The number of overnight stays from abroad to Germany increased to 58.8 million for the period from January to September 2014 according to latest figures from the Federal Statistical Office of Germany.

Some 2.9 million extra nights, in accommodation establishments with ten or more beds, were registered compared to the same period last year, an overall increase of 5.1 per cent.

“This dynamic growth in inbound figures clearly provides German tourism with yet further momentum and impetus.

“The increase of more than five percent at the end of the third quarter 2014 is again well above the equally satisfying growth rates recorded for January to September 2013 (up 3.8 per cent).

“Looking at these intermediate results, we are optimistic that the annual balance of our predictions for overnight stays for 2014 will be achieved,” explains Petra Hedorfer, chief executive of the German National Tourist Board.

Poland for the first time among the top ten markets

With an increase of 12.2 per cent to 1.9 million overnight stays from January to September, Poland has been able to overtake the Russian Federation as a source market and for the first time, is now one of the ten most important source markets for tourism to Germany.

Unchanged, the Netherlands tops the list of top ten source markets by a wide margin.

In second place, Switzerland generated above-average growth of 6.8 per cent, followed by the United States, up 4.8 per cent.

The UK registered a 4.2 per cent growth, and for the month of September alone a 6.2 per cent increase compared to 2013, Italy was up 5.4 per cent and Austria saw six per cent growth.

An anticipated decline in the Russian market showed a decrease of 3.9 per cent in the first nine months.