Wilhelmshaven is fighting: Dehoga boss warns of a dramatic return of guests!

Wilhelmshaven is fighting: Dehoga boss warns of a dramatic return of guests!

In Wilhelmshaven, the tourism industry collapses! The number of overnight stays has dropped dramatically this year, and the forecasts are anything but rosy. While 364,614 overnight stays were still counted in 2023, only 214,258 are in the account by the end of October. Olaf Stamsen, the chairman of the German Hotel and Restaurant Association Wilhelmshaven (DEHOGA), raises the alarm: "We will not catch up with the missing 150,000 overnight stays in the remaining two months." The reality is clear: the hotels are at the limit and the season is almost over.

alarm mood in the industry

Stams speaks of a "worrying downward trend". The utilization of the hostels in Wilhelmshaven is a measly 44 percent, while the Lower Saxony average is 54.3 percent. In comparison, other coastal federal states shine with 59.3 percent in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and 64.4 percent in Schleswig-Holstein. "Investments were made in the Corona period while we slept in Lower Saxony," said Stamsen. The consequences are devastating: "We won't get that again so quickly!"

Missing attractions and shortage of skilled workers

The industry also fights with a massive lack of workers. Many young people now have hardly any points of contact with the gastronomy and avoid jobs in this area. Stams reports of applicants who have never been to a hotel. The city offers too little in the colder months to attract new talents: "In June or July it is easy to put Wilhelmshaven in a positive light. But try that in November!"

In order to increase the attractiveness, Stams urgently demands more indoor offers such as a jumphouse, an Instagram museum or an adventure golf course. The city needs a breath of fresh air to regain tourists and specialists. "We have received over 3700 reviews on 29 online portals. If we systematically evaluate them, we can work specifically at the criticisms," says Stamsen. Time is pushing and the future of Wilhelmshaven is on the brink!