Magdeburg and the north for guests from Poland and Czech Republik include visits to Magdeburg Cathedral, the Green Citadel, and Herrenkrug Park. Possible are boat trips on the Elbe and a day trip to Tangermünde which could easily pass for a film set – church towers, an impressive city wall with a castle complex and little shops in the historic center. And families enjoy Loburg with its strawberry-themed adventure park.
More Information: hello-saxony-anhalt.com
Media contact:
Sabine Kraus
Tel.: +49 391/568 9920
Email: sabine.kraus@ img-sachsen-anhalt.de
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