Germany hit the international stage in the summer of 2006 as host of the World Cup soccer championship, and the travel industry came through the onslaught of visitors and attention with flying colors. Of those visiting the country during this event, 88% said they would recommend Germany as a holiday destination, and the travel infrastructure carried the load well.

And the load was substantial. The German hotel and restaurant alliance (DEHOGA) estimated an increase of €500 million in catering business revenue during the tournament. The German railroad, Deutsche Bahn, carried approximately 600,000 more passengers each day during the games without any problems and Lufthansa saw its highest passenger traffic ever on the Monday following the final match.

Yet all was not running at capacity. Although the hospitality industry had high expectations, the hopes of all market participants were not completely fulfilled – only 41.3% of the hotels were satisfied with the results of the World Championship, according to DEHOGA. However, the industry is convinced that the positive reactions of visitors will result in more people considering Germany as a holiday destination, boosting revenues over the next two years.