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Purchase of chunks: District is planning a big tourist sensation in the Harz!
On June 22, 2025, the Harz district plans to purchase the Brocken in order to increase its tourist attractiveness and visitor numbers.
Purchase of chunks: District is planning a big tourist sensation in the Harz!
June 22, 2025 will go down in the annals of the region as a historic day. The district administrator of the Harz district, Thomas Balcerowski, announced that the purchase of the Brocken plateau has now been officially decided. This was approved by the Harz district committee, which serves as the final authority before the final decision in the district council on December 11th. Although the purchase price has not yet been published, the costs for further investments and renovations are expected to be around three million euros. In this way, the district shows a clear commitment to enhancing the region's tourist status. Country and forest reports that the main goal is to make the Brocken an attractive travel destination again and to secure the Harz narrow-gauge railways.
Will the Brocken become the new hotspot? The focus is not only on the economic aspect, but also on securing public property. Balcerowski is already planning talks with Brocken landlord Daniel Steinhoff and representatives of the national park in order to develop a comprehensive overall concept. This could help address the declining tourist numbers at the Brocken, which a district spokesman said is considered alarming. Visitor numbers are currently no longer at their peak and there are extensive plans to change this. The Harz region's offerings and the multitude of attractions already play a central role, such as the UNESCO World Heritage Rammelsberg Mine or the historic old town of Goslar. MZ states that these measures are intended to initiate a new concept to increase visitor numbers.
Tourism challenges in the Harz
What is the overall situation with tourism in the Harz? According to the latest figures from the Lower Saxony tourism network, around 1.2 million guests came to the Harz in 2024, generating over 3.7 million overnight stays. The region has thus reached 94 percent of the overnight stay level of 2019. The most important source market for the Harz remains Denmark, where tourist offers and nature experiences are very popular. The Lower Saxony tourism network informs that the region also has various attractions to offer such as the Upper Harz water management and the old district of Goslar.
A rethink seems to be in order: With the planned purchase of the Brocken plateau and the associated investments, the district wants to actively contribute to the tourist attractiveness of the Harz and attract more guests, who ideally travel with the Brockenbahn. It remains to be seen what successes Balcerowski's overall concept will bring and whether the Brocken will soon be as lively as it was in its best times.