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ITB Berlin News - Day 3

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24 SPECIAL FEATURE

24 SPECIAL FEATURE CULTURAL TOURISM Culture Remains Core Value for Europeans ITB Berlin offers an entire hall dedicated exclusively to cultural destinations, one of Europe’s most important tourism assets. The cultural offering from cities and regions can be visited in Hall 10.2. Pilsen Old Riga According to the European Commission, cultural tourism already accounts for around 40% of all European tourism with a large number of cities and sites being exclusive cultural tourism destinations. To foster quality tourism, the European Commission and the Council of Europe have launched various cultural initiatives involving the entire continent. One of the most successful events since its launch in 1985 has been to designate two cities per year as “European Capital of Culture.” The initiative has helped to highlight less well-known cities and boost their cultural image for a larger public. In the past, more than 40 cities such as Glasgow, Lille, Porto, Thessaloniki and Helsinki gained a lot by hosting the event. Last year proved very successful for the two European Capitals of Culture 2013, Kosice (Slovakia) and Marseille (France). Kosice in Eastern Slovakia received over €50million in EU funds to spruce up its city centre with renaissance and baroque houses and improve its tourist infrastructures. The CULTURAL TOURISM ALREADY ACCOUNTS FOR AROUND 40% OF ALL EUROPEAN TOURISM WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF CITIES AND SITES BEING EXCLUSIVE CULTURAL TOURISM DESTINATIONS European Capital of Culture title helped the city to highlight to the rest of the world its rich multicultural heritage. CNN named last year Kosice as the third top destination to visit in the world. Marseille has turned into one of the trendiest cities in France, attracting over 10 million visitors last year. Seven museums were opened or renovated last year with the striking MUCEM attracting over 1.5 million visitors after its opening in June 2013. This year, Latvian capital Riga and the Swedish city of Umea are designated European Capital Cities of Culture 2014. Umea is proud of being the most northerly city to carry the prestigious title. The 117,000 inhabitants of the city have been more than enthusiastic, proposing some 200 projects for the event. Riga is already well known for its architecture, having one of the world’s most incredible collections of Art Nouveau buildings, some designed by Mikhail Eisenstein, father of the famous film director Sergei Eisenstein (“Battleship Potemkin”). The city records some 800 buildings of that time which contributed to putting the city on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The city expects to welcome 2.1 million travellers, according to Riga mayor Nils Usakovs, up by 25%. The Latvian capital is hosting more than 200 concerts, exhibitions, festivals, conferences and performances. In 2015, the title of European Capital City of Culture will be transferred to Mons (Bergen in Flemish) in Belgium and to Pilsen in the Czech Republic. Pilsen is a city in western Bohemia, and the fourth most populous city in the Czech Republic. It is located about 90km west of Prague at the confluence of four rivers. The city is recognized worldwide for Pilsner beer. The university town of Mons is originally a place of pilgrimage: most of the historic buildings are churches, chapels, convents or abbeys, linked by narrow paved streets and traditional houses. The two most interesting non-religious buildings are the 15 th -century Renaissance style Town Hall and the 87m tall Beffroi (belfry) erected in 1661. The belfry is the only Baroque-style belltower in Belgium and was listed as a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1999. Hall 7.2 B Stand 102 Hall 10.2 Culture Lounge Pilsen, open up! Beer metropolis and European Capital of Culture 2015 www.visitplzen.eu www.plzen2015.eu ITB BERLIN NEWS • Friday 7 th March 2014 www.itb-berlin-news.com

25 HOSPITALITY / RESTAURANTS / BARS WHERE TO GOIN BERLIN WWW.WHERETOGOINBERLIN.COM CLUBS / EVENTS / SHOPPING / CULTURE Berlin decidedly never ceases to surprise! In addition to all the cultural facets that make the city more attractive every day, Berlin now affirms itself as a Mecca of European and world cuisine. Berlin, Hotspot for Gastronomy The number of Michelin starred restaurants in Germany has increased by 26% in just 5 years, illustrating the excellent quality of its cuisine and its growing attraction as a hotspot on the international culinary scene. Berlin, thanks to its multicultural character, asserts itself more and more as one of the great centres of the European… and world gourmet scene, with 14 restaurants earning the sacred stars! Nicer still, the guide’s inspectors also found that more and more small restaurants distinguished with a star offer very high quality cuisine, in a much more relaxed and intimate atmosphere. In 2014, it is the Facil de Berlin, managed by 36 year-old Michael Kempf, that joined the group of two-star restaurants (Germany has 37 in total). Numerous foreign chefs have been seduced by the eclecticism of Berlin. Examples include Pierre Gagnaire and Paco Perez, who have both opened a Berlin establishment distinguished with a star in the guide’s 2014 edition, respectively Les Solistes by Pierre Gagnaire at the Waldorf Astoria and 5-Cinco by Paco Pérez. SECOND MICHELIN STAR FOR MICHAEL KEMPF AND THE FACIL RESTAURANT On 7 th November 2013 it became official: Michael Kempf received his second Michelin star. Hence, the Facil is now one of only five with 2 Michelin stars-awarded restaurants in Berlin. How then could we not recommend to you to extend your stay and enjoy such an “appetizing” city? Jean-François Pieri Managing Director Cleverdis & ITB Berlin News 2-Star Berlin starred restaurants LORENZ ADLON ESSZIMMER Unter den Linden 77 - 10117 Berlin FACIL Potsdamer Str. 3 - 10785 Berlin FISCHERS FRITZ Charlottenstr. 49 - 10117 Berlin REINSTOFF Schlegelstr. 26c - 10115 Berlin TIM RAUE Rudi-Dutschke-Str. 26 - 10969 Kreuzberg 1-Star 5 - CINCO BY PACO PÉREZ Drakestr. 1 - 10787 Berlin FIRST FLOOR Budapester Str. 45 - 10787 Berlin HARTMANNS Fichtestr. 31 - 10967 Berlin HORVÁTH Paul-Lincke-Ufer 44a - 10999 Kreuzberg Distance : 3 km HUGOS Budapester Str. 2 - 10787 Berlin LES SOLISTES BY PIERRE GAGNAIRE Hardenbergstr. 27 - 10623 Berlin PAULY SAAL Auguststr. 11 - 10117 Berlin RUTZ Chausseestr. 8 - 10115 Berlin VAU Jägerstr. 54 - 10117 Berlin ITB BERLIN NEWS • Friday 7 th March 2014

ITB Berlin News