The tourism podcast of the Hamburg Tourism Association regularly invites people working in tourism to talk about the attractions and disadvantages of Hamburg in terms of #HamburgTourism. Recently, I was also able to talk to the chairman Wolfgang Raike about the Hanseatic city.
Hamburg is so beautifully airy!
Sarah Janning-Picker
What is a must-see in Hamburg?
As a certified tour guide, I can of course talk for hours about this beautiful Hanseatic city, but in general I would say that the vastness (the horizon and the wide streets), the green (i.e. the many parks – in addition to the city park) and also the blue (i.e. the waters) have a special charm in Hamburg. This makes Hamburg seem much“airier” than other cities I know. We don’t have a castle, no oriental decorated facades and no mountains, but we do have Hamburg’s freedom – the Große Freiheit. It is not only available as a street, but for anyone who wants to experience it, free of charge in countless places in the city.
Sit down for a moment on the Outer Alster and watch the swans proudly displaying their plumage, enjoy the view of Hamburg’s skyline from the vantage point of the Old Elbe Tunnel, let the wind blow around your nose on the Elbe Boulevard! If you just rush from one sight to another, you won’t notice the feeling of life.
What is missing for tourists in Hamburg?
Hamburg tourism is not a priority in the city. We employees in tourism are clearly aware of this, even though the income that our industry generates for private and state coffers continues to rise. Nevertheless, the focus is all too often on attracting more guests (recently increasingly more foreign guests) to the city. Unfortunately, the local infrastructure does not keep pace. Or is not given the appropriate attention.
The majority of guests arrive in groups in coaches. There is not enough overnight parking available for coaches and accessing many hotels by coach is difficult or – following the introduction of some traffic-calmed zones – virtually impossible. Traveling with a group and finding a public toilet is a challenge when Michel and the town hall are not on the itinerary.
How can tour guides provide support?
As a qualified tour guide in Hamburg, I am aware – and try to pass this on to my colleagues and trainees – that tourism only works if the city’s residents are happy with it. We Hamburg Guides can contribute to this by guiding our groups. After all, that’s what we’re there for. We guides have to keep an eye on the cycle paths, we have to position our group so that they don’t block any paths or entrances and exits, we have to make sure that the guests don’t interfere too much with the local culture, but that they understand and respect it.
You are welcome to experience a city tour of Hamburg with me. Just get in touch with me . I look forward to seeing you!
