Unusual summer: hotel beds still available on Lake Constance

Lull in tourism on Lake Constance - Unusual summer: hotel beds still available on Lake Constance

Tourists have good chances this year to still find a room spontaneously at Lake Constance. Due to reports about flooding and mosquitoes, some bookings were cancelled and some through traffic remained low, as hoteliers in the region described.

"My phone rings daily with calls from people who want to know if we are even open for vacation," said Manfred Lang from the Romantikhotel Residenz am See in Meersburg. The negative headlines of the past days and weeks had caused uncertainty. They would not reflect the reality in the region.

There were only isolated areas around the lake where there were more mosquitoes due to the flooding, and that only for a short time. At his place in Meersburg with the steeper banks, there were no effects. Neither tourist attractions such as the island Mainau or the pile dwellings nor shipping were affected by the flooding.

Significantly lower occupancy

Swimming in Lake Constance is possible and the drinking water is completely fine, Lang emphasized. The revenue losses due to missing tourists affected not only his establishment.

In the nearly 15 kilometer distant Hotel Traube am See in Fischbach, things looked similar. Manager Uwe Felix, who is also active in the Hotel and Gasthouse Association Dehoga for the Bodenseekreis, reported a significantly lower occupancy. "We have about 15 to 20 percent fewer bookings than usual for this time." There were also a few cancellations. Above all, short-term bookings and through traffic had decreased.

Frustration and anxiety

The current poor business is frustrating and makes one anxious. "This is the time when we earn our money. In winter, we just try to survive." The missing tourists in one of Germany's holiday regions is a big problem.

Alexander Trauthwein, manager of the Park-Camping in Lindau am Bodensee, would be happy about good weather for bathing. The rain had done nature good. "You can see it in the lush greenery here in the park." He also reported a noticeable reluctance. Short-term bookings and through traffic were lacking due to the persistent wet weather. The mosquitoes were no problem for the campers. "Flooding and mosquitoes have always been there."

Nabu: Mosquitoes are not a nuisance

Mosquitoes belong to the lake, said Susanne Schwab from the Nabu-Bodenseezentrum nature conservation center. Sometimes there are more, sometimes fewer. "They are not a nuisance, but part of the natural ecological cycle of the lake." The mosquitoes were eaten in large numbers by fish and birds.

A lot is coming together, described hotelier Felix in Fischbach. "The reports about flooding and mosquitoes, rising costs, inflation, and the bad weather," so the gastronomist. He hoped for the summer, there would be enough free capacities for vacationers.

1. Despite the concerns about flooding and mosquitoes, Manfred Lang from the Romantikhotel Residenz am See in Meersburg assures that swimming in Lake Constance is safe and the water is drinkable.
2. The hospitality industry in Meersburg, such as Manfred's hotel, has not been significantly affected by the flooding, as only isolated areas around the lake have seen an increase in mosquitoes.
3. In nearby Fischbach, hotelier Uwe Felix from Hotel Traube am See reports a significantly lower occupancy due to lower bookings, especially for short-term stays and through traffic, which has been affected by the flood reports and wet weather.
4. Alexander Trauthwein, manager of the Park-Camping in Lindau am Bodensee, also notices a decline in short-term bookings and through traffic, but the mosquitoes have not posed a problem for the campers.
5. Susanne Schwab from the Nabu-Bodenseezentrum nature conservation center in Germany's Baden-Württemberg region, where Meersburg and Lake Constance are located, explains that mosquitoes are part of the lake's natural ecological cycle.
6. The tourism industry in Meersburg and the surrounding Baden-Württemberg region has experienced a dip in tourism due to reports of flooding and mosquitoes, which has caused frustration and anxiety among hoteliers like Felix in Fischbach, who rely on summer tourism for their income.
7. As the storm and mosquito issues persist, Alexander Trauthwein in Lindau looks forward to good weather, hoping that it will bring more vacationers and fill the vacant capacities in the Lake Constance area, where beauty spots like Mainau and Meersburg's historic center are waiting to welcome tourists.

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