Compared to the previous year, overnight stays in Saarland are up by over 5% up to now. According to the Tourismuszentrale des Saarlandes, this is clearly above the growth rates recorded in most other German States. Regarding the number of day trippers , this is even a plus of over 8% . These data are provisional and cover the period from January to August. July and August had been the strongest months of the year. After a cool and wet spring it was probably the opening of the new Center Parcs Park Bostalsee that spurred tourism and obviously brought many new guests to Saarland. Also hotels, restaurants and recreational facilities near the holiday park, e.g. the summer toboggan-run in Nonnweiler or the Schaumberg tower, could profit from this. The Park Bostalsee is, by the way, also the first open Center Parc i.e. it is also accessible for guests from the surroundings. With 124,000 registered overnight stays, the holiday park in Saarland is already fully booked until the end of the year, says Gérard Brémond, President of the touristic Group Pierre & Vacances Center Parcs.. For the coming years, the number of overnight stays is estimated at roughly 600,000.
In only two years and, thus, within the originally planned construction term, this complex building project consisting of the park center and the corresponding infrastructure was implemented by the SHS Strukturholding Saar. As in case of the Saarland Therme, the SHS has, thus, made a substantial contribution to sharpen Saarland´s profile as a touristic region. In terms of costs, too, state-owned SHS remained within the planned budget of almost 80 million euros, of them 40 million euros for the park center and about 40 million euros for infrastructural measures, gardening and landscaping.
