WaterTour Case Study Region Western Pomerania

1. WaterTour Case Study Region Western Pomerania Evaluation of economic efficiency of landing stages along rivers the City of Loitz as model project

2. Task Task of the case study is to evaluate the possibilities for an economic operation of the landing stage and harbour, respectively resting place in Loitz in order to utilise the existing potentials as optimal as possible. Operating concept Tourism concept Mandating an operator Location Analysis Target Groups Utilication concept Guidelines Der Markt Task

3. Peene Region Baltic Sea Zinnowitz Greifswald Wolgast Germany Loitz Peene Jarmen Usedom Demmin Anklam Malchin Harbour / Landing Stage Bivouac / Canoe station

4. Location analysis • Peene - 141,6 km from west to east through Mecklenburg and Western Pomerania • Water tourist estuary: Peene river with Malchiner Lake, Kummerower Lake, Teterower Lake, Peenestrom and Achterwasser to the Baltic Sea • Peene system is connected to Baltic Sea coast estuaries and along the river Oder to the estuaries around Berlin Location Analysis Target Groups Utilication concept Guidelines Task Der Markt * Source: Törnplaner Atlas Peene, Oder und Usedom

5. Location analysis • Peene river system and lakes have a still untouched character with rich flora and fauna • Downward gradient of 28 cm, low flow velocity, low current  low degree of difficulty • Partly driving licence free • Depth: 2.5 – 3.0 m • European waterway class IV • No locks, 9 bridges (minimum height 5.00m) Utilication concept Location Analysis Target Groups Guidelines Task

6. Location analysis Concentration of harbours/resting places in estuary 5–10 km • with mooring capacities from 2 to 52 (Peene river) • and 6 to 150 (Peenestrom) • and service infrastructure on very different quality • levels In Loitz: 5 smaller harbours (1 Angler harbour with 50 moorings but only 6-8 for external water tourists, good service infrastructure + 4 other harbours which are not listed as open for tourists) Concentration of harbours with good service infrastructure around Loitz is rather low – development of harbour Loitz is closing a gap Water tourists in Loitz area: 5000 p.a.  mooring capacity by far not adequate Location Analysis Target Groups Utilication concept Guidelines Task Der Markt * Source: animare enquiry

7. Location Analysis - Planning of harbour of Loitz Location Analysis Target Groups Touristic Offers Utilication concept Guidelines Der Markt Task

8. Location Analysis - Planning of harbour of Loitz sanitary Old railway building: gastronomy & TIC Boat-slip & shore for canoeists Caravan place & bivouac for canoeists & parking Parking & landing stages Sport boat harbour & berths for houseboats & motorboats Promenade & anchor for passenger boats Utilication concept Location Analysis Target Groups Guidelines Der Markt Task

9. Target groups Those characteristics make the estuary highly attractive for • Canoeing • House boating • Motor boating • Sailing with low draught ships • Angling • Passenger ships/ River Cruising • Dinghies / rowboats Location Analysis Target Groups Utilication concept Touristic Offers Guidelines Task Der Markt

10. Target groups - Canoeists Short characteristics: • Typical canoeist is: male • Between 30-50 years old • Mostly as pair, small or larger group en route • Bond to estuary because of small hops (20 – 30 km/per day) • mooring: 45 % camping sites, 25 % restaurants, places + towns (not lack of interest, but lack of infrastructure) Accommodation: • Camping sites, waterside resting places, bivouac places • Accommodation close to nature • Very little: hotel accommodation Location Analysis Target Groups Utilication concept Touristic Offers Guidelines Task * Source: dwif, OIR; FVR: Entwicklungschancen des maritimen Tourismus in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

11. Target groups - Canoeists Motives: • Experiencing nature and landscape (84%) • Recreational value / Distance to everyday life (60%) • Experiencing the community (48 %) • Exploring the region (45%) • To do sports (32%) • Positive experience (31%) Needs: • Attractive landscape • Little obstacles • No motorboat tourism • Less frequented waters • Good infrastructure and offers (entry and exit area, service, quality of boats + accessory, briefing and guidance) • Resting places close to nature • Visitor management and guiding systems for canoe tourists Location Analysis Target Groups Utilication concept Touristic Offers Guidelines Task Der Markt * Source: dwif, OIR; FVR: Entwicklungschancen des maritimen Tourismus in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

