Overnight stays saw a sharp decline in 2020

According to figures released today by the Lower Saxony State Office for Statistics, overnight stays in the state capital fell by 57.3 percent compared to the previous year, to 999,654. The Region Hannover 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 Region Hannover recorded 4.25 million overnight stays, 2.33 million of which 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 than in 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 cities and towns of the region 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 fairs, conventions, conferences, and corporate events—particularly hard. The complete cancellation of major events, concerts, and private tourism has thus led to this year’s results, which can only be described as disastrous.”

Location Marketing: Restart
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, HMTG has continued to promote the location both nationally and internationally through various “Restart” campaigns. Examples include 360° panoramic images as part of the “Travelling without moving” campaign for leisure and independent travel, and the “Hannover – Safe Meetings” initiative for the trade fair and convention sector. The decline in traffic to the www.visit-hannover.com
website expected in connection with the global pandemic was largely offset by targeted marketing activities by HMTG.

In December 2020 and January 2021, targeted audience engagement through in-app ads actually 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 concepts for the Hannover region. With events, concerts, conferences, trade shows, congresses, and corporate events still absent in 2021, targeted location marketing is becoming increasingly important and cannot be put off.”