US tourists are in the lead, followed by those from the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg, Italy, Great Britain, Japan, Austria and Switzerland. The Bavarian State Government has always attached special attention to the advancement of international tourism as a component of its economic and regional policies. Over the same period, the State Government has granted about 674 millions DM in aid and low-interest loans to the municipalities for communal tourist facilities. Bavaria is especially popular as a traditional site for family vacations in the Federal Republic of Germany. The growing competition in domestic and foreign tourist markets, however, calls for redoubled efforts in order to retain Bavaria s good market positions.
Advertising is essential for the purposes of competitiveness.
Therefore, in the 1990s the Free State gave to Bavarian tourist associations almost 60 millions DM for tourist advertising. Improvement of sales and marketing methods, as well as setting up an extended information and reservation system throughout Bavaria is also indispensable. Under the Bavarian Constitution one has the right to use the countryside for recreation, as well as the obligation to protect Nature and the landscape. The Leisure and Recreation Programme, launched in 1970 by the Bavarian State Government, was designed to greatly aid the construction of outdoor recreation facilities. In the course of reform of the state support system in 1997 that programme was replaced by the Outdoor Recreation and Garden Exhibitions Programme.