The Mecklenburg Lake District is a unique landscape with over 1000 lakes connected by wide canals, narrow rivers and thin streams. There were 3.7 million overnight stays here last year, making it a hotspot for nature lovers from all over Germany, especially in the short summer season. This year, too, campsites and hotels are fully booked, and families with children in particular are looking forward to a holiday on and by the water: swimming and cycling, tours in a canoe or kayak, on a raft or even a houseboat. But the tourism businesses in this natural paradise lack the staff to meet demand. A shortage of skilled workers and demographic change are causing problems for hotels, campsites and boat rental companies. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, many people set up their businesses here. There were enough workers back then, even if the pay was not princely and the accommodation was sometimes in a caravan on the meadow opposite. And now? Restaurants have to close their kitchens at 8 p.m. or switch to self-service. Businesses that are doing well are closing because they cannot find successors. Tourism is the largest source of income in this structurally weak region. At the beginning of the year, the manor house tenant Simone Rattmann saw no way out. Despite confirmed bookings of over 100,000 euros, she had to close her business at the start of the season. Even good pay no longer attracts service staff, and there is a lack of young people to do the hard seasonal work. The small, pretty manor house is now empty - will a buyer be found for it? Campsite owner Uwe Fischer from Blankenförde is in his early 60s. He does not believe that he will find a successor to continue running his "Witches' Grove". The region, he fears, is simply too unattractive for young people looking for work. There are no affordable rental apartments, some seasonal workers have to live in caravans, there is a lot of nature and peace, but little variety. Offers that appeal to young people in particular beyond the season - that is what Uwe Fischer is now thinking about. In any case, he does not want to give up. At the Vegan Resort in Neukalen, a young team is trying out a new concept for a narrowly tailored target group, advertising log cabins for families, vegan organic food, and collective wage agreements for employees. The company originated in Berlin; will the concept also work in the Mecklenburg Lake District? What solutions are hotel operators and canoe rental companies, campsite owners and restaurant managers finding to still do justice to those seeking relaxation? And do they understand if they have to wait in line at the self-service counter in the restaurant right by the lake? Or if the campsite can no longer accommodate them even though there is actually still space? And what ideas are there for the future? ???? If you liked this video, give us a like! ______ ???? A film for The Story by Patrick Wira. This film was produced in 2023. All statements and facts correspond to the status at the time and have not been updated since then. ______ ???? More documentaries in the ARD Mediathek: https://1.ard.de/yt_doku?yt=d More documentaries on the topic: ???? Rush to the Alps - mass tourism on the mountain - • Rush to the Alps - mass tourism... ???? Holidays only for the rich? How the Netherlands is raising prices - • Holidays only for the rich? How the N... ???? Mass tourism on the Baltic Sea - can the natural paradise still be saved? - • Mass tourism on the Baltic Sea - can th... ???? Turkey: it's only cheap for tourists - • Turkey: it's only cheap for tourists... ???? Mallorca without party tourists? How Corona is changing the island - • Mallorca without party tourists? How Cor... ???? Bulgaria - Golden Sands party despite Corona? - • Bulgaria - Golden Sands party despite Co... ???? Empty beaches, empty coffers? Croatia holidays and Corona - • Empty beaches, empty coffers? Croatia... ______ #tourism #holiday #WDRDoku #mecklenburgvorpommern #staff #seasonalwork