Credit: MECO
From Monday 31 August to Tuesday 1 September 2026, Luxembourg’s Minister of the Economy, SMEs, Energy and Tourism, Lex Delles, paid a working visit to North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany.
According to Luxembourg’s Ministry of the Economy, the visit focused on strengthening relations between Luxembourg and Germany in two priority sectors: the energy transition and tourism, particularly camping, caravanning and active tourism.
On the first day of the visit, Minister Delles visited the battery storage facilities at an RWE power plant. The visit provided an opportunity to review solutions already in place, exchange best practices and discuss potential future cooperation in the field of energy storage.
The visit was followed by a meeting with Nikolaus Valerius, CEO of RWE Generation SE. Discussions focused on prospects linked to the energy transition and the development of new cooperation between Germany and Luxembourg in the areas of large-capacity batteries and renewable energy. The ministry noted that the meeting also helped strengthen relations between the RWE Group, the Luxembourg State and national stakeholders involved in the energy transition.
Minister Delles stated: “Luxembourg and Germany share a common ambition: to support the energy transformation of the economy and our companies, while strengthening cross-border cooperation. In the field of energy, this cooperation with our neighbouring countries is of particular importance for Luxembourg, given the size of our country.”
As part of the visit, Minister Delles also attended the CARAVAN SALON in Düsseldorf, described by the ministry as the world’s largest trade fair dedicated to motorhomes, caravans, camping and mobile leisure. The event, which runs until 6 September, brought together more than 830 exhibitors from 41 countries across fifteen halls and outdoor exhibition areas. The previous edition in 2025 attracted 269,000 visitors from 80 countries.
Minister Delles visited the “Visit Luxembourg” pavilion, organised and managed by Luxembourg for Tourism GIE, which brought together Camprilux asbl, the Mullerthal Region – Luxembourg’s Little Switzerland Regional Tourism Office, the Éislek Regional Tourism Office, Camping Fuussekaul and Camping Nommerlayen.
According to the ministry, the joint presence was intended to showcase Luxembourg’s tourism offer in camping, caravanning, hiking and cycle tourism, as well as the infrastructure and services available to international visitors.
Minister Delles also took part in the “Natur.Tourismus.Zukunft” symposium, where he delivered an opening speech on Luxembourg’s priorities in active and sustainable tourism, camping and caravanning. He later joined the panel “Nische war gestern: Caravaning als Wachstumskraft für die Reisewirtschaft”, which focused on the growing role of caravanning and motorhome tourism in Europe.
During these exchanges, Minister Delles highlighted Luxembourg’s network of marked and interconnected trails, cycling routes for different levels, the links between hiking, cycling, camping and caravanning, the country’s varied landscapes and proximity to nature, as well as the development of wine tourism.
Tourism data cited by the ministry showed that Luxembourg campsites recorded 1,262,771 overnight stays in 2025, representing an increase of 29% compared with 2019, as well as 332,476 arrivals, up 53% over the same period.
The German market also accounted for a significant share of tourism activity. In 2025, German visitors represented 240,481 arrivals and 508,512 overnight stays across all types of accommodation, equivalent to 15% of total overnight stays.
Minister Delles added: “These results illustrate Luxembourg’s potential as a destination for German visitors, particularly in the areas of camping, caravanning, hiking and cycle tourism. A sustainable, accessible and diversified tourism offering is essential to meet the new expectations of visitors seeking outdoor experiences, stays closer to home and more flexible ways of travelling. In the field of tourism, exchanges of experience and concrete partnerships are essential to prepare for the future. Luxembourg has many strengths to welcome visitors looking for active tourism, close to nature and easily accessible.”
