Berlin, the vibrant metropolis of freedom and creativity,
welcomed over 12 million tourists last year, almost three times the city's population.
But although tourism is a boon for the local economy, it also has its downsides. While
tourists enjoy the sights, problems of the locals are often associated with commercial
mass tourism. Rising rents and crowded streets are increasingly perceived as a burden.
What impact does tourism really have on Berlin? Are there new forms of travel that
follow a different concept to that of conventional tourism? After all, every visitor
brings their own expectations and needs with them - this not only leaves a specific
footprint in the city, but also opens up the possibility of adopting new perspectives.
Tourism in Berlin reflects the city's vibrant and diverse character. Visitors from around the globe are drawn
to Berlin to experience its multifaceted charm. While a significant portion of tourists are from Germany and
other European countries, more than one million visitors traveled to Berlin from non-European nations in 2023.
Impact on the Economy
The annual influx of tourists contributes to the economic revitalization of the city of Berlin.
The German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) has determined that a German overnight guest spends around 173.50 euros per day. A look at
the distribution of expenditure shows that tourists in Germany spend a considerable amount on accommodation, food and entertainment.
Spending per category
Percentage share of all expenses Spending of German tourists in Berlin, 2020
However, another point could also be that spending in Berlin is lower than in USA, UK or Netherlands. Tourists from countries
with a high cost of living, such as the USA or the UK, often perceive Berlin as cheap. For Berliners, on the other hand, rising prices are
increasingly becoming a burden. In particular, tourists from countries with high purchasing power are contributing to rising prices in tourist centers.
Price levels for consumer spending by private households — Percentage deviation from Germany
As part of the New Urban Tourism movement,
more and more people are seeking to immerse themselves in local
city life. Providers on the Airbnb accommodation platform offer them this experience. According to Dr. Christoph Sommer,
providers are transforming "low-attraction neighborhoods into meaningful tourist destinations".
Although traditional accommodation providers were still leading in terms of the number of beds
in March 2024, ...
Airbnb bed offerings: own calculation (assuming every entire
Airbnb apartment has 2 beds and all the other offerings one (excl. hotels));
*Hotels, hotels garnis (Overnight stays with breakfast and without
additional meals), inns, guesthouses, Youth hostels, Vacation centers,
houses, apartments, Recreation, vacation, training homes, preventive care and rehabilitation clinics, Campsites
... the umbrella association of hotels, restaurants, cafés and similar establishments in Europe Hotrec sees a need for
regulatory action in the regulation of short-term rentals.
It emphasizes unfair competition, consumer exposure to safety hazards, unreported tax income.
This latter accusation is generally supplemented by the criticism that Airbnb increasingly converts urgently needed general housing into tourist accommodations and
causing rental prices to rise.
The attractiveness for providers is due in particular to the higher profits when the rental property is used at high capacity.
A study conducted by the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) has shed light on, among other things,
the impact of Airbnb listings on the already strained housing market in Berlin.
The results indicate that the intensity of the effects mentioned below is particularly high for short-term rental properties
that are permanently listed on Airbnb.
Airbnb listings within a district have partially significant impacts on the listing rents in the neighborhood.
Notably, the availability of rental apartments decreases with each frequently offered additional Airbnb listing per
square kilometer.
To protect the existing housing stock, the city of Berlin decided to take action against these permanent
listings. In 2016, the Change of Use law ("Zweckentfremdungsverbot") was introduced, which was amended in 2018.
The effects of this government intervention were also a subject of the DIW study. It proves that the law is effective, albeit
with significant differences depending on the district and the year of enactment.
Berlin struggles to enforce the Change of Use law as enforcement of this measure is challenging and resource-intensive.
Legal loopholes, hidden rentals, lack of reporting, lengthy legal disputes, and technological challenges complicate monitoring and control.
Other European cities are also trying to protect their housing markets from the permanent withdrawal of housing.
Compared to other European cities, Berlin has a similar percentage of permanently available
accommodations on Airbnb. Secondary residences or potential housing for permanent residents can be rented out for a maximum of 90 days
per year. However, an approximation reveals that around 24% of the apartments were still rented out for more than 90 days per year on Airbnb.
AirBnB listings in Berlin, Paris, Vienna and Lisbon
Apartments listed on Airbnb in march 2023
Licensed
Not licensed
The data on Vienna does not contain any information on which of the offers are licensed and which are not. They therefore appear here as unlicensed for the time being.
Shown offers:
Source: Insideairbnb
Own calculation based on
data provided by Insideairbnb and their metrics as well as assumptions (see methods in “About the project”);
The European Union has also responded by emphasizing transparency and data sharing to gain a clearer picture of the
short-term rental sector. From now on, hosts and their rental properties must be uniformly registered, and platform providers are required
to forward this data to the EU member states.
Impact on the Enviroment
In addition to the economic impact of tourist spending, there are also seasonal fluctuations that influence
city life. The flow of tourists is highly seasonal: In summer and on public holidays, particularly large numbers of people flock to the city, leading
to peaks in demand for accommodation and services. This not only causes overcrowded streets and sights, but also increased environmental pollution.
More traffic, more waste and a larger CO2 footprint are the consequences.
Seasonal load
Sources: Statistik Berlin Brandenburg, Berlin-Brandenburg Airport
Passengers
Tourists (in berlin)
Water consumption household versus tourist per day
Sources: Statistisches Bundesamt, DEHOGA Berlin
Image source: [17]
128 l / day
is consumed by the average citizen
300 l / day
is consumed by the average tourist
Tourists also consume a lot of water, partly due to the use of pools, but also because of all the washing of bed linen and towels and the lawns that need to be watered for leisure activities. In addition, air traffic increases considerably in the summer months, which also has a negative impact on the environment.
