Liechtenstein is introducing itself for the first time at the Internationale Tourismus-Börse (ITB) Berlin as an attractive vacation country. The Principality presents itself as a destination country with outstanding touristic, cultural, and recreational offerings. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Affairs Klaus Tschütscher underscored the importance of tourism for Liechtenstein by appearing at Liechtenstein's ITB booth last Friday.
Liechtenstein's booth was mittendrin ("right in the middle") between the Austrian and Swiss booths. Being mittendrin not only geographically is of particular significance this year, since Liechtenstein is right in the middle of the EURO 08 European football championships, serving as a hub and transit country between the championship venues in Austria and Switzerland. This presents a good occasion for Liechtenstein to offer several mittendrin offers for tourist: For instance the Mittendrin budget option for casual fans who want to take a quick look at Liechtenstein, Mittendrin plus with attractive supplemental offerings, and Mittendrin family with inexpensive flat rates. "We are looking forward to this major event together with our neighbors," Minister of Economic Affairs Klaus Tschütscher said at the Liechtenstein ITB booth. "We will make our own contribution to a successful, exciting, and happy football festival."
The recent debates in the media have also enhanced interest in Liechtenstein's tourism sector. "We see this as a positive opportunity," Martin Michel-Hoch of Liechtenstein Tourism said in an interview with Spiegel Online. "Many people didn't know the country at all before, and now everyone is taking a look at the map of Europe to see where it's actually located. The pictures on TV have raised interest in Liechtenstein as a vacation country, since people see the beautiful landscapes and think they would like to visit." The interest in Liechtenstein has also been documented statistically: According to Martina Michel-Hoch, Liechtenstein Tourism had four to five times as many hits on its website over the past weeks than usual. Liechtenstein is also using its ITB appearance to show that the Principality of Liechtenstein is not only a banking and financial services center. "Our country is a successful, diversified economic location with more than 3000 enterprises and a gross domestic product of which nearly 50% is generated by industry and manufacturing," Minister of Economic Tschütscher emphasized in a speech at Liechtenstein's ITB booth.
Tourism also contributes a significant share to the national economy. The tourism sector has been able to establish an important niche next to the financial center and the industrial location, serving as a factor in the labor market and a link the value added chain. The sector's turnover is likely to exceed CHF 200 million per year, contributing about 4% to gross domestic product (GDP). Moreover, the service providers directly or indirectly connected with tourism, such as restaurants, hotels, art and culture, recreation and sport, create more than 1000 jobs. Worldwide, tourism is considered a growth sector for the coming years, a trend that Liechtenstein would also like to make use of. Tourism in Liechtenstein will establish itself in the competition for guests as a destination with high demands on quality. In its report on the future positioning of Liechtenstein tourism, the Government states: "Competition is no longer carried out as a location competition, but rather as a service competition with location advantages given by the nature, history, and geography of the destination."
In connection with the ongoing image discussion concerning the financial center, tourism plays an important role. Tourism provides an opportunity for guests to develop a realistic picture of Liechtenstein, regardless of whether they visit Liechtenstein for private or professional reasons. One of the six core images of the Image Liechtenstein Foundation is: Liechtenstein is a hospitable vacation and recreation country. Guests from around the world are invited to pay the Principality a personal visit and to experience a living space that offers not only a highly developed industry and an international financial center, but also a high quality of life.
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