Eurovision in Basel: Hotels are booming, but will the profit remain?

Eurovision in Basel: Hotels are booming, but will the profit remain?

The Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) 2025 will take place in Basel and is already attracting a lot of attention. The decision was announced on Friday, placing the city under a temporary state of emergency. Loud SWR Basel hopes to generate around 60 million euros in revenue from the event.

Preparations are in full swing; After the announcement of the ESC event, hotel prices in the region rose sharply. Interestingly, however, many of the double rooms on the final night are available for under 100 euros. This could be almost unnecessary since more than half of ticket buyers come from Switzerland and only 15 percent from Germany. This means that many guests do not need to stay overnight at all, which leads to an empty bed rate of around 40 percent in the region.

Hotel bookings and economic impact

Felix Düster from the German Hotel and Restaurant Association (DEHOGA) reports a boom in hotel bookings, which was followed by a wave of cancellations. In Basel itself, the aim is for an occupancy rate of 85 to 90 percent, while hotel prices can vary extremely during the event. On the final night, rooms with breakfast are available for under 200 euros, which is due to high demand.

The surrounding regions, such as Freiburg in southern Baden, hardly feel any of the fascination of the ESC. The local economy is worried because many orders do not end up in South Baden, but rather with Swiss providers. The canton of Basel, on the other hand, has invested almost 40 million euros in organizing the ESC in order to put the city in the right light.

Short-term strategies and the question of sustainability

In order to benefit from the event, Weil am Rhein organized its own ESC festival. Savings are also being made in the run-up to the big event: the head of the cultural department, Peter Spörrer, is DJing at the public viewing himself in order to reduce costs. However, the long-term economic impact of the ESC on Basel and the surrounding region remains questionable. Tourism expert Jürg Stettler expresses concerns about how lasting the positive effects of the event actually are.

The potential benefits for Basel are also questioned by business editor Lucia Theiler. She emphasizes that the ESC could give Switzerland a positive image, but this is not guaranteed to be followed by a permanent flow of visitors. A comparison with Liverpool, the venue for the ESC 2023, shows that this city generated 60 million francs from hotels, restaurants and shops in general. Basel is aiming for similar figures, but is faced with the challenge that smaller countries often benefit more from this effect.

The big shows will take place in the St. Jakobshalle, which has space for 12,000 people. Further events are planned at St. Jakob-Park, a football stadium, and other locations in the city. The limited broadcast of the event - mainly in halls - could also contribute to the fact that tourist highlights of the city and the surrounding area, such as the striking mountains, are not or hardly shown to advantage.