Feasibility study: „European city and culture tourism – Thuringian ...

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Final report, VIA REGIA „European city- and culture tourism“ 3 Economic significance of the tourism for Thuringia 3.1 Tourism in Thuringia Thuringia features an impressive diversity of tourism destinations, culture-historical places, and miscellaneous landscapes. Tourists visiting Thuringia are particularly interested in experiencing the nature, culture/education, as well as in health/recreation (Source: Reiseanalyse 2008, FUR). It can be assumed a total of approx. 12 mill. overnight-stays per each year in Thuringia. A quarter of the overnight-stays takes place in the city cluster. From all cities of the Thuringian city cluster, only Erfurt and Weimar rank amongst the top 18 of the federal German ranking list. One aim of the VIA REGIA projects is to promote the cross-border tourism. In doing so the focus is on stimulating the exchange with the new EU-acceding countries. Currently, visitors from Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, the Ukraine and Baltic states represent a definite minority in Thuringia. Hence, the official statistics of the year 2009 shows merely 8,447 (or 4% of all arrivals) arrivals from Poland and 3,790 (2% of all arrivals) from the Czech Republic. All in all, the tourism in Thuringia generates a gross annual income of 3,1734 mrd. EUR per each year (Source: Wirtschaftsfaktor Tourismus in Thüringen, dwif consulting, 2009). For this reason, the tourism represents one of the most significant economic sectors in the country. On the basis of these figures, it can be assumed, that employees in the tourism industry generate an annual income of approx. 974 mill. EUR after deduction of diverse taxes and preparatory efforts. 3.2 Culture tourism along the VIA REGIA Culture tourism describes trips to destinations, mainly cities, for the reason of visiting historical architecture or cultural events, symbolizing the past or current culture of a society. The VIA REGIA and its marketing potentials focus mainly on cultural tourism and hence on the city axis between Eisenach and Weimar. Apart from the city Weimar, national tourist significance is only held as well by Erfurt. (Source: Study on city development of the Thuringian urban framework). An absolute tourist significance for the cities of Thuringia can only be derived by a holistic consideration, which refers not only to the urban area. The cities are distinguished by their close distance to interesting natural areas, providing apart from culture and tourist attractions as well nature-related destinations, like for instance the Ilmtal at Weimar or the Saaletal inclusive the Dornburger Schlösser near Jena. Owing to its historical and cultural places, but also due to the fact of being the former culture capitol of Europe (1999), the city of Weimar has the most important significance for tourists within Thuringia. More than a third of Germany’s former capitol- and residence cities (being capitol until 1918) are located in Thuringia. Because of this, there can be found a relatively high density in cultural goods, created by Dukes or Earls and which are located on a small regional area. Due to the constraints of space, the competition between the owners of the manor houses Page 6 of 73
Final report, VIA REGIA „European city- and culture tourism“ proved to be enormously high, so that there were built splendid castles and magnificent gardens, attracting personalities of art, culture and science to Thuringia. The tourist-related strengths of the Thuringian cities are primarily distinguished by the historical architecture culture as well as by the regional state culture (residential culture). Also traditions of the art handicraft and products, being regionally typical belong to the culture-related tourist attractions. These heritages constitute nowadays the potential for a internationally successful culture tourism in Thuringia and simultaneously make up the approach for a common marketing. Besides the tourist attractions, the cities along the Thuringian city cluster make as well directed use of events in order to support the commercialization. The agenda of the annual event highlights, relevant for that, is shown below (Source: http://www.thueringentourismus.de). • Thüringer Bachwochen: largest music festival in Thuringia plus „Lange Nacht der Hausmusik“, taking place for 3 weeks during March/April in Arnstadt, Eisenach, Erfurt, Mühlhausen, Waltershausen, Wechmar und Weimar • Krämerbrückenfest: largest old town festival in Thuringia including medieval market taking place on the third weekend in June in Erfurt • DomStufen-Festspiele und Sommertheater: Barfüßer-Ruine and stairs of the Mariendom are made up as open air stages in July/August in Erfurt • Luther - Das Fest: Historic spectacle in August in Eisenach • Weihnachtsmarkt Erfurt: including fairy tale forest and the florist exhibition „Florales zur Weihnachtszeit“ in front of the scenery of the Domberg in December in Erfurt. Apart from the annually celebrated events, one-time large-scale events like the state exhibition 2007 „Elisabeth von Thüringen“ or the exhibition series on occasion of the Bauhaus anniversary in 2009 may turn out to become important anchor points regarding the commercialization of the VIA REGIA. In 2008 the Luther decade has been opened and is an event series, aiming to the jubilee of the 550 th anniversary of Luther’s posting of his theses in the year 2017. Each year within this period is dedicated to a particular theme. Selected cities of Thuringia, which are located in the VIA REGIA development corridor, are individually introduced in the framework of the bicycle offer components set out in chapter 8. The cities Gera and Altenburg are situated at the cycling trail Thuringia city cluster and touch the D4 cycling trail. Since these are, however, not included as part of the offer components, they are already described at this point as follows: Gera In Thuringia’s East at the „Weißen Elster“, the city Gera is situated. The official first-mention, dated with the year 995; the city’s foundation took place in the year 1237. Gera belongs also to one of the former residential cities and served as capitol for the Principality Reuß j. L. Due to the minor size of the Principality, there can be found representative buildings, but not to the same extent like it’s the case for instance in Weimar. Schloss Osterstein, as residence Page 7 of 73
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