The event industry in Lower Saxony and Bremen looks back on 2022 with mixed feelings. On the one hand, the organizers are happy that after two years marked by the pandemic, concerts took place again without restrictions. On the other hand, they face new problems in the face of inflation and rising energy costs. In addition, the year 2022 was marked by rescheduled concerts – due to Corona, many dates in 2020 and 2021 had been postponed. This was the result of a survey by the German Press Agency of selected organizers.
In the ZAG-Arena Hannover the program was filled with catch-up dates. These were again well utilized, but the interest in concerts and other events was mixed. “It depends a lot on the age of the audience,” said a spokesman. Events that appeal to the younger audience would be accepted much better and more numerous.
About 80 percent of the events in the ÖVB Arena and the Bürgerweide in Bremen were catch-up dates this year, said a spokeswoman. A total of 84 events such as sporting events, trade fairs, congresses and concerts took place, in 2021 there were 25. However, the pre-corona level has not yet been reached – in 2019 there were still over 100 events.
In the Osnabrückhalle there was a drop in ticket sales of around 50 percent in 2022 compared to 2019 – a spokesman said that “normal operation” was still a long way off. Compared to the previous year, the number of appointments made has roughly doubled. Every second was a made-up appointment.
In the Weser-Ems-Hallen Oldenburg, too, the catch-up dates accounted for a large part. After initial difficulties due to existing restrictions, there was a larger offer overall in the first half of the year than before the pandemic. About half were made up appointments, said a spokesman. The event traffic jam was long. In many concert halls, events still have to be made up for in the coming year.
The hope for a full recovery of the events industry remains. It can be seen that “despite all the adversities that exist, people also want experiences,” reported the spokesman for the Osnabrückhalle. An ongoing concert operation is extremely important for the cultural scene, according to the Lower Saxony Ministry of Culture. “It must not come to a standstill again.”
In addition, many concert halls are faced with rising prices. “Smaller events will probably not be able to compensate for the current cost increases,” said a spokesman for the Osnabrückhalle.
