The whiff of adventure, culinary exploration, or the thrill of a four-wheeled journey: for four whole days, the focus at REISEN & CARAVANING Hamburg was on “holidays.” Around 65,000 visitors were more than impressed by the variety of offers presented by the 440 exhibitors in the seven trade fair halls. Melanie Leonhard, Senator for Economic Affairs and Innovation of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, was also in attendance on Friday.
“Nothing beats the personal exchange experienced at a trade fair and the opportunity this particular event presents to learn about the various types of holiday available and to compare offers. Both the visitors and exhibitors are increasingly satisfied with what we have to offer here. The feedback we received for the family day on Sunday, when children and young people up to 15 years were entitled to free admission, was particularly pleasing,” says Guido von Vacano, Executive Vice President of Messe Stuttgart.
Successful partnership
For the third time now, the trade fair was a joint effort by Messe Stuttgart and Hamburg Messe and Congress. “REISEN & CARAVANING Hamburg officially opens the holiday season each year in the north of Germany. For me, this event stands for packed halls, happy people, and a joyful anticipation of the summer to come. I’m particularly pleased to see that this edition of REISEN & CARAVANING Hamburg, held on our grounds in cooperation with Messe Stuttgart, has impressed both visitors and exhibitors alike,” says Heiko M. Stutzinger, CEO of Hamburg Messe and Congress.
Alexander Ege, Division Director for the Holiday Trade Fairs at Messe Stuttgart, was delighted with the high number of visitors, the broad media interest, and the popularity of all five event areas. “There was a great atmosphere in the halls, many constructive discussions took place, visitors demonstrated a high level of expertise, and a lot of business was conducted. Our expectations were fully met, and the excellent exhibitor standard even slightly exceeded that of the previous year.”
REISEN & CARAVANING Hamburg comes highly recommended
Visitors conveyed their satisfaction with the event by giving REISEN & CARAVANING Hamburg a rating of 2.1 in a survey. Four-fifths of respondents described the trade fair as “good” or “very good.” Ninety-two percent plan to return next year, while 95 percent said they would recommend the event to family and friends. Visitors also spent ample time exploring the travel offers and caravanning vehicles on display, dedicating an average of four hours in the trade fair halls. Those in attendance were primarily interested in caravanning and camping (62 percent), with an additional 45 percent there for tourism offers. Twenty-one percent wanted more information about bicycles (multiple answers were possible). The average age of trade fair guests was 52.9 years; 70 percent attend the event regularly. Thirty-seven percent came from Hamburg, 40 percent from Schleswig-Holstein, and 16 percent from Lower Saxony.
Happy faces among those representing Chemnitz, the European Capital of Culture
Marika Fischer, Managing Director of the Chemnitz Zwickau Region Tourism Association, was highly impressed: “As an exclusive cultural partner of Messe Stuttgart, we enjoyed some wonderful discussions, together with those representing Chemnitz, the European Capital of Culture 2025, over the last four days. There was great interest from visitors in Chemnitz as a cultural capital and the overall region. Media coverage of the opening of the Capital of Culture Year on 18 January 2025 clearly left an impression, as evidenced by conversations with fair guests three weeks later. Many people were amazed at what Chemnitz has to offer. The Capital of Culture program, our fantastic museums, castles and palaces, numerous leisure activities, and, of course, campsites were the focus of many discussions here in Hamburg. For many visitors, the Capital of Culture 2025 is the perfect opportunity to visit eastern Germany for the first time, or after many years, to explore a relatively unknown holiday destination. We were especially delighted to learn that many visitors have already booked their holidays and are now planning the finer details. We are excited to see what this year has in store for the region.”
Andrea Pier, Managing Director of Chemnitz, the European Capital of Culture 2025, added: “With REISEN & CARAVANING Hamburg, our successful cultural partnership with the CHEMNITZ. ZWICKAU. REGION. tourism association and Messe Stuttgart for the 2024 and 2025 seasons has come to an end. After two tourism trade fairs in Stuttgart and Leipzig, promoting Chemnitz and the Capital of Culture region here in northern Germany was absolutely the right move. Information about the highlights of the Chemnitz 2025 program was very much in demand, and our hands-on activities at the stand were well received. For us, the European Capital of Culture is about participation and engagement, and we were able to convey this idea here at the fair. Our walking acts—Elector August of Saxony and Electress Anna from the Central Saxony cultural summer festival in Hainichen—brought to life the link between Saxon and regional history and the current developments in the Capital of Culture. True to our motto, ‘C THE UNSEEN,’ we surprised visitors with a special on-stage story that still resonates today: the close connection between Chemnitz, its surrounding region, and Tango Argentino, beautifully portrayed by Jürgen Karthe and Fabian Klentzke on bandoneon and piano, as well as Marcelo Soria and Verónica Villaroel from Hamburg’s Tango Chocolate dance studio. We look forward to welcoming all the northern German guests this year!”
