After continuous increases over the last few years, the number of arrivals and overnight stays in Leipzig rose by 1.7% and 2.3% respectively compared with the previous year.
On top of these figures, there were 2,036,168 commercial overnight stays in the Leipzig region. Leipzig Tourismus und Marketing GmbH (LTM) registered a total of around 4.9 million overnight stays for the overall destination "Leipzig region". This represents 26% of the total number of overnight stays in Saxony. The city of Leipzig and the surrounding region therefore top the league table for visitor statistics.
Congresses, conferences and events as the driving forces
Volker Bremer, Managing Director of Leipzig Tourismus und Marketing GmbH, is delighted with the record number of visitors: "It is an excellent result in that Leipzig managed to attract more visitors for the tenth year in succession. Our extensive marketing activities at home and abroad, as well as the increase in the number of congresses, conferences and events made an important contribution in this respect. Thanks to the opening of the lavishly renovated CONGRESS HALL at Leipzig Zoo in May 2015, Leipzig received another strong argument in the competition to attract congresses and conferences. For this purpose, we will also continue the successful cooperation with Leipziger Messe GmbH and the congress initiative do-it-at-leipzig.de to which 50 partners belong."
Compared with overall growth, the proportion of German visitors in 2015 only rose slightly by 1.0% (arrivals) and 1.4% (overnight stays). The increases in visitor numbers and overnight stays in Leipzig are primarily due to foreign tourists.
Hit list of foreign visitors in 2015
- USA 38,441 overnight stays (-2.8%)
- Switzerland 34,916 overnight stays (-3.6%)
- United Kingdom 34,509 overnight stays (+9.4%)
- Austria 31,948 overnight stays (+7.7%)
- Poland 28,480 overnight stays (+54.9%)
- Netherlands 27,381 overnight stays (-5.3%)
- Spain 20,303 overnight stays (+74.9%)
- Italy 15.625 overnight stays (-1.4%)
- France 14,590 overnight stays (-8.8%)
- Czech Republic 13,117 overnight stays (+42.5%)
- China 11,586 overnight stays (+21.1%)
Outlook for 2016
Even after the anniversary year "1,000 Years of Leipzig", visitors to Leipzig can still experience a great deal. Highly traditional exhibitions and festivals such as the Leipzig Book Fair, the Wave Gothic Festival and the Leipzig City Festival will celebrate their 25th anniversary this year. On the occasion of the centenary of the death of Max Reger, Leipzig will honour one of the most important composers of the emerging modern area by staging the Max Reger Festival Year 2016.
Another highlight benefitting the entire Leipzig region is the "100th German Catholic Congress", which will take place from 25 to 29 May 2016.