With 675,838 arrivals and 1,244,771 overnight stays in the period from January to May 2018, Leipzig has seen a significant increase in tourists. 6.4 per cent more visitors led to an increase of 9.1 per cent in overnight stays in tourist accommodation. This meant visitor numbers for the first five months of last year were clearly surpassed.
Occupancy rate of guest rooms has increased
The most successful month was January 2018, which saw an increase of 15.2 per cent in arrivals and 12.8 per cent in overnight stays. In May 2018, there was a total of 133 hotels with 17,976 beds available to visitors to Leipzig. It is particularly pleasing that the occupancy rate of available guest rooms increased and is now 65.1 per cent (January -May 2017: 63 per cent). In comparison: Dresden 61.6 per cent, Chemnitz 54.4 per cent. As in the previous year, the average length of stay for visitors to Leipzig was 1.8 days.
More international guests are visiting Leipzig
The number of international visitors has risen sharply. Arrivals and overnight stays increased to 95,510 (+17.2 per cent) and 200,955 (+26.4 per cent) for these visitors. This represents a 16.1 per cent share of all overnight stays. The overnight stay rankings for international visitors is led by the USA (18,083), Austria (17,139) and Switzerland (16,618). Great Britain - still in 2nd place in the same period last year - slipped to 4th place. Russia climbed from 10th place to 7th and saw a rapid increase of +73.6 per cent in overnight stays. A large proportion of this was due to the new Moscow - Leipzig/Halle flight route offered by Pobeda, which began on 16 April 2018 and was supported by lots of advertising.
The international visitor rankings (January - May 2018)
- USA 18,083 overnight stays +10.9%
- Austria 17,139 overnight stays +34.2%
- Switzerland 16,618 overnight stays +33.6%
- Great Britain 15,558 overnight stays +18.5%
- Poland 14,075 overnight stays +41.9%
- Netherlands 13,267 overnight stays +29.3%
- Russia 7,586 overnight stays +73.6%
- Italy 7,003 overnight stays +9.6%
- France 6,691 overnight stays +11.0%
- Spain 5,474 overnight stays +26.0%
- Belgium 5,430 overnight stays +41.8%
- Czech Republic 5,182 overnight stays +36.0%