Tourism is an important economic factor for Germany's northernmost state of Schleswig-Holstein.
Thanks to its coasts on the North Sea in the west and Baltic Sea in the east, Schleswig-Holstein has a great variety of beaches and water sports facilities. Due to its geographical location on the way to Scandinavia it is also a transit area for tourists from all over Europe.
In 2002 there were a total 176,198 guest beds in Schleswig-Holstein, which were used that year by 2,968,406 visitors for 15,429,614 overnight stays. 278,786 der visitors came from abroad, that represents about 8.6% of all overnighting guests. The bathing resorts on the Baltic Sea had somewhat more visitors (720,115) than those on the North Sea (604,548), but on average the North Sea guests stayed longer, so that the total of overnight stays was greater (5,122,549) than on the Baltic Sea. Less important to tourism were the climatic spas (153,538 visitors with 592,705 overnight stays) and health spas (132,337 visitors with 755,153 overnight stays).
The most important destinations for tourists were, in order of the number of overnight stays:
Sankt Peter-Ording, North Sea: 909,920 overnight stays, 101,607 visitors of whom 408 (0.4%) from abroad, 8,991 guest beds.Westerland, Sylt, North Sea: 819,935 overnight stays, 96,120 visitors of whom 271 (0.28%) from abroad, 9,159 guest beds.Grömitz, Baltic Sea: 714,188 overnight stays, 96,116 visitors of whom 413 (0.43%) from abroad, 8,305 guest beds.Timmendorfer Strand, Baltic Sea: 676,510 overnight stays, 124,761 visitors of whom 2,567 (2.0%) from abroad, 6,771 guest beds.Büsum, North Sea: 658,723, 83,295 visitors, of whom 480 (0.57%) from abroad, 6,846 guest beds.Wyk auf Föhr, North Sea: 492,041 overnight stays, 46,368 visitors, of whom 325 (0.70%) from abroad, 4,733 guest beds.Burg auf Fehmarn, Baltic Sea: 312,115 overnight stays, 47,704 visitors, of whom 1,476 (3.0%) from abroad, 3 364 guest beds.Scharbeutz, Baltic Sea: 292,468 overnight stays, 45,314 visitors, of whom 1,366 (2.92%) from abroad, 3,940 guest beds.Norddorf, Amrum, North Sea: 276,978 overnight stays, 25,098 visitors, of whom 576 (2.24%) from abroad, 2,162 guest beds.Wenningstedt, Sylt, North Sea: 276,344 overnight stays, 36,775 visitors, of whom 570 (1.53%) from abroad, 2,650 guest beds.The most important health spa was Malente with 232,000 overnight stays, most important climatic spa was Plön with 132,000 overnight stays.
AngelnBungsbergDanish WahldDithmarschenEiderstedtElbe MarshesMittelholstein with the Aukrug Nature Park and the Westensee Nature ParkHolstein Switzerland Nature Park, (Schleswig-Holstein Uplands) the heart region of Wagria with the Plöner SeeHüttener Berge Nature ParkLauenburg Lakes Nature ParkNorth FrisiaProbsteiSachsenwald, largest forest in Schleswig-Holstein, owned by the Bismarck familySchleswig Geest, large pine forestsSchwansenWagriaWadden Sea, Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park, mudflat hikingAmrumFöhrHelgolandPellwormSyltThe HalligenNorth FrisiaHusum BayEiderstedtIsland of FehmarnEckernförde BayFlensburg FjordDampGrömitzHeiligenhafenKiel FjordBaltic Seaside Resort of LaboeLübeck BayNeustadt in HolsteinScharbeutzSchleiSierksdorfTimmendorfer StrandTravemünde and the PriwallEutin (Castle)FlensburgFriedrichstadtGlücksburg (water castle)HusumState capital of KielHanseatic city of Lübeck (UNESCO World Heritage Site)PlönShoemakers' town of PreetzIsland town of RatzeburgSchleswig (Gottorf Castle)Kiel Week, biggest sailing regatta in the world and biggest summer festival in Northern EuropeTravemünde Week, the second biggest regatta in the worldNorth Sea Week, biggest German regatta for touring sailors on the North Sea off HeligolandRobbe & Berking Classic Week, Flensburg Fjord, biggest German regatta series for classic yachts (built before 1969, no yachts built with man-made materials)Rum Regatta, biggest gaff rig sailing event in FlensburgLübeck Nordic Film DaysSchleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, one of the most important music festivals in EuropeJazz Baltica, international jazz festivalFolk Baltica, international folk festivalKarl May Festival in Bad SegebergHarbour Days (Hafentage) in Husum, biggest maritime town event on the west coastRarities of Piano Music in Husum, internationally renowned piano festival at Husum CastleInternational Puppet Theatre Festival "Pole Poppenspäler Tage" in HusumSchleswig-Holstein Open Air Museum in Molfsee near KielMuseumsberg (in Flensburg)Kunsthalle KielBehnhaus (in Lübeck)St. Anne's Museum Quarter (in Lübeck)Holstentor (in Lübeck)Lübeck Museum of Theatre PuppetsBuddenbrookhaus (in Lübeck)Gottorf Castle (in Schleswig)Danewerk Museum (near Schleswig)Haithabu Viking Museum (near Schleswig)Theodor Storm Centre (in Husum)Husum North Sea Museum / Nissenhaus (in Husum)Husum Castle (in Husum)Laboe Naval Memorial and U 995 (in Laboe)Old Salt Road between Lübeck and LüneburgMonks Way (Mönchsweg)North Sea Cycle RouteEider-Treene-Sorge CyclewayBaltic Sea Coast CyclewayOx Road (Ochsenweg)Viking-Frisian WayThe Hansa Park in Sierksdorf on Lübeck BayEllerhoop-Thiensen ArboretumTolk-Schau Leisure ParkA viewers' poll on holiday destinations in the NDR transmission area, that was carried out in 2007 for the NDR television with the title "The most beautiful holiday destinations in North Germany", resulted in the following rankings within Schleswig-Holstein:
7: Sylt,11: Amrum,12: St. Peter Ording,13: Holstein Switzerland,14: Fehmarn,15: Helgoland,18: Schleiregion,19: Lübeck Bay,20: Büsum,21: Lübeck,22: Hallig Hooge,24: Kiel Canal Region,27: Kiel,31: Flensburg,(The remaining places were won by other places and regions in the rest of NDR's catchement area.)