Which means of transportation are used for the trips?
Sources: Eurostat, Umweltbundesamt
Image sources: [18], [19], [20], [21]
Transport is of course also a huge environmental issue when it comes to tourism. 80% of trips are made by car or plane. As these are the most environmentally damaging forms of travel, this places an enormous burden on people, animals and the environment, especially in the summer months when most tourists travel
Share of trips in %
Average greenhouse gas emissions per passenger kilometer
13%
36g
As the majority of trips are taken by car and plane, which emit approximately 139 grams and 201 grams of CO2 per passenger kilometer respectively, the environmental consequences are significant. This reliance on the most polluting forms of transport underscores the challenge of making tourism more sustainable. With such high emissions, it is crucial to explore and encourage more eco-friendly travel options.
13.5%
201g
66.5%
139g
4.2%
32g
Let's sum up
Tourism in Berlin presents a multi-layered picture: on the one hand, it contributes significantly to the economic revival of the city, but on the other hand, it brings with it noticeable burdens for the locals. Rising rents, overcrowded streets and the impact of platforms such as Airbnb on the housing market illustrate the challenges facing Berlin. The annual influx of tourists supports many local businesses and creates jobs, but it also leads to price increases and a higher environmental impact.
Tourism has the ambition to keep growing, to be even more beautiful and for those who can afford it, vacations can become even more expensive. This consumer-oriented tourism is neither particularly good for the environment nor for the city.
Berlin is already working on measures to promote environmentally friendly means of transportation and to support local businesses in order to make tourism more sustainable. But there are also positive developments: The increasing focus on sustainable tourism and the promotion of environmentally friendly alternatives are gaining in importance. Bicycle rental systems, environmentally friendly city tours and local initiatives that promote cultural exchange show that Berlin is on the way to finding a balance between tourism and quality of life. Innovative approaches, such as the promotion of less-visited neighborhoods and the implementation of technologies to better manage tourist flows, are examples of creative solutions that can make Berlin a more sustainable and livable city.
Projects for sustainable tourism
Three projects with very different backgrounds and approaches that contribute to sustainable tourism in their own way
To make tourism more sustainable, Berlin wants to distribute tourists more evenly. The aim is to show tourists not just the classic sights, but more of the "real" Berlin. The "Kiez-App" has already been developed especially for this purpose
Sustainable Meetings Berlin
This program supports conference and meeting organizers in planning and implementing sustainable events. It provides information and certification for sustainable event venues and service providers in Berlin.
WelcomeCityCard
This project aims to make transportation more environmentally friendly by giving tourists the opportunity to use all local transport with just one ticket. In addition, tourists receive discounts, local businesses are advertised separately and, in order to save on resources, all the route maps have been made available digitally and interactively
Socially oriented tourism
It is often argued that short-term tourists have a negative impact on the residential and consumer life of city dwellers. But should the influx of tourists really be resisted? It is important to recognize that tourists are more than just driving forces behind high rents and consumption. They also have a deeper meaning for urban life. Short-term tourists, long-term tourists but also international students, volunteers, au pairs, work-away participants, business travelers — they are all more than just consumers, they are active participants and contributors to urban culture and society. Their activities and experiences influence the city's culture, economy and even politics.
86,5%
of the trips are for personal reasons
Image sources: [30], [31], [32], [33]
In recent decades, cities have introduced tourism and destination-oriented management strategies to promote urban culture. These strategies aim to attract tourists to consume museums, galleries and festivals, while pushing everyday culture to the outskirts of the city in order to preserve an aesthetic cityscape. This isolation from everyday life does little to encourage social contact between tourists and locals, thereby fueling resentment towards tourists.
With the emergence of economic and environmental crises, the call for new approaches is also growing louder from the population. For some time now, alternatives have been developing that promote a different form of travel and experience. Long-term stays and educational trips create deeper connections to the city and promote cultural exchange. Community-based tourism enables direct contact between tourists and locals, which strengthens the local economy and promotes the community.
Potential aspects of community-based tourism
Community-based tourism is not a fixed term. How you define it is up to you. Based on the Berlin tourism concept and the "quality tourism" mentioned there, these are aspects that are definitely part of this type of travel.
Image sources: [29], [35], [36], [37]
Exchanging ideas
an important part of this type of tourism is the constant exchange of ideas, so that both sides can benefit from new suggestions
Focus on social componants
Consumer-oriented tourism is not very beneficial for society and the environment in some respects. Traveling with the idea of having a positive impact, rather than just for the sake of consumption, could open up opportunities that we haven't even thought about yet.
Residents also benefit
Tourism should be positive for both sides. If one party lives at the expense of the other, we are wasting the opportunity to use our different experiences for change
If we try to look at the concept of tourism in a different way, we should consider the question of whether tourists should be regarded as (temporary) residents of a city and thus be included in the design of the city. Together, they are a not insignificantly large group of people who stay in a city for a relatively short period of time. Those temporary stays have become an important feature of Berlin. This question is therefore of particular importance: how can we design a city that is suitable for both temporary and permanent residents.
Share of tourists in Berlin
Given the data on overnight stays over the course of a year, around 81,000 tourists visit Berlin every day. The number of children and students is only shown as a real figure
Children
Undergraduates
Tourists
Total population
The challenge is to find a balance between economic interests and the social well-being of the community while respecting the rights and needs of all city residents. Instead of viewing tourism as an economic tool, strategies should be developed that promote social cohesion and respect the rights of all city dwellers. Public spaces in the postmodern city should not only be places of consumption, but also places of encounter and cultural exchange. This perspective can help to make cities more vibrant and fairer.
