Posted by Tourism in the Black Forest
Tourism is the most important economic sector in many regions of the Black Forest. However, holidaymakers do not visit all regions of the Black Forest equally. Thus, there are Black Forest regions where tourism dominates the local economy, while in other regions tourism plays a subordinate role. The most important tourist region in the Black Forest is the southern Upper Black Forest, especially around Schluchsee, Titisee, Hinterzarten and Feldberg. Here, tourism is the main source of income. This applies to both summer and winter. The Upper Black Forest is an important region for winter sports. In addition, there is a special form of tourism in the Black Forest – the spa guests. There are over 30 health resorts in the Black Forest with many spa clinics. The spa guests are an important factor for the economy of the Black Forest. A total of about 300,000 jobs in the Black Forest depend on tourism. Over 5 billion euros are said to be turned over in tourism in the Black Forest every year.
Timber industry in the Black Forest
The timber industry is still more important for the economy of the Black Forest than tourism in many regions. As wood is once again gaining in importance as a raw material, a great future is predicted for wood as a climate-friendly raw material and energy supplier. Pellets made of wood are becoming more and more popular as a means of heating. More and more wood from the Black Forest is being exported, with strong growth also to Asia.
Other economic sectors
Mining has a long history in the Black Forest, but it hardly plays a role today. Large quantities of uranium were mined until the 1990s. For centuries, silver, lead, iron and other materials were extracted from many mines. In recent years, many of the old mines have been renovated and opened to tourists. The so-called visitor mines are increasingly becoming a new tourist attraction in the Black Forest.
Much more important for today’s economy in the Black Forest is the energy economy. In the Black Forest, electricity has been generated by hydroelectric power for a long time. In recent years, winter power plants and solar power plants have been added. The construction of new pumped-storage power plants is currently controversial.
Glass production and charcoal making were important for the Black Forest economy in the past. Today, however, these industries hardly play a role. In connection with tourism, however, they are experiencing a certain renaissance.