The results for 2023: Cologne’s tourism strategy begins to bear fruit

04.03.2024 - 07:50 / traveldailynews.com / Vicky Karantzavelou

More than 3.8 million guests and around 6.6 million overnight stays – tourism has rebounded

COLOGNE – As shown by the visitor results for 2023, tourism in Cologne remained stable and even grew significantly after rebounding in 2022. According to the State Statistical Office IT.NRW, Cologne recorded more than 3.8 million guests and around 6.6 million overnight stays in the city’s hotels. Compared to 2022, the number of guests rose by 20.4 per cent and the number of overnight stays grew by 17 per cent. As a result, tourism in Cologne has returned to the level of 2019.

Max Derichsweiler, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Cologne Tourist Board, says, “I’m delighted that tourism in Cologne is developing not only in terms of quantity, but also and even more importantly, in terms of quality. The Cologne Tourist Board’s tourism strategy plays a vital role in this progress and is helping to consolidate Cologne as an attractive city destination for the relevant target groups.”

The change in the structure of tourism, which was already evident in 2022, continued in part in 2023. The local markets continued to be disproportionately important (with a share of 90 per cent). The most important source market is still Germany, which accounts for 66.6 per cent of the total overnight stays. The most important foreign market is the Netherlands, followed by the UK. The growth of supply in the hotel industry also developed favourably. The number of available hotel beds in Cologne was 37,616 in 2023 – 4.3 per cent more than in 2022.

Whereas traditional business travel remains persistently below pre-crisis levels, the promotable business travel segment is experiencing an upward trend. Several trade fairs were extremely well attended last year. The MICE market (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, Events), which registered an increased average number of participants per event, is demonstrating the structural change in business travel. Another significant increase is expected for 2024 as a result of the opening of Confex. The operator and marketer Koelncongress has already received numerous bookings for the multifunctional convention and event venue, which has a capacity of more than 6,000 people on the Koelnmesse exhibition grounds.

Tourism in Cologne is successful not only in quantitative terms. In terms of quality as well, various parameters show an extremely positive development and suggest that the path taken by the Cologne Tourist Board to sharpen Cologne’s profile and focus on target groups is beginning to bear fruit. For one thing, the proportion of guests whose visit was prompted by a cultural event is higher in Cologne than in all other Magic Cities*. Secondly, gross sales amounting to 5.24 billion euros from