No question about it: the Tölzer Land has a lot to offer in terms of leisure time and is therefore a popular destination for tourists and day-trippers.
The representatives of the Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen regional committee of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) and many business people are aware of this.
At a press conference of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce, which was recently held in the Tölzer "Kolberbräu", the challenges and the general situation of the special Corona year 2020 for tourism in the district were discussed in more detail.
Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen - The chairman of the IHK regional committee, Reinhold Krämmel, stated right from the start: "One thing must be clear to everyone: If tourism is doing well, everyone benefits from it - economy and society." Andreas Wüstefeld, head of Tölzer Land Tourismus (TLT), emphasized in his lecture that the economic factor tourism made a plus of 12 percent in gross sales from 2016 to 2019.
In numbers: 300 million.
“2019 was a record year.” 51 percent of gross sales were generated by day tourists.
As a result, there are more than 4,500 full-time jobs in the region.
2019 was a record year
Not only these figures, but also the wide range of leisure activities such as cable cars, bike paths, cross-country ski trails, ski lifts and the like illustrate the importance of tourism for quality of life in the district, according to Wüstefeld.
“A maximum of a third of all these offers are used by locals.
In other words: We would never have so much on offer in the leisure and catering segment. "
But despite the attractiveness of the Tölzer Land as a local recreation area in the Corona summer, there was a loss of sales of 33 million euros in March and April 2020.
"Up to now, the youth hostels and conference hotels have been hardest hit by the crisis among the accommodation providers," explained Wüstefeld.
In contrast, there was a boom in campsites and vacation rentals after the lockdown.
"April and May went catastrophically"
In general, April and May were “catastrophic” in all companies.
This is mainly due to the lockdown.
“In June tourism slowly started up again.” According to Wüstefeld, one could speak of a “recovery” since July.
"In some cases it was even possible to catch up on the same month last year," reported the TLT boss.
Due to the developments in cooperation with various municipalities and traders, TLT would like to express an appreciation for the tourists through the new campaign "Charmant miteinand 'im Tölzer Land" (we reported).
But it is also about promoting more appreciation of the citizens for tourism, said Wüstefeld.
Because it is not primarily the hospitality industry that benefits from day trippers.
“The profit here takes place on several levels.
Because the companies from the hospitality industry in turn place other orders or commission equipment from local craftsmen. "
Over-tourism in the Tölzer Land as a conceptual and strategic challenge
Nevertheless, he is aware that the Tölzer Land is facing “major conceptual and strategic challenges from over-tourism.
"This applies above all to the Kochelsee-Walchensee region, which has always, but this year more than ever, struggled with an area overload," said the TLT boss.
With the help of an "excursion ticker" one has already tried to counteract this.
This online program can be used to see how much is currently going on and where.
"The ticker was well received, but of course it is not the final solution to the problem," said Wüstefeld.
An "adapted marketing concept" is required, the development of which has top priority.
In summary, Wüstefeld stated that the district - provided that there was no new lockdown - "got away with it with a black eye".
The current situation has also given new opportunities, for example to address a younger clientele.
“You also have to see that cities like Munich were hit much harder,” said Wüstefeld.
The state capital is also dependent on trade fair and congress tourism, for example, but the canceled Oktoberfest also has a major impact on the tourism balance.
Also read: Voices on the TLT tourism campaign "Charming with one another in the Tölzer Land"
In the following discussion, the hoteliers present, such as Lydia Hofherr, agreed to Andreas Wüstefeld.
The lockdown would have made them all aware of the fatal effects the failure of tourism can have on the local economy.
“The broader population must be aware of everything that depends on tourism.
You have to support the shops and stores here and find constructive solutions for problems such as those on Lake Walchensee, ”demanded the owner of the Königsdorf Posthotel Hofherr.