Whether city trip, cruise, or island tour: something for everyone
Hall B7 offered plenty of inspiration for visitors planning their next trip. Regional destinations such as Lake Constance, the Harz, or the North Sea, as well as European hotspots or faraway places like Cuba, Mongolia, and Canada, were prominently featured. The strong interest from visitors left exhibitors thoroughly satisfied. Robert Möschl, Chairman of the Austrian Neukirchen and Bramberg Tourism Association in the Wildkogel Region, explains: “We have been exhibiting at REISEN & CARAVANING Hamburg for many years now, and the standard here has risen considerably since the Messe Stuttgart team came on board. This year was once again a success, with high-quality discussions and great interest in the Wildkogel region in Salzburger Land. We’re already looking forward to RC Hamburg 2026.”
Stefan Bause, Operation Manager at Taruk, responsible for South Africa, shares the sentiment: “We have long participated in REISEN & CARAVANING Hamburg. We used the Dome as a movie theatre and had an additional room for presentations, all of which were well attended. Visitors were interested in what we offered and already well informed. They asked specific questions about our products, and we even secured a few bookings. Long-distance travel, in particular, was very popular. We’ll definitely be back in Hamburg.”
Kristina Vaičiūnė—, Manager of “Agila” Nida Culture and Tourism Information Centre in Lithuania, said: “We were surprised by how many visitors came to our stand. There was significant interest in Lithuanian regions, especially in our campsites and cycling tours. We plan to return to REISEN & CARAVANING Hamburg in 2026.”
Oliver Bredow, Product Manager at DEILMANN Cruises, DTS Deutscher Touristik-Service GmbH, noted: “We were pleasantly surprised by the positive feedback during the first two days and enjoyed great networking opportunities right from the start. There was considerable interest in our nostalgic river cruise ship, especially among younger people and our regular customers. It was a successful start to the year, and I believe we’ll be back again next year.”
Thady Thömmes, Cruise Travel Agent at Agentur für Reisen in Bad Pyrmont: “Hamburg is always a highlight. We look forward to this event and will return next year. We had some very interesting conversations; customers were open-minded yet knew exactly what they wanted. Cruise trips to Norway proved particularly popular. This trade fair has been a great success.”
Carsten Rehbein, Portfolio Manager at Rückenwind Reisen in Oldenburg, a specialist in cycling and cruise travel: “We have been active in this industry for 35 years and always look forward to Hamburg. We meet people here who love exploring the outdoors by bike and appreciate the comprehensive services we provide. The Dresden–Prague route, around the IJsselmeer, and Friesland were particularly popular. We’ll certainly be back—what else would we be doing at the start of February?”
Major interest in caravanning holidays
According to exhibitors, motorhomes, box vans, caravans, and even roof tents are more popular than ever. Stefan Borchers, Managing Director of A. Linnepe GmbH, says: “This was our first time at REISEN & CARAVANING Hamburg, and we were pleasantly surprised by the high-quality visitors here. The Hamburg crowd was very interested in what we had to offer. We’ll definitely be back next year.” Sven Mahn, Managing Director of Arwinger GmbH & Co. KG, notes: “This trade fair is a lot of fun, and success almost comes naturally. People who attend are genuinely looking to make a purchase. It was like a home game for us.” Sven Johmann, Managing Director of Wohnmobile und Transporte Jagel GmbH, adds: “We sold several motorhomes on the very first day. Attending this event has certainly been worthwhile!”
Action and information in the outdoor and cycling area
There was plenty going on in Hall B3 for fans of two wheels, featuring the latest bicycle models and accessories, alongside presentations and tips for outdoor activities. E-bikes and gravel bikes were in high demand this year. Exhibitors in this key segment were pleased with the results. Frank Christmann, Branch Manager and authorized representative of e-motion E-Bike Welt Hamburg, explained: “We saw a high quality of visitors and had many productive conversations. Tricycles and cargo bikes were largely in demand, as well as e-bikes across various price segments. Another reason this event is so important is that we get to engage with many new customers, not just our regulars. We also have a great opportunity to showcase our latest products.”
Martin Weisenburger, E-Commerce & Sales Manager at Waldbike GmbH & Co KG, Calw: “We are very happy and received a warm welcome from visitors. We had quality discussions at our stand, and our newest highlight, the Gravel E-Bike, was a big hit among Hamburg visitors—it really stood out. What can I say? Thumbs up, we’ll be back again next year.”
GenussReise with specialties from around the world
Discovering, tasting, and enjoying culinary delights from around the globe was effortless for visitors to Halls B1 and B2. Exhibitors presented innovative cup dishes, regional and seasonal meals, ingredients, and a combination of a restaurant, market hall, and catering at Hobenköök. Mexican Soul Food, pasta, cheese and sausage specialties, smoked goods, and more were on offer. For instance, organic ginger liqueur from Hamburg attracted considerable attention. Alban Qoku, Managing Director of Saint Ginger, was very satisfied: “The public showed a lot of interest in our products, and we sold out by the end. We’ll definitely be back at GenussReise!”
The next REISEN & CARAVANING Hamburg
The next REISEN & CARAVANING Hamburg will take place at Hamburg Messe from 5 to 8 February 2026.
