Destination Germany Survey on Top 100 Places to Visit

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GNTB survey on Destination Germany

15,000 international visitors pick the top 100 places of interest in Germany

New York, May 10, 2013 – Foreign tourists have voted Neuschwanstein Castle the best place to visit in Germany. Number two on the list is Europa-Park, followed at number three by Cologne Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The German National Tourist Board (GNTB) carried out the poll – the second of its kind – to find out which of Germany’s many sights and places of interest were the most popular among foreign tourists. Between 1 July 2012 and the end of March 2013, visitors were able to vote for their ‘top sights’ at www.germany.travel/top100. This produced a list of 700 tourist highlights, which were then ranked according to popularity. The survey, which was available in 26 languages, registered more than 46,000 clicks.

The new results are being incorporated into the update for the GNTB’s ‘Germany’s Top 100’ app which has been available since 2012 in English and German for Apple and Android devices. The app gives people planning to visit Germany access to a wealth of information before their trip, including ideas for possible excursions and places to visit. It provides a brief description of each attraction, along with photos and information on opening times, admission prices and travel directions.

Top 10 attractions at a glance

1. Neuschwanstein Castle, Schwangau/Füssen, Bavaria

2. Europa-Park, Rust, Baden-Württemberg

3. Cologne Cathedral (UNESCO World Heritage), North Rhine-Westphalia

4. Brandenburg Gate, Berlin

5. The Berlin Wall (East Side Gallery, Berlin Wall Park, Berlin Wall Trail, etc.)

6. Loreley rock in the Upper Middle Rhine Valley (UNESCO World Heritage), Rhineland-Palatinate

7. Nature reserves in the Black Forest, Baden-Württemberg

8. Heidelberg Castle, Baden-Württemberg,

9. Lake Constance with Mainau Island, Monastic Island of Reichenau (UNESCO World Heritage), Lindau, prehistoric pile dwellings, Meersburg Castle, Lake Constance, Baden-Württemberg

10. Museum Island (UNESCO World Heritage), Berlin

The wide geographical spread of the 100 selected tourist highlights confirms that all of Germany’s federal states have attractive places to visit from the perspective of international travelers. The UNESCO World Heritage sites are particularly popular, with 19 of the country’s 37 sites featuring on the Top 100 list.

Accompanying survey about the GNTB website www.germany.travel

As part of the Top 100 survey, the GNTB also asked visitors to rate its own website. Destination Germany scored top marks here, too: 90 per cent of those surveyed liked the website www.germany.travel and rated it positively, with 75 per cent of visitors saying it was ‘good’ or ‘very good’.

About the GNTB

The German National Tourist Board (GNTB) is based in Frankfurt am Main. It works on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology from which it receives its funding under a resolution passed by the German parliament. The GNTB develops and communicates strategies and products to enhance the positive image of German travel destinations abroad and to promote tourism to Germany. To fulfill its remit, the GNTB operates 30 foreign representative offices around the world. Further information is available from our online press center at www.germany.travel/presse

Wibke Carter

Public Relations Manager North America

German National Tourist Office

122 East 42^nd Street, Suite 2000

New York, New York 10168-0072

+1 212-661-7200 ext. 223 or 212-661-7175

www.twitter.com/germanytourism

www.germany.travel

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