Tourism in MV: mood dark - what are the problems?

Tourism in MV: mood dark - what are the problems?

The mood in northern German tourism is tense. The President of the German Hotel and Restaurant Association in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lars Schwarz, describes the current situation as sobering. The guests are always more at short notice, remain shorter and are less willing to spend money. According to a report by Nordkurier leads to the consumption withdrawal, which in a current survey of the northern German industrial and chambers of commerce (IHK) was found to further deteriorate in the mood in the travel industry.

A total of around 600 companies from the tourism industry took part in this survey - it can be seen that the mood suffers compared to the previous year. The business climate index in the hospitality industry with 89 points remained almost the same in spring 2024 and now 88 points, while the index in the travel industry dropped from 111 to 107 points.

growing discomfort

The general starting point remains tense. The economic climate index, which (very good) depicts the mood of the industries between 0 (bad) and 200 points, illustrates that the number of overnight stays in the north is comparable to the level before the pandemic, but concerns about high costs, uncertain framework conditions and lack of personnel are increasing. In the travel industry, 70 percent of the companies rate their situation as good or satisfactory, while 30 percent are classified as bad. This is also evident in the forecasts of the future business situation: 16 percent of the companies expect a positive turn, while 33 percent expect less favorable development.

The assessments of the risks that affect economic development are particularly striking. The majority of the companies call labor costs (84 percent) and prices for energy, food and raw materials (72 percent) as the greatest concerns. 60 percent of the respondents see a significant challenge in the economic political framework, and 53 percent state that the lack of workers added to their work.

a look ahead

The future prospects of the companies have lightened slightly, but the difficulties remain. Flexibility of working hours and a reform of corporate taxation are considered important future measures to stabilize the industry. The survey of the IHK occupies the negative turn, especially after a good summer season. Although many companies remain optimistic, sales forecasts for the next season have been clouded: the business climate index in the hospitality industry has dropped from 112 to 99 points and in the travel industry from 133 to 117 points.

These circumstances not only press the mood of the entrepreneurs, but also make workers sweat. Lack of personnel and the associated challenges represent a constant burden. This shows that the industry is facing a long way to recapture complete stability. Despite the better figures compared to the previous year, there is a feeling of uncertainty in the air, as can be seen from the results of IHK Nord

A negative development of the business situation fears 24 percent of the traveling businesses, while only 14 percent expect improvement. The geopolitical tensions and international crises also help to affect travel. Under these signs, those involved must act creatively and flexibly to counter the challenges of the market.