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Reading about island tourism: nostalgia or future? Discover more!
Find out more about the effects of island tourism in a reading on July 9th, 2025 at KWI Essen with authors.
Reading about island tourism: nostalgia or future? Discover more!
On July 9, 2025, an exciting event will take place at the Essen Cultural Studies Institute (KWI) that will focus on the effects of tourism on island areas. The reading and the subsequent conversation, moderated by Laura M. Reiling, offer a deep insight into the topic of island (over)tourism.
The event is free and does not require registration. The garden hall of the KWI, located at Goethestrasse 31 in Essen, will be the setting for a double reading with the authors Kristin Höller and Thea Mengeler. The focus is on the literary processing of current challenges that insular areas experience due to permanent tourism.
Literary perspectives on tourism
Various aspects of island life are discussed in the works of Höller and Mengeler. Kristin Höller's novel "People from Before" (2024, Suhrkamp) draws parallels to nostalgic memories of island life, while Thea Mengeler's "After the Ferries" (2024, Wallstein) describes the reality of life after tourism on a deserted island from different perspectives. The novel “Zur See” by Dörte Hansen (2022) will also be up for discussion and illustrates the negative effects of tourism.
The authors will raise questions that are of central importance to many islanders and travelers: What remains of or on the islands? What could the future approach to tourism look like? And to what extent is the longing for island landscapes a “guilty pleasure” despite their overload of tourists?
A space for discussion and exchange
This reading is intended not only to present the literary aspects, but also to create a platform for dialogue. The event offers visitors the opportunity to contribute their own perspectives and experiences and to actively participate in the discussion.
For further information about the event, those interested can visit the KWI website: idw-online.de or read about the event nachrichten.idw-online.de.
The topic of island (over)tourism is not only of literary importance, but also raises questions that are of great relevance for the future of tourist hotspots.