Tourism in East Germany threatened: AfD election ensures cancellations!
Tourism in East Germany threatened: AfD election ensures cancellations!
In the past few months, political developments in Germany have had a noticeable impact on tourism in East Germany, especially according to the election results of the AfD in the Bundestag election in February. These party profits have triggered the existence of some hoteliers and pension operators. According to az-online report operator in regions such as Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western pomerania and Saxons and an increase in cancellations. Anette Riehl, who runs holiday apartments in Wittenberge, speaks of a worrying trend: "Since the beginning of March, there have been hardly any new bookings for summer." She fears that the negative image of the region is deterring potential vacationers.The survey results show that the AfD has cut off a lot in many constituencies. Especially in Thuringia, where almost 39 percent of the AfD voters gave their voice, the Mayor of Gotha, Knut Kreuch, reported several hotel cancellations. A hiking group from Wuppertal has canceled their journey into the city, which Kreuch feels regrettable. "It shows that many know little about the East. He is more than just an election result," he explains and plans to convince the group of a visit. He sees an urgent need for action to increase the willingness to travel because the uncertainty of the results has already led to a decline in bookings from the old federal states.
regional differences and perception
The assessments of the situation in tourism vary greatly depending on the federal state. While concrete cancellations have occurred in Thuringia and Saxony, the location in Saxony-Anhalt remains stable. Lars Schwarz from the German Hotel and Restaurant Association in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania expresses that there are no measurable declines. The Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania tourism association also describes the connection between election results and travel behavior as marginal. Tobias Woitendorf emphasizes that the positive pre -booking indicators give hope.
But the mood is not undisturbed. Some vacationers express security concerns due to racism and intolerance in the region. Reinhard Meyer, President of the German Tourism Association, warns of long -term disadvantages in the recruitment of specialists and the international perception of Germany as a travel destination. The industry continues to fight for a cosmopolitan and hospitable image District newspaper .
tourism despite challenges
Some holiday resorts such as Heringsdorf on Usedom still have a positive booking situation, while others, such as Sebnitz in Saxon Switzerland, have to deal with cancellations due to racist incidents. While the industry is trying to protect its open doors, it remains to be seen how the political developments will influence the tourist attractiveness of the region in the long term MDR .
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| Ort | Uelzen, Deutschland |
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