“Dresden is a wonderful city,“ remembered the author Erich Kästner, who was born here in 1899. “History art and nature float over the city and valley, like an enchanting chord from one of the city’s own harmonies.”

The capital of Saxony, situated between Berlin (180km) and Prague (150km) in eastern Germany counts 500.000 inhabitants and can be reached via its international airport or directly or via the main European international hubs like Frankfurt, Munich, Vienna or Zurich.

Dresden again offers the flair of an artistic and cultural city in the almost Mediterranean-like Elbe valley. This unique cultural setting has been awarded by the UNESCO which inserted Dresden’s Elbe Valley in the list of the World Heritage in July 2004. But Dresden also has the flair of a rising scientific and economic metropolis. Thus, about 40 percent of the almost 2,9 million overnight stays were business travellers, often attracted by the conventions in the new congress centre or in one of the many hotels with congress facilities.

Nevertheless, still 85 percent of the tourists are inbound travellers discovering the unique heritage of architecture, arts and music in Dresden which in 2006 is celebrating its 800 years anniversary.

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