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Brocken summit: Major renovation project to save Harz tourism!
The Brocken summit in Lower Saxony has a new owner. Planned tourism developments are intended to increase visitor numbers.
Brocken summit: Major renovation project to save Harz tourism!
The Brocken summit, the highest mountain in northern Germany, recently changed hands. After Telekom sold the summit to the Harz district, exciting changes are now imminent. The traditional area is going into new hands for a sum of 3.5 million euros, as az-online.de reports.
The Harz district plans to increase the tourist attractiveness of the Brocken through extensive renovation work. Among other things, the plan is to build a new multi-purpose hall that will accommodate up to 500 guests for theater performances and conferences. A barrier-free reception building will also be built to make access easier for all visitors. The aim of these measures is to improve the tourism infrastructure and counteract the ongoing decline in visitor numbers.
Challenges in the Harz
However, the current situation in the Harz is anything but rosy. Drought, bark beetles and storms have led to dramatic tree die-off, which is taking a toll on the ecosystem and diminishing the area's appeal. The Harz narrow-gauge railways - especially the Brockenbahn, which has been in operation since 1898 - are heavily dependent on the number of visitors. Last year, the Brockenbahn recorded a record decline in passengers, which put almost 250 jobs at risk, according to mdr.de.
District Administrator Thomas Balcerowski points out the urgent need to take action and accept the challenges. The planned renovation measures are not only necessary, but also complicated, as they must be carried out taking monument protection into account. Changes to the historical substance are impossible, which makes planning more difficult.
Tourism in transition
The developments on the Brocken are in the context of a larger change in tourism in the Harz region. The annual tourism day of the Harz Tourism Association (HTV) recently addressed the urgent challenges facing the industry - from the corona pandemic to the energy crisis to climate change. The HTV relies on cooperation and digital technologies to record and direct the flow of visitors. The planned dedicated marketing will continue to appeal to international target groups, including in Denmark and the Netherlands.
- Digitale Besuchererfassung zur Verbesserung der Gästezufriedenheit
- Einführung der „Brockenbande“ für Kinder mit eigenem Magazin und Podcasts
- Fortsetzung umfangreicher Marketingmaßnahmen trotz der Pandemie
The local population's acceptance of tourism is crucial to promote stability in the region. A common goal is to sustainably support the Harz narrow-gauge railways and to improve the overall offer in Harz tourism, as tourismusnetzwerk-sachsen-anhalt.de emphasizes.
The coming months and years could be crucial for the future of the Brocken and the entire region. Now is the right time to roll up your sleeves and revitalize the Harz's tourism potential.