As of: February 26, 2024, 11:13 a.m
By: Manuela Schauer
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The total number of beds in Oberammergau initially fluctuated and recently increased.
However, the hotel industry is not contributing to the latter development.
© Ammergauer Alpen Gmbh/mm
It would be good for Oberammergau.
For many reasons, says Andreas Rödl.
That's why the mayor would have absolutely nothing against a hotel in the four to five star segment.
Oberammergau – If Andreas Rödl (CSU) could write a wish list for his home town of Oberammergau, it would certainly be extensive.
There is a need for improvement in many areas.
In real estate, finance or tourism.
What would definitely be on the list of desires: a new hotel.
The mayor has a big business in mind.
However, not in the three-star range.
This means the place is well covered.
“We don’t want to create competition,” emphasizes Rödl.
He is thinking of a higher-class segment with four or five stars.
The design hotel Maximilian was able to adorn itself with the latter classification until 2018, but none of the Oberammergau hotels have been able to do so since then.
Missing area
So much for the theory.
In practice, a problem quickly arises.
There is a lack of suitable space on the necessary scale.
“A clever project needs space,” explains the town hall boss.
“3000 square meters are not enough.” The attempt to create accommodation in the Kolben area using building rights failed.
The state development plan slowed the community down.
Rödl regrets it.
Although he still has a trump card up his sleeve.
The tender process for Wellenberg “offers the opportunity to locate a hotel,” explains the mayor.
This means nothing other than that the investor concept can include a hotel.
When it comes to privatization, the municipality is in the final competitive dialogue.
Hopes rest on a successful end to the negotiations.
“It would be important,” emphasizes Rödl once again, “that something happens again.”
Because Oberammergau is suffering from a shortage of beds.
At least and as in other Ammertal towns in the hotel industry.
In 2011, the village of Unterm Kofel had 23 hotels with 1,441 beds, and at the end of last year there were 21 of these hotels (including bed and breakfast) with 1,307 beds.
The reasons for the decline are varied.
“A broad field,” says Nicole Richter from Ammergauer Alpen GmbH.
For example, she cites generational change, a shortage of skilled workers and the problem of a lack of successors.
The lucrative business through conversion into holiday apartments (fewo) or permanently rented units is also a reason.
Accommodating travel groups is difficult
On the contrary, the numbers for holiday apartments increased, says the expert.
In 2021 there were still 545 beds in this operating mode, in 2010 there were already 690, in 2019 there were 887 and in 2023 1013. So almost twice as many as in 2001 and around a third of the total number of beds (see graphic).
As nice as this development may be for holiday apartments, it is very painful in the hotel segment.
Problems come with the loss of beds.
“It has become difficult for us as a tourism association, for example, to communicate accordingly,” explains Richter.
Especially for (travel) groups who want to stay together in one hotel and not in different houses.
Of course, this also applies to the passion plays.
In the past, it was possible to accommodate 100 percent of the arrangement guests in Oberammergau, says the town hall boss.
In the last production in 2022 it was just a third.
The beneficiaries of the limited capacities: other places in the Ammertal and even in the district.
What the retail industry felt under the Kofel.
“He no longer benefited as much from the passion as he once did,” is Rödl’s assessment.
He expects that more money will flow into the shops' coffers, among other things, from large accommodation.
Failed on the piston
But even time plays a role in the Passion Village.
Rödl is worried.
About the consequences if demand is permanently greater than supply.
He asks himself: How long can the market hold out for this?
At some point, he suspects, the guests who would actually be interested in staying give up - and look elsewhere.
This danger could be counteracted to some extent with a large hotel.
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The town hall boss would prefer a company that does marketing for itself.
So there is more going on even in the months with less tourism.
The indoor hall at Kolben could serve as a year-round attraction – if it is ever approved.
And of course, if the investor process for Wellenberg bears fruit, a swimming pool.
The advantages of hotels, which usually offer a bad weather program for guests as well as workplaces, are obvious for the community leader.
For all sides.
Also for the municipality.
Because the income from spa and tourism contributions would increase.
The positive thing about this: While the municipality has to pay a large part of the trade tax to the district, 100 percent of this money remains in the municipal wallet.
As a direct contribution from tourism to tourism.