Celle hoteliers alarmed: Who is really planning the hotel on the Nordwall?

Celle hoteliers alarmed: Who is really planning the hotel on the Nordwall?

The Celle hotel industry is concerned about the planned developments in the Nordwall area. Susanne Ostler, senior manager of the “Celler Tor” hotel and advisory member of DEHOGA Lower Saxony, expressed her unrest in the Committee for Economic Development, Tourism and City Marketing and called for more transparency. According to information from Celle press There are still many unanswered questions about the plans for a five-story hotel with 98 rooms and dining options on the ground floor, which was presented four years ago by the municipal housing association “allerland”.

The site belongs to a subsidiary of the city that would like to sell it to an investor. The then interim managing director, Thomas Edathy, announced in October 2023 that the company would not build itself. Despite several changes in company management, including the immediate dismissal of managing director Manfred Lork, there has so far been no progress on the construction site. This has not only caused uncertainty in the industry, but has also raised concerns. Another hotel could reinforce the already existing negative trend in the price structure of Celle hotels, warned Ostler.

Industry concerns

The discussion about the planned hotel is accompanied by concerns about competition for local businesses. In particular, the upcoming opening of “Hampton by Hilton” in June 2024 is perceived as a threat to the existing hotel and catering industry. Ostler criticizes the fact that Celle does not have the necessary industrial basis to bring guests to the city and that the establishment of pure hotel businesses hardly creates any jobs. Dr. Jörg Rodenwaldt, a member of the committee, shared these fears and called for clear answers regarding the new hotel plans. The next meetings will deal with these topics in more detail, with the current managing director of “allerland”, Lasse Laging, also being invited.

In a broader context, a quick survey by DEHOGA Lower Saxony shows that the hotel and catering industry in the region is currently struggling with significant challenges. Despite outdoor dining being permitted since May 10, 2021, only 31% of businesses are open. Like the magazine hotelier reported, 69% remained closed due to unprofitability and difficulties with the negative test requirement. The companies were also blamed for the new testing requirement, which was strongly criticized by Detlef Schröder, President of DEHOGA Lower Saxony.

Market development and future prospects

The economic situation shows some worrying trends. Around 61% of the businesses that opened did not meet sales expectations, and only 10% achieved better results than forecast. For tourist overnight stays, only 33% of the businesses were open, of which only 0.5% exceeded sales. Despite these challenges, over 80% of open businesses expect sales to remain the same or increase over the upcoming Pentecost weekend, with 37% fearing falling sales.

The industry is worried about the future. Two thirds of the companies in the tourist accommodation sector expect a decline in sales at Pentecost. The necessary support from the public is therefore urgently required in order to help the industry and stimulate tourism demand in Lower Saxony.