Latest statistics show that Berlin received 26,900 tourists from China in 2006, which has made China one of the fastest growing tourist source countries for the German city.

Hans Peter Nerger, director of the Berlin Tourism Board, says two-thirds of Chinese tourists prefer looking at the city's sights when they are touring in another country and as the cultural capital of Europe with three opera houses, eight professional symphony orchestras, more than 170 museums, over 150 theaters and 300 plus galleries, Berlin has made Chinese tourists spend totally 62,800 nights last year in the city's hotels.

Data released by Berlin hospitality industry shows in the first three months of this year, 4,058 Chinese tourists visited Berlin, which was an increase of 4.1% over the same period of last year.

In recent years, Berlin tourism companies have been exploring the Chinese market with intensive marketing strategies. So far, Berlin has signed travel cooperation agreements with Beijing, Qingdao and Chengdu. In order to facilitate Chinese tourists' visits to Berlin, Air China and Lufthansa Airlines have both launched lines between China and Germany.