After a solid previous year and visitor numbers that have been growing for years, lockdown and travel restrictions have resulted in a big loss in the books. In total, the largest East Frisian island recorded 210.738 arrivals, which means around 100.000 guests (-31,72 percent) fewer than in 2019. At the same time, overnight stays fell from 2,5 million to 1,85 million. Only in January, February and October did the numbers exceed those of the previous year.

April 2020 will probably be the worst in the memory of all tourism service providers. The complete closure of the island and the resulting lack of Easter business cost Borkum just over 33.000 visitors and 226.000 overnight stays - a unique situation in the last 60 years. The year 2020 started very promisingly. With a roughly six percent increase in arrivals in January and a 30 percent increase in February compared to 2019, everything was looking like a rosy year. But the pandemic began to show its first effects in March 2020. Only 5.868 people visited the island, which is 3.000 fewer than in February of the same year and around 10.000 (-62,01 percent) fewer than in March of the previous year. Even when travel was allowed again, the previous year's numbers could not be reached. The months of June (-26,90 percent), July (-8,46) and August (-1,68), which were actually strong for tourism, were all weaker than 2019. “With the clinics, the youth hostel, the CVJM homes and the Accommodation at TuS Borkum, the island has a high proportion of forms of accommodation that, despite being open to tourists, hardly welcomed any guests. School trips and group trips were completely canceled and clinics were only partially occupied. The lack of these guests has a significant impact on the overall numbers,” summarizes Göran Sell, Managing Director of Nordseeheilbad Borkum GmbH.

It was only in October that the accommodation providers were able to enjoy a small increase. Although arrivals here were also below those of the previous year (-2,81 percent), the number of overnight stays rose slightly by 1.114 (0,47 percent) people. “We shouldn’t expect any big jumps in 2021 either. The ongoing lockdown and the restrictions that are to be expected this year when travel is generally possible will continue to depress guest numbers. However, as soon as traveling is allowed again, we are of course looking forward to many guests and a lively island,” says Sell.