12. Target groups: canoeists - conclusions Conclusions for Loitz: • Canoeists rather subordinated target group because - Conflicts with motorboat drivers and cargo shipping - Mixture of caravan site and parking place rather • unsuitable for canoeists, because not a close-to-nature- accommodation • Revenues of this target group from day trips - Good entry and exit facilities as well as parking places - Peene is an estuary with a low degree of difficulty - Still missing: a professional renting agency of canoes directly at the harbour - Need for attractive day trip offers (f.ex. Beaver tours, combined bike and canoe tour, comb. passenger ship and canoe tour, Ice Age tour) • Canoeist will be using the harbour mainly to rest, to go to restaurant /café, to re-victual (food, water), to dispose waste and to visit the town centre Location Analysis Target Groups Utilication concept Guidelines Task Der Markt

13. Target groups - houseboats Short characteristics: • Very heterogeneous target group with most different needs • Average age: 53 years (young seniors) • Seldom alone, mostly as pair (67%), family (28%), friends/group (6%) en route • Origin: 43% from Brandenburg • 56% owners, 33% charterers • Mostly distance trips (average 28km/ p.day – 13 days), partly day trips (17%) Accommodation: • 94% on the boat • 6% vacation home Location Analysis Target Groups Utilication concept Guidelines Task Der Markt Der Markt * Source: dwif, OIR; FVR: Entwicklungschancen des maritimen Tourismus in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

14. Target groups - houseboats Motives: • Round trip with boat or day activity at vacation spot • Privacy and recreation in attractive landscape Needs: • Attractive landscape, clear water, intact nature • Charter companies for boats charter • Estuary without driving licence obligation • Good service, briefing and guidance • Shopping facilities, gastronomy and supply along the route • Sights along the route • Good landing stages Location Analysis Target Groups Utilication concept Guidelines Task Der Markt Der Markt * Source: dwif, OIR; FVR: Entwicklungschancen des maritimen Tourismus in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

15. Target groups: houseboat - conclusions Conclusions for Loitz: • Houseboat drivers find good facilities at Loitz harbour - Landing stage for > 12m ships - Town centre and facilities (refuel, water, electricity, tourist information, gastronomy close by) - Loitz – one of the middle centres along the Peene - Conflicts with cargo shipping • Revenues of this target group from day trips - No charter in Loitz  Loitz is day trip target - Peene is an estuary with a low degree of difficulty, but Loitz not a driving licence free area  for parts of the target group Loitz is not interesting - Need for attractive day trip offers (f.ex. bike tour into near surrounding, sightseeing in town centre, Ice Age tour etc.) • Houseboat drivers will using the harbour mainly for shore leave, accommodation, restaurant /café, to re-victual (food, water), to dispose waste and to visit the town centre Location Analysis Target Groups Utilication concept Touristic Offers Guidelines Task Der Markt Der Markt

16. Utilisation concept Income • Income generation from - berth and service fees, berth fees for river cruise ships and passanger ships - slip and parking lots - overnight stays at camping site - canoe rental, winter perths - parking lots for recreational vehicles • extra: - gastronomy - shop with angling, boat and camping supply/ regional products - bicycle rental agency Expenditures • employees • insurances, administration costs, amortisation & fees • maintainance of harbour Location Analysis Target Groups Utilisation concept Guidelines Task Der Markt Der Markt

17. Product development Product development to attract new target groups • Product moduls - Accomodation, pick up services, gastronomy, guided tours, transfer services, entrance fees for sights, event & activities, festivals, bicycle rental, boat rental, passanger ship trips, rental of fishing rods, transport of luggage, packed lunch/ picnic baskets etc. • Themes - Beaver, Ice age, Fish, nature, Ornithology, History, Slavonic times, Hanseatic times, Churches, legends and fairytales Location Analysis Target Groups Utilisation concept Guidelines Task Der Markt Der Markt

18. Guidelines On base of the location analysis including target group analysis + SWOT analysis of harbour / resting place Loitz: • Operational concept • Tourism concept • Guidelines for searching for an operator + negotiations with potential operators Location Analyse Target Groups Utilication concept Tourist Offers Guidelines Task Der Markt Der Markt

19. Guidelines Measures to improve the utilisation of the full tourism potential of the estuary Peene 1. Utilisation of maritime tourism potential by expansion of offers 2. Improvement and expansion of infrastructure 3. Development of innovative products for utilisation of market potential in seminal water tourism segments 4. Optimisation of marketing for water tourism offers and the offered infrastructure Location Analyse Target Groups Utilication concept Tourist Offers Guidelines Task Der Markt Der Markt

20. Guidelines Measures to improve the utilisation of the full tourism potential of the estuary Peene 5. Optimisation of service infrastructure of water tourism facilities and offer of towns 6. Optimisation and bundling of organisation structures in maritime tourism and maritime business Utilication concept Location Analyse Target Groups Guidelines Task Der Markt Der Markt

21. Thank you for your attention!