The second edition of oohh! The LeisureWorlds of Hamburg Messe came to a successful close on Sunday, Feb. 10, 2019.
Around 750 exhibitors presented their new releases for the 2019 season on a space of 77,000 square metres. Five LeisureWorlds provided visitors with a mix of experiences, information and encounters: REISEN HAMBURG, FOTOHAVEN HAMBURG, KREUZFAHRTWELT HAMBURG, CARAVANING HAMBURG and RAD HAMBURG.
‘We had very high expectations for this year’s oohh! LeisureWorlds and are very happy to say that even they were partially exceeded. On Saturday alone, for example, we welcomed more than 25,000 guests. That is a new one-day record,’ said Bernd Aufderheide, CEO of Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH.
‘In particular, the huge success of the new FOTOHAVEN HAMBURG trade fair confirms the triumph of the LeisureWorlds concept. Photography enthusiasts from all over Germany praised the high quality of the trade fair and, at the same time, took advantage of the opportunity to find out about the diverse offerings in the other four LeisureWorlds, from camping to e-bikes and holidays on the water.’ Around 77,000 visitors (previous year: 71,200) took up the invitation to go on a journey of discovery in 11 trade fair halls and to be inspired by 100 new ideas every day.
oohh! LeisureWorlds 2019 offered visitors an additional programme filled with information on leisure and holidays: more than 350 talks and workshops were held over five days. The youngest person ever to circumnavigate the globe showed how dreams can come true against all the odds: Laura Dekker impressed in the oohh! experience cinema with her talk ‘How to conquer the world when everyone says “No” to you’.
Another highlight was the sold-out German premiere of the Green Screen Tour, a compilation of the best nature films of the year. ‘Hamburg Messe was the perfect place for the premiere, because the people here are interested in outdoor activities, nature and travel – all things that play a major role in the nature film. That meant everything connected together very well,’ emphasised Festival Director Dirk Steffens.
Trending: Germany and active holidays
At northern Germany’s biggest tourism trade fair, REISEN HAMBURG, visitors showed particular interest in experience trips and active holidays. Various destinations, such as the Italian province of Trentino and the region of Carinthia in southern Austria, provide particularly good opportunities for active holidays. The 16-metre-wide bouldering wall in the Alpine Dreams area, where beginners and those with experience could practice the discipline, which is soon to be part of the Olympics, was a visitor magnet. ‘We are very happy that Hamburg Messe decided to prominently display a trending sport such as bouldering. The bouldering offer was well received by all age groups, from small children to seniors,’ said Christian Erenyl, Managing Director of Nordwandhalle Hamburg. The highlight was the exciting final of the first oohh! Boulder-Cup, with 36 top athletes from throughout northern Germany. Another focus area of REISEN HAMBURG was the Mediterranean region. From Spain to Cyprus and less familiar destinations in the Near East and North Africa, the exhibitors offered insights into well-known and new travel destinations.
From coastal regions to the Alps – it was clear that Germany is the number-one holiday choice for Germans. Numerous tourism centres from Berlin to the Black Forest, all the way to Zingst, were represented with what they have to offer. Start-ups provided information on travel possibilities away from the mainstream at the popular Neues REISEN experience island.
New Hall A2: more space for campers and caravans
Holidays on four wheels are more in demand than ever: that was demonstrated by the major interest in CARAVANING HAMBURG, where numerous camping fans now have four halls to find out about the latest models, opportunities and offers for flexible, personalised travel. Bernd Aufderheide: ‘The new Hall A2 on the subjects of expansion, camper vans and caravans generated a great deal of enthusiasm. There was a lot going on there from the word go.’
There was also a lot of interest in the other CARAVANING HAMBURG halls. ‘The reaction has been very positive. We had 66 vehicles from different brands on site. We are also very satisfied with sales figures. The audience were happy to take the opportunity to look at the different models in detail or to take a closer look at the model of their dreams,’ said Stephan Dölling, Head of Sales in Germany at Eura Mobil GmbH. With more than 100 manufacturers and retailers represented, campers were able to inspect a broad range of new caravans, motorhomes, mobile homes and tents and explore original accessories and expansion solutions. Those new to camping and the pros both had the opportunity to get targeted and independent information about various vehicle models at the Beginners’ Forum.
