Positive closing balance 2023

In 2023, the number of hotel overnight stays in Hannover—just over 2.3 million—was 0.9 percent higher than in 2019, the pre-pandemic year and previous record year. This is confirmed by official figures from the Lower Saxony State Office for Statistics (LSN), which were released on March 28.

While the number of hotel stays in the city in the first half of 2023 was slightly lower than in the comparable year of 2019, the figures rebounded in the second half of the year.

The steady increase compared to the pre-pandemic year—which serves as the baseline for comparisons—reflects solid growth amid global uncertainties. However, the rise in overnight stays from 2022 to 2023 is also remarkable, exceeding expectations with a 16.1 percent increase.

Of the total 2,359,354 overnight stays last year, the State Statistical Office recorded 479,352 from abroad. In the previous year, 2022, out of a total of 2,031,876 visitors, 385,223 international guests booked accommodations in the state capital; in 2019, the statistics list 482,083 overnight stays from abroad out of a total of 2,338,758.

“The fact that the number of overnight stays this year exceeded the previous record set in 2019 by just under one percent marks a significant success for the city and is a testament to Hannover’s resilience as a tourism and business hub. This trend has been accompanied by increased demand for day trips and city tours. The newly launched overnight packages for families have generated significant demand in the day-trip sector; the same goes for our new city tours, for which we have trained twenty new tour guides, such as the flashlight tour for children and the crime-themed bike tour,” comments Hans Nolte, Managing Director of Hannover Marketing und Tourismus GmbH, on the results.

In the City Break Index compiled by the travel experts at Travelcircus, Hannover recently ranked 6th out of 82 major German cities as the most budget-friendly destination for a weekend getaway. The analysis covered a wide range of expenses typically incurred during a city trip: accommodation in a mid-range hotel, meals, dinner, entertainment, and cultural experiences. It also included factors such as travel to and from the destination and guided city tours.

There is still room
for improvement in terms of overnight stays in the surrounding municipalities. Compared to the previous year, which saw 3,599,505 overnight stays, the region recorded an increase of 12.5 percent in 2023, with 4,050,972 guests. However, the reason for this positive development is that the tourism sector in 2022 continued to be heavily impacted by the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The positive trend in the state capital, however, does not quite carry over to the 20 surrounding municipalities. In the Region Hannover, the figures for 2023 show 4,050,972 overnight stays, compared to 4,254,598 in 2019, representing a decline of 4.8 percent.

While 2019 broke every meteorological record as one of the hottest summers in German history, 2023 saw exceptionally high levels of precipitation. This not only resulted in a 20 percent drop in attendance at the Maschseefest. The poor weather also impacted the Hannover Holiday Region, as significantly more vacationers opted for European destinations instead.

New hotels enhance the cityscape and boost the local economy
. Not least, the region is likely losing overnight stays due to the increase in hotel capacity within the city limits.
Recent developments in Hannover’s hotel landscape signal a trend toward internationalization. Following the arrival of properties from the French Accor Group, Best Western, Marriott (including Sheraton and Courtyard), the NH Hotel Group, and Wyndham, the city has received a significant boost in internationalization with the addition of the me and all Hotel Hannover from the Hyatt Group, as well as, most recently, the global hotel chain Hilton, Motel One, and Premier Inn, one of the largest hotel brands from the UK.

In the spring of 2024, the Prime Star Group’s flagship property, the June Six, will open in the former Loccumer Hof in the heart of Hanover. Penta Hotels hopes to open the former Maritim at the New Town Hall soon, and the internationally active Titanic Group has announced plans for a new building on Königstraße. With the opening of several new hotels in the coming months, the state capital is underscoring its growing reputation as an attractive destination for tourists and business travelers alike. The arrival of international hotel chains is positively transforming the city’s architectural landscape, and the spillover effects for nearby restaurants and shops are particularly significant.

“We welcome the trend toward cooperation between local hotels and international hotel chains, as well as their efforts to market themselves globally. These developments are making a significant contribution to the internationalization of the region as a center for business and tourism,” said Nolte. He added: “Despite the region’s increased visibility, investor expectations remain an ongoing challenge. To sustainably utilize capacity in the state capital and surrounding communities, significant marketing efforts are still required in the source markets for Hannover tourism. However, we are confident that the ongoing efforts to market the Hannover region nationally and internationally will bear fruit.”

*The fact that the comparative figures are primarily based on 2019 is due to the fact that the years 2020 through 2022 were marked by the COVID-19 pandemic.