Tourism on course in Hamburg

"Hamburg has never been more popular," said Michael Otremba, Managing Director of Hamburg Tourismus GmbH. "Hamburg is constantly generating new impulses, such as the St. Pauli flak tower, which highlight the city's innovative spirit. They spark curiosity and give people a reason to travel. To keep increasing the number of guests at such a high level is an enormous achievement for the entire industry. Around 77 per cent of rooms in hotels across Hamburg were fully booked in 2024, putting the city at the top of the German rankings and ahead of European capitals such as Paris (75 per cent), Vienna (72 per cent) and Copenhagen (70 per cent). Hamburg is also the only German city to have returned to the pre-crisis levels of 2019. Since then, around 5,000 new hotel rooms have been added, with the highest average room rate in Germany at EUR 103.47. The success of the tourism industry is leading to growth in the hotel sector. Seventeen new hotels with around 3,500 rooms are due to be built by the end of 2026.

The increased guest numbers in 2024 were due to well-attended events such as the port anniversary celebrations, cultural events such as "250 Years of Caspar David Friedrich" in the Hamburger Kunsthalle and a strong trade fair year. In addition, a record 1.3 million cruise passengers was set. Hamburg's importance as an international conference and congress centre should not be overlooked either as it often results in longer stays in the city. Highlights in 2025 and in 2027 include the leading UITP summit for public transport. Around 12,000 participants are expected at the summit. 

New attractions are also giving Hamburg's tourism industry confidence for 2025. Westfield Hamburg-Überseequartier in HafenCity, for instance, will offer shopping and entertainment in the same building. New musical productions are cementing Hamburg's reputation as a major music and entertainment city. "We are optimistic that 2025 will be another year of growth for tourism in Hamburg, despite the major challenges," said Otremba. "This confidence is based above all on the city's prosperity and the resulting developments, as well as the strong development of the cultural landscape."
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