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Start of the holiday in NRW: Many hotel rooms remain empty!
North Rhine-Westphalia is starting the 2025 summer holidays with mixed reports on hotel and camping demand.
Start of the holiday in NRW: Many hotel rooms remain empty!
The start of the holidays in North Rhine-Westphalia brings light and shadow for the tourism industry. Since the official start of the summer holidays on July 11, 2025, many large hotels in North Rhine-Westphalia have seen a worrying situation: a significant number of their beds remain empty. According to a survey by the NRW Tourism umbrella association and the Dehoga NRW industry association, 29 percent of the companies surveyed are dissatisfied with the capacity utilization, with 9 percent even being very dissatisfied. Business hotels, which traditionally suffer from lower demand during this time, are particularly hard hit. Only about a third of companies say they are satisfied or very satisfied with demand during these holidays, while another third remain neutral.
But not all tourism providers are in such a bad situation. Over 75 percent of campsite operators are satisfied or even very satisfied with demand. Providers of holiday apartments and houses are also happier than average. However, a look at the survey results reveals that only 21 percent of companies report increasing demand; almost half even see a decline. The reasons for this are varied. In addition to the poor economic situation of the guests, the competitive situation is also mentioned as an important factor. Heike Döll-König, Managing Director of Tourismus NRW, remains optimistic despite these challenges and hopes for many spontaneous decisions.
Pleasing numbers in comparison
Reasons for reluctance
Nevertheless, many businesses expect modest occupancy due to rising operating costs and guests' reluctance to consume. Patrick Rothkopf, President of Dehoga NRW, calls for better framework conditions to counteract the challenges of the market. This includes reducing bureaucracy and making working hours more flexible. In addition, a reduction in VAT on food in the catering industry to 7 percent from 2026 is considered an overdue measure.
While the mood in parts of the industry is clouded, the signs in tourism are all about digitalization and sustainability. More and more people are attaching importance to individual and sustainable travel experiences. Trends in tourism, such as solo travel, quick trips or ecologically friendly mobility, are becoming increasingly important. More than half of Germans want to switch off on vacation and travel independently, which fits well into the current offerings of many leisure companies. Using social media to inspire travel is also a growing trend.
Overall, it can be said that the start of the holiday in NRW is a double-edged sword for many providers. Despite the positive developments in the overnight accommodation sector, companies must continue to work hard to meet the expectations of their guests and overcome the challenges of the industry.
tageskarte.io reports that…
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