Europe
Madeleine Barber discovers that this year is ending on a high note for Hamburg, thanks in part to its strong bond with music and clever marketing
Striking a chord with visitors
I
t’s common knowledge that the Beatles began their illustrious career in Hamburg in the Swinging Sixties, but it’s not just this British pop-rock band that has bonded the German city with music. Hamburg natives Brahms and Mendelssohn-Bartholdy were both classical composers in the Romantic period (the early 1800s) and Staatsoper Hamburg, home of the Hamburg State Opera, was one of the first public opera houses in the world when it opened its doors 340 years ago.
In the present day, Hamburg is embracing its musical heritage in a new marketing strategy, says Michael Otremba, managing director of Hamburg Tourismus: “We are focusing on communicating the Hamburg way of life and the contrasting faces of the city – it’s a city on the water with a mix of neighbourhoods ranging from quirky off-scene quarters, such as the Schanzenviertel and the Karolinenviertel, to elegant, tranquil neighbourhoods such as Uhlenhorst and the ‘stairs quarter’ of Blankenese.” Music is a key focus within this strategy, which was fuelled by the launch of the Elbphilharmonie concert hall in January 2017 – its mirrored facade and comprehensive line-up attracted 4.5 million visitors in its first year of operation alone. West of the Elbphilharmonie – and the city centre – is Reeperbahn, which Otremba cites as integral to the city’s musical identity: “The live stages in the Reeperbahn entertainment district contribute to Hamburg’s repute as one of Europe’s finest live music locations.” While Reeperbahn Festival is the leading musical event in Hamburg’s annual calendar, other options include Elbjazz Festival in the port; the alternative MS Dockville Festival; Wacken Festival, one of the world’s biggest heavy metal events; and the Hurricane Festival south of Hamburg
Elbjazz Festival is held in Hamburg’s port in May or June each year
that brings together slightly quirky rock and electro.
Good intentions
Tourists’ demand for Hamburg’s music industry has proven to be a large contributor to a growth in the number of visitors to the city. It recorded 3.4 million domestic and international arrivals in the first half of 2018, which is a 4.6% increase on the same period in 2017. The majority of these arrivals come from the UK, Denmark and Switzerland. “According to projections, this is not going to change over the next couple of years,” says Otremba. This prediction comes despite some opinions that Brexit will reduce the number of UK tourists visiting European countries after its withdrawal from the European Union in March 2019.
Katharina Fegebank, second mayor and minister for science, research and gender equalities of Hamburg, says that she is feeling positive about Germany’s relationship with Britain post-Brexit: “Nobody knows what’s going to happen. Germany and Britain and Hamburg and London have grown tightly together and the fact that we face the same challenges
when it comes to the environment, digitalisation and city growth is what our networks are based on. Whether it’s hard or soft Brexit, what counts is that the people feel that they’re being taken care of by politicians.” But successful source markets haven’t hindered the ambitions of Hamburg Tourismus, concludes Otremba: “We feel that there is great potential in the Asian markets, and also in the USA. We’re focusing our efforts on raising Hamburg’s profile through its cultural assets.”
■ Germany is exhibiting on stand EU1442
What’s new?
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
JK Rowling’s esteemed stage show Harry Potter and the Cursed Child will make its debut in Germany in spring 2020. This will be the fi rst non-English version of the play and the Theater am Großmarkt is undergoing an extensive redesign in preparation.
The Tortue
Hamburg gained 126 more hotel rooms in June with the launch of this luxury hotel in the city centre. Surrounded by characterful townhouses, it has two restaurants – one serving dishes from the Far East and the other presenting French delicacies – and two bars.
Pierdrei
Opening this winter in the HafenCity district, Pierdrei will have 212 rooms, a restaurant, a roof garden, a bar, a family fl oor and a small stage for concerts or theatre productions.
Paramour
Cirque du Soleil will open the curtains on its “golden age of Hollywood” musical Paramour at the Neue Flora theatre in April 2019.
The Fontenay
This state-of-the-art, 130-room hotel opened its doors on Hamburg’s Alster Lake in March. Its architect, Hamburg-born Jan Stormer, has designed the building in a way that refl ects the surrounding treetops and tranquil water.
Hamburg’s huge harbour is just one of the city’s many facets 07.11.2018 51
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