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The region
In immediate proximity of the Hanseatic City of Lübeck and the districts of Plön, Segeberg and Stormarn, the district of Ostholstein encompasses a total area of 1,393 sqm in the south-eastern region of Schleswig-Holstein.
Ostholstein counts as one of the leading holiday destinations not just in Schleswig-Holstein, but across the whole country – and not without reason: Long, sandy beaches and steep coastlines, vibrant hustle and bustle along promenades and piers, optimal wind conditions for water sports as well as the distinctive sea- and hillscape of Holstein Switzerland promise great relaxation and leisure which offers everyone their money’s worth.
Alongside many interesting holiday facilities like the Hansa-Park in Sierksdorf or the subtropic luxury bathing house at Weissenhäuser Strand, Ostholstein also has a lot to offer on the cultural side: The Eutin opera festival, the Wallmuseum in Oldenburg i.H. or the open-air concerts right by the beach attract hundreds of visitors to the region every year.
The combination of various recreational and cultural attractions, relaxation options, qualified workplaces and economic growth make Ostholstein a region with a very high standard of life.
Economic Hub Ostholstein
Encompassing 30 municipalities and 6 cities, the district of Ostholstein has over 201,000 inhabitants and – compared to other districts in Schleswig-Holstein – has a comparatively high population density. Labour market projections are currently promising as with 64,675 active employees in June 2025, the unemployment rate was still only 4.5% for that same time period despite the impact of current challenges.
Trade, healthcare, manufacturing and hospitality are the most prominent industries in Ostholstein when measured in terms of employees subject to social security contributions.
Business index
| Population | 201,763 September 2025 |
| Population per square kilometre |
146 December 2023 |
| Employees subject to social security contributions |
64,675 June 2025 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% June 2025 |
| Registered Vacancies |
1,854 June 2025 |
| Business registrations | 2,108 June 2025 |
| Amount of businesses | 6,180 June 2025 |
| Start-ups | 1,610 throughout 2025 |
| Commercial tax income | 120,383,951 euros euros throughout 2024 |
Importance of the tourism industry
Tourist data like number of guest arrivals, daily guests and generated turnover make it clear: Tourism in Ostholstein belongs to the economic strengths of the district making the region more desirable as a place to live and work. The close to 19,2 million overnight stays and 3.9 million arrivals in 2023 illustrate that the tourism industry is a major contributor to the gross value generated in Ostholstein’s individual municipalities and cities. In addition, you have increased employment and income derived from the effects of tourism across many industries such as trade, craft, agriculture, service and transport.
Community and private sector investments aimed at a targeted expansion of the tourist industry infrastructure such as modern and innovative accommodation, promenades and public spaces show that Ostholstein is investing in its own future and is optimally preparing itself for the demands and wishes of future guests. The previous investment period (2014-2020) saw over 100 million Euros invested districtwide.
Commercial lodging
| 20101 | 20222 | 20232 | 20242 | |
| Overnight stays | 5,399,326 | 9.023.536 | 9.066.784 | 9.193.368 |
| Total guests | 1,070,837 | 1.749.882 | 1.841.331 | 1.898.369 |
| Beds | 48,997 | 72.073 | 71.099 | 71.489 |
| Companies | 1,066 | 794 | 772 | 742 |
| Average stay | 5.0 Days | 5.2 Days | 4.9 Days | 4.8 Days |
Source: Statistical Office for Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein
1Commercial lodgings with 9 or more beds
2Commercial lodgings with 10 or more beds
Infrastructure
As the main transport link of Ostholstein, the A1 motorway/E47 E-road represents the so-called “flight of birds” direct route transport corridor between Hamburg and Copenhagen. This road follows a north-south line through the entire district. The B76 federal road splits off from the A1 in an east-west direction and leads towards the state capital Kiel and its surrounding area. The main rail connections of the region are Hamburg-Lübeck-Puttgarden and Lüneburg-Lübeck-Kiel.
Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link
The island of Fehmarn in Ostholstein and the island of Lolland in the Danish region Sjælland are seperated by 19 km of Baltic Sea – a strait called the Fehmarnbelt which forms a natural border between Germany and Denmark but at the same time connecting the two countries. Ferries between Puttgarden and Rødby have been running every 30 minutes since 1963.
With the construction of the Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link, one of the largest infrastructure projects in Europe, the regions are intended to grow even closer territorially and economically.
An approximately 17 km long tunnel is planned which will shorten travel time between Puttgarden and Rødbyhaven to 7 minutes by train and 10 minutes by car. The Schleswig-Holstein Ministry of Economics and the project company Femern A/S, who are responsible for the planning and building of the Fehmarnbelt tunnel, will thoroughly inform you about the construction project and its planning status.
While Denmark is contractually committed to the construction and maintenance of the Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link with the signing of the state treaty, Germany is tasked with upgrading its inland road and rail infrastructure, the so-called “hinterland connection”.
Due to its direct proximity to the tunnel, the district of Ostholstein is heavily involved.
The challenges of this planned large-scale project are manifold, which is why reactions are mixed. EGOH are preparing for all future development scenarios and are striving to make the best possible use of this opportunity.