Tourism in Wittenberge: More guests despite AfD election results!

Tourismus im Osten Deutschlands: Über angebliche Buchungsrückgänge nach AfD-Wahlen berichten Medien, doch die Realität sieht anders aus.
Tourism in the east of Germany: Media report on alleged booking returns after AfD elections, but reality looks different. (Symbolbild/ER)

Tourism in Wittenberge: More guests despite AfD election results!

In the current discussion about the effects of the high election results of the AfD on tourism in eastern Germany, different opinions are shown. While some voices speak of a decline in the number of guests, official bodies are vehemently contradictory. A concise example comes from Wittenberge, Brandenburg, where a pension operator said in a letter to newspapers that her accommodation attracted fewer guests this year. It suspects the high AfD election results as a possible reason for this development. However, the Tagesspiegel was published without prior research.

The FAZ also reported no political reasons for the cancellations. The Berliner Zeitung found that media reports about a decline in vacationers in the east were published without reliable evidence. A survey by the tourism authorities of the five East German federal states showed that no significant cancellations were reported based on the AfD election results.

contradictory reports and local reactions

On the contrary, there are indications of a positive development in East German tourism. In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, high occupancy is reported for July and August, and in Brandenburg the number of overnight stays in April was also 10% over the previous year. Mayor Oliver Hermann from Wittenberge could not confirm the claims about an alleged tourism crisis. In addition, Lutz Lange, a hotelier on site, reported rising guests and expressed criticism of the negative reporting.

The outrage for reporting is noticeable in Wittenberge. The article about the situation appeared shortly before a small town congress that was supposed to present positive developments in the city. Jan Lange, Vice President of the German Hotel and Restaurant Association, demands more thorough research from the media to make reality more transparent in the east.

cancellation of connected opinions

Kreuch points out that the willingness to travel from the old federal states is low to the new countries and sees a need for action to increase them. The exchange of tourism players remains essential to strengthen the image of the East as an attractive travel destination.

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OrtWittenberge, Deutschland
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