German tourism industry records growth

Germany is increasingly popular as a holiday destination, both for native and foreign tourists, figures released on Thursday by the Wiesbaden-based Federal Statistical Office show.

The number of overnight stays between January and June 2016 rose by 3 percent over the same period last year to reach 205.1 million. German tourists holidaying in their home country accounted for a major share with 168.4 million.

Overnight stays for domestic and foreign tourists both grew by 3 percent in the first half of 2017. June was a particularly strong month for the industry with overnight stays rising by 10 percent to a total of 45.7 million.

Industry representatives anticipate growth to continue throughout the summer as Germany's lasting economic momentum and low unemployment enable citizens to spend more on vacations.