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Berlin Welcomes 140 MillionGerman Capital is one of top tourist destinations in EuropeMillions of tourists poured into Berlin in 2006 to visit sites, attend events and just soak up the energy that has come to define the German capital.
Berlin is one of those great European cities: fantastic restaurants, interesting historical and cultural sites, an abundance of museums and affordable hotels. In 2006, the German capital welcomed more than 140 million people, placing it third amongst other major European hot spots. London and Paris remained the No. 1 and 2, respectively, European tourist destinations. Overall, France was the top tourist destination in the world in 2006 with 78 million foreign visitors. That designation is as a country as a whole. The Berlin visitor number - 140 million - includes 126 day trippers, many of which were from Germany so not included in the overall foreign visitor number for Germany. Not surprisingly, Berlin’s visitor numbers have increased dramatically since the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall. According to the city’s tourism officials, inexpensive lodging is another leading reason for Berlin’s tourism growth. The city has 90,000 rooms, about 20,000 more rooms than New York, a quantity that keeps room rates down. Of course, the hotel room/visitor relationship is something of a chicken and the egg situation ... and people don’t visit a city just because of affordable hotel rooms. People head to Berlin for cultural events, historical education and a plethora of other reasons. In 2006, the World Cup certainly drew its share of visitors to the German capital, as well as other German cities. In 2007, Berlin has a full slate of events including: * Feb. 8-18: Berlin International Film Festival * June 1-Oct. 7: Metropolitan Museum of Art New York exhibit includes paintings by French masters Monet, Matisse, Renoir and Gauguin. * Sept. 29-30: Berlin Marathon Perennial tourist favorites such as the Berlin Wall, Brandenburg Gate and Checkpoint Charlie have been joined in recent years with The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe and other tourist attractions. Berlin is also home to an eclectic, bustling nightlife scene. Whether you are interested in clubbing, a quiet Irish pub, gambling or some live music, it can all be found in Berlin. And if your tastes veer toward the more “adult entertainment,” this city delivers there, too. Click here to read more about Berlin’s nightlife. According to Wikipedia, “Berlin has established itself as a center of youth and popular culture in Europe.” And if all that isn’t enough, Potsdam, which includes the parks and palaces of Sanssouci, an Orangery and a Chinese Tea House, is just a short train ride from Berlin. For more information about events and attractions in Berlin this year, visit www.berlin-tourist-information.de. .
The copyright of the article Berlin Welcomes 140 Million in Germany Travel is owned by Bridget Lux. Permission to republish Berlin Welcomes 140 Million in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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