Up to 800,000 Expected at Berlin's Main Party

Berlin is expecting up to 800,000 people to show up at the historic Brandenburg Gate for the city's annual New Year's party. Many of those attending are visiting from out of town -- and a local tourism agency reports that many of Berlin's hotels are completely full. "It is the first month where one gets the feeling that the market is taking off," said Hanns Peter Nerger, chairman of Berlin Tourismus Marketing. Besides the party that starts at Brandenburg Gate and stretches along the Unter den Linden boulevard, visitors are also coming for the city's art and music. "There's no city in the world where they can hear concerts with Kent Nagano, Daniel Barenboim and Simon Rattle on the same day," he said, referring to the city's line-up of star conductors.