Berlin promotes off-the-beaten-path tourism

The city has supported 65 initiatives in 9 districts away from its centre as a way to draw crowds to more unique experiences

Today, local authorities in Berlin announced a new initiative to move tourism away from the city centre and into the outer and more remote districts of the city. The initiative is called ‘Off to B!’ (Ab ins B!) which refers to the B traffic zone of the German capital – outside of the S-Bahn ring.

The B zone includes nine districts, each with a very unique character and geography. Visitors could watch migratory birds in the Britzer Garden in Neukölln, surf in Lichtenberg, brew beer in Tempelhof-Schöneberg, cook wild herbs in Spandau or kayak in Treptow-Köpenick.

According to an official statement, promoting tourism away from the TV tower and the Brandenburg Gate is a win-win situation for the city. On the one hand, more cultural activities will see exposure to larger audiences, while visitors could find some niche activities the city has to offer and not risk creating massive queues.

Berlin is competing on a global scale  

According to Berlin's Economics Senator Stephan Schwarz, city districts have received around 1.5 million euros since the start of 2022 to develop a joint offer. These funds were allocated to 65 separate smaller projects that combine to form traffic zone B.

There are around 250 events scheduled to start between 25 March and 10 April, spread throughout the city. They include an Augmented Reality digital tour of Jewish life in Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf and Mitte and a digital map for local handicrafts, craft shops and manufacturers in Pankow among others.

The tourism industry has almost made a full post-pandemic recovery and according to Berlin authorities, the German capital remains one of the most popular destinations in the world, comparable to the likes of London, Paris and New York In 2022, researchers logged 10.4 million visitors who made approximately 26.5 million overnight stays.