structural development

 Perhaps the most beautiful weekend of the year in what is probably the most beautiful city in Germany

Not only for me as an exiled Berliner and a Görlitz resident by choice, this festival weekend is one of the cultural highlights of the region, which made my move from the Moloch Berlin so easy, just around the corner. Colleagues make an appointment to attend the opening of the old town festival by Octavian Ursu and Michael Kretschmer this evening from 6 p.m. at the town hall. Colleague Wilhelmine , young lioness in the local Leo Club, sells lots, organizes and moderates the legendary swimming sheep cup from a platform in the middle of the Neisse. An extremely amusing must-attend event for every visitor to the old town festival and a highlight of this weekend, which is not lacking in highlights. Don't miss out: You can buy swimming sheep tickets at the Leo stand on the Altstadtbrücke and take part in the race on Saturday from 2 p.m., of course at the Altstadtbrücke!

priceless land just this weekend . The hotels in and around Görlitz are overcrowded. 2023 seems to be a new record year for tourism. Tourism in Görlitz increased noticeably in the first half of the year. According to the Saxony State Statistical Office (StLA), 65,523 tourists came to Görlitz from January up to and including June 2023 and booked a total of 139,813 overnight stays. For comparison: last year there were 52,845 guests and 121,545 overnight stays. The number of current overnight stays corresponds to an increase of 1.9 percent compared to the previous record year 2019 (137,174).

Of course, it's not just our colleagues from the Tourism Service Center and our partners . "The flow of visitors in the city has been clearly noticeable for a few weeks. Now the official figures also confirm the increase in guests," says Eva Wittig happily. Europastadt GörlitzZgorzelec GmbH (EGZ), which is responsible for city marketing, and is looking forward to this weekend with confidence - and also to autumn: "The inquiries and advance bookings we have registered for the third quarter make us optimistic. We are expecting numerous seminar groups, studies - and class reunions. Company and club outings take place during the week, which we serve with an extended range of city tours."

Tourism creates a good mood and good news. But: many children and grandchildren who have found their professional happiness in the West are also visiting their parents who have stayed here this weekend. And if you feel addressed, or know someone who might feel addressed and thinks "home is best", you can attend the returnee specialist exchange on Saturday, August 27, 2022 between 12 noon and 4 p.m. in the large meeting room in the town hall ( Entrance via historic town hall staircase) find a new job in the old homeland .

After all, why not work and live where others vacation? Görlitz is one of the most popular travel destinations in Germany. In the top 100 ranking of the German National Tourist Board, the city on the Neisse took 29th place, leaving cities such as Bamberg, Quedlinburg and Cologne behind. So why travel far away again when the good things are already there : there are good jobs here ! And that the structural development and the mood in Lusatia are still booming is not only proven by the regular good stories on our UBL blog, but also by the key figures of the latest Lausitz Monitor .

I hope to see you at the Altstadtfest!

Best regards

Your Jasna