Luxembourg experienced a rise in take-up in low-cost holiday accommodation during the first half of 2017 Pexels

Luxembourg experienced a rise in take-up in low-cost holiday accommodation during the first half of 2017 Pexels

Overnight stays in campsites and youth hostels grew by almost 10% compared to the same period in 2016. Hotels, meanwhile, recorded a 3.8% increase in overnight stays, with the growth most marked in the capital at 6.2%.

Regionally, the strongest growth in overnight stays by tourists was recorded in the Moselle area (3.5%), followed by the Ardennes (1%) and South (0.8%). Overnight stays declined in the Centre-west (-1.6%) and Mullerthal regions (-0.8%).

Despite a decline in stays in the Mullerthal, the number of people hiking the Mullerthal trail exploded, up 64.8% compared to 2016. Meanwhile visits to castles rose 10%.

Presenting the results at a press conference on Thursday 10 August, secretary of state for economic affairs Francine Closener credited the growth to increased promotion, stronger demand for city breaks and mild weather.

Where did tourists come from?

There was a growth in overnight stays among tourists from the Netherlands, Germany, France and Belgium. Tourists from further afield, particularly the US, rose sharply, reflecting a trend in Europe. Meanwhile clients from Asia rose slightly in the hotel industry.

Earlier in August, Luxembourg announced a €60-million cash boost to create and improve tourist infrastructure from 2018 to 2022. The budget marks a 33% increase compared to the last five-year plan (€45m).