Brilliant premiere for the new photography trade fair
FOTOHAVEN HAMBURG impressed the audience with a well-thought-out concept for all topics relating to travel, hobby and professional photography. The fact that this struck a chord with the visitors has been confirmed by the positive feedback from the exhibitors. ‘We were overrun by interested visitors this year, who were so keen to buy that we had to reorder goods. The talks here were great, too. There was a large audience and it was a lot of fun,’ said Olav Brehmer, Product Manager at Rollei GmbH & Co. KG. Photography enthusiasts found out about trends in cameras and accessories, stocked up on equipment and tried out the latest developments right there on-site. The leading manufacturers presenting their new cameras and accessories included Canon, Hensel, Nikon, Olympus, Ricoh Pentax, Rollei, Sigma and Tamron. Numerous companies, including Cewe, Calumet, Enjoyyourcamera, Ilford, Panono, Probis Media Solutions and Vitec, rounded off the comprehensive offering with their solutions and services. Visitor magnets included the FOTOHAVEN Stage with its high-quality programme of talks and the FOTOHAVEN Lounge, which gave the many interested visitors a chance to talk shop, with the support of the Deutscher Verband für Fotografie e.V. (Germany photography association – DVF). A diverse additional programme was on offer each day at FOTOHAVEN HAMBURG. Anyone who had always wanted to try fashion photography got their money’s worth with Friedrun Reinhold – many visitors took the opportunity to watch the renowned fashion photographer at work – and there was the same high level of interest in the portrait shoot with Miriam Merkel at the Ilford booth.
RAD HAMBURG: focus on e-mobility
RAD HAMBURG was all about bicycles, electric bikes and pedelecs. The test parkour, where riding behaviour could be tested out and compared, was particularly popular. Visitors also took the opportunity to buy the latest accessories and appropriate equipment and to get a picture of special two-wheel tours from various providers. ‘Our presence at RAD HAMBURG was a complete success once again. The hall was full every day and we had many positive conversations about urban cycling, but also about cycling holidays,’ is how Johanna Drescher, Spokesperson for the Allgemeiner Deutschen Fahrrad Club Hamburg, summarised events. The programme on the Rad Stage was also very popular: from long-distance cyclists, who took visitors along on their extraordinary journeys with their talks, to valuable tips on planning bike trips and theft prevention, there was a comprehensive overview for fans of two-wheeled transportation.
Cruises: around the world in a hotel
The trend towards cruises continues unabated, as did the great interest of maritime fans in KREUZFAHRTWELT HAMBURG. ‘We were truly overrun. Our show cabin from the new Aida Nova was extremely well received. Everything was fully tried out, put to the test, and inspected down to the smallest detail. All age groups among the visitors were very interested in our trips and that shows us that our offering without the elitist touch is becoming increasingly attractive. The on-site bookings allowed us to send many visitors on their next holiday,’ said Franziska Zander, Travel Advice Team Management at AIDA Cruises Rostock, happily.
In Hall B5, visitors were given a comprehensive insight into the latest offers and schedules from around 35 exhibiting shipyards, operators and travel agencies. Whether it was sea or river cruises, sailing trips or expedition vessels – cruise fans had the chance to find out exactly what they wanted to know about suitable options for their next holiday on the water. The ship’s deck again ensured maritime flair: the enthusiastic audience listened to expert talks about travels on the world’s waters while enjoying a drink at the poolside bar. ‘Northern Germany’s best-attended trade fair for cruises again confirmed that this type of travel is attractive to virtually every age group and budget. The major interest of many young families in a holiday on the high seas shows that the next generation of cruise fans is already growing,’ said Helge Grammerstorf, National Director of Clia Deutschland.
With their ticket for five trade fairs, visitors were also able to attend AUTOTAGE HAMBURG, taking place under the oohh! LeisureWorlds umbrella as a partner. ‘With 26 car manufacturers represented, we were able to offer never-before-seen variety. A large number of visitors and potential buyers took the opportunity to test-drive cars and make purchases at attractive prices on-site. With the Seat Taracco and the new BMW 3 Series, we also had great vehicle premieres,’ said Dennis Rößler, Managing Director of Mediahafen Hamburg.
Next year, REISEN HAMBURG, FOTOHAVEN HAMBURG, KREUZFAHRTWELT HAMBURG, CARAVANING HAMBURG and RAD HAMBURG will take place from 5 to 9 February 2020, once again under the umbrella of oohh! The LeisureWorlds of Hamburg Messe.
