Bavaria to Celebrate 500 Years of Beer Law in 2016; Lufthansa and Delta Add U.S. Nonstops to Munich
2016 will mark 500 years of Bavaria’s purity law governing brewing beer, the Reinheitsgebot. It is the oldest law covering culinary endeavors, according to tourism officials, and limits ingredients to hops, barley, and water. To celebrate there will be several festivals taking place, including a major event in Aldersbach, near Passau, running from April 29 to October 20. In April, there is the Festival of Pure Beer in Ingolstadt, and in July, Munich hosts the Festival of Bavarian Beer Culture. The southern German state hosts 616 operating breweries, 40 types of beer, and over 4,000 brands, and many breweries offer tours to the public, said Bavarian Tourism CEO Jens Huwald during a visit this week to New York City.
In related news, Munich Airport next year will open a satellite terminal as it reaches its capacity of 40 million passengers annually. The new terminal will be connected to the Star Alliance terminal by an underground peoplemover for the 60-second journey. It will feature “stylish” bars and a fresh dining market where foods of the world will be prepared as diners look on. The airport will also see two new nonstop routes from the U.S., from Detroit by Delta and Denver by Lufthansa. For clients connecting through the airport, officials said this year’s Christmas market will feature over 300 stands. The airport also offers a commissionable VIP meet-and-greet service so passengers avoid the main terminal, including having baggage retrieved for them.
Huwald said last year Bavaria saw 687,570 U.S. visitors, a jump of 4.1%, and through August overnight visits are up 9.1%.