Overnight stays saw a sharp decline in 2020

According to figures released today by the Lower Saxony State Statistical Office, overnight stays in the state capital fell by 57.3 percent compared to the previous year, to 999,654. The Hanover region recorded a decline of 50.5 percent, totaling 2,106,661 overnight stays in 2020. The figures are thus at a level last seen before 1994.

In 2019, the Hannover region recorded 4.25 million overnight stays, of which 2.33 million were in the state capital itself. Under normal circumstances, a further increase would have been expected.

The months of March through May and November through December 2020 were particularly hard hit by the travel restrictions in place at the time, as well as the lockdown. In April, for example, Hannover recorded 91.6% fewer overnight stays compared to the previous year, and in May, 88.4% fewer.

Hans Nolte, Managing Director of Hannover Marketing und Tourismus GmbH (HMTG), commented on the situation: “Tourism in Hannover and the region’s cities and municipalities is largely driven by business travel. As a result, the COVID-19 pandemic has hit economic hubs like Hannover—which host national and international trade shows, conventions, conferences, and corporate events—particularly hard. The complete cancellation of major events, concerts, and leisure travel thus led to this annual result, which can only be described as disastrous.”

Destination Marketing: Restart
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, HMTG has continued to promote the destination both nationally and internationally through various “Restart” campaigns. These included, for example, 360° panoramic images as part of the “Travelling without moving” campaign for leisure and independent travel, as well as the “Hannover—Safe Meetings” initiative for the trade show and convention sector. The decline in traffic to the website
www.visit-hannover.com—which was expected due to the global pandemic—was largely offset by targeted marketing activities carried out by HMTG.

In December 2020 and January 2021, targeted audience engagement through in-app ads even increased traffic by about 20%. It is particularly encouraging that the majority of this growth was recorded on the English-language pages for the “Hannover in 360°” campaign.
Hans Nolte commented: “We are currently working on digital and analog campaigns and communication strategies for the Hannover region. With events, concerts, conferences, trade shows, congresses, and corporate events still on hold in 2021, targeted location marketing is becoming increasingly important and cannot be put off.”