Greetsiel: Residents raise the alarm - too many tourists in the idyll!

Greetsiel: Residents raise the alarm - too many tourists in the idyll!

The North Sea is very popular as a holiday destination, but this leads to conflicts in the coastal community of Krummhörn. In a recent survey, residents, especially from Greetsiel, made it clear that they feel increasingly disturbed by the strong increase to tourists. The survey, which took place among 798 residents of the community in spring 2024, showed that the opinion about the effects of tourism is strongly divided.

Greetsiel is considered an insider tip among the Wadden Sea destinations and attracts numerous visitors. However, while 91 percent of the respondents like to live in this charming place, 59.8 percent stated that the number of tourists was too high. 84.7 percent of the residents of Greetsiel are particularly concerned about the amount of visitors. The survey was carried out by a student of the Jade University in cooperation with local Touristik GmbH and thus provides valuable insights into the mood of the residents.

disorders from tourists

The residents strongly question the type of visitors that they find disturbing. Around 19.4 percent of those surveyed consider day tourists to be problematic, followed by motorhome tourists (19.1 percent) and tourists with dogs (18.4 percent). These feedback show that not only the number of tourists, but also their behavior plays a role during their stay. In particular, the months of June to August, the main season, seem to act as the trigger for the resentment of the residents, whereby the disorders often make themselves noticeable at noon and afternoon.

The economic effects of tourism are also important. While many residents have an understanding of the economic scope of tourism because it creates jobs, there are also concerns about increasing rental and real estate prices, which primarily benefit hoteliers and restaurateurs. The criticism aims at the fact that the residents do not benefit from the economic advantages to the same time.

conversation about solutions

In view of the problems, the residents consider various solutions to alleviate the negative effects of tourism. Suggestions include the introduction of a tourism tax or the increase in secondary residence tax. A better connection to local public transport is also required to reduce the pressure on the residents and to better control the flow of visitors. Discounts for locals in local shops could also be an approach to mitigate the pressure that the tourists exert.

Overall, the survey reflects the ambivalent situation of the residents: on the one hand, they appreciate the beautiful sides of their homeland and the economic benefits of tourism, on the other hand they feel pressed by the masses of tourists. In order to counteract a possible overload and to maintain the balance between quality of life and tourist interest, the opinions of the residents must be more incorporated into tourist planning. This could be particularly important for Greetsiel to improve peace between residents and visitors.

Details on the survey results and the associated votes can be found in a report on www.merkur.de .

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