Bundesverband der Deutschen Tourismuswirtschaft Information

As an umbrella organisation of the German tourism industry, the Federal Association of the German Tourism Industry (BTW) represents and campaigns for the sector’s common, overlapping interests and needs. The tourism industry is an extremely heterogeneous but economically immensely strong sector: - Almost 3 million people in Germany work in the tourism industry – this is 7 percent of Germany's total workforce. In addition, the industry contributes 4.4 percent to gross value added. In Germany, it is almost at eye-level with sectors such as the automobile industry or mechanical engineering. - Approximately 280 billion is spent on travelling and in the scope of travelling in Germany per year – about 240 billion thereof by German travellers and nearly 40 billion by tourists from abroad. - Far more than 400 million overnight stays by domestic and foreign guests can be annually registered in Germany with a growing number of foreign guests which has been above average for many years. - The Germans themselves spend almost 1.7 billion per year on private days of travel on day tours and longer journeys here in Germany and abroad. Furthermore, there are almost 200 million business trips in Germany. For their international trips alone, Germans spend more than 70 billion euros per year. Approximately 40 of the largest companies and associations from all areas of the tourism industry in Germany make up the solid basis of the BTW. The spectrum ranges from air, road and rail transport sectors through hotels and the catering sector, travel agencies and congress centres up to tourism marketing. It comprises private tourism as well as the business travel sector.