Tourists and part-time residents from Germany, Switzerland

and Austria have played an important role in Southwest Florida for more than a

decade, contributing millions of dollars to the economy each year and enjoying

the area’s ecotourism and quiet

beaches. But hoteliers, restaurateurs, real estate agents and other

business-people from Cape Coral to Marco Island have seen a sharp decline in

German-speaking visitors for about 12 to

18 months.

Why have Germans stopped coming? The biggest factor, local

experts say, is that it’s become too expensive, with the decline in value of

the deutsche mark (the U.S. dollar has increased by 46 percent since 1995

against the German currency) and the uncertain impact of the conversion to the

euro. Other problems: the increase in real estate prices in Southwest Florida

in the last five years, the slowdown of the German economy, more competition

from European destinations, bad press in Germany about bioterrorism and shark

attacks in the United States, and the fear of flying after the events of 9-11.

And don’t forget airline trouble, including the bankruptcy of SwissAir (which

affected carrier LTU) and the reduced number of nonstop flights to Florida from

Europe and connecting flights to Naples and Fort Myers.

Cape Coral and Lehigh Acres have been hotbeds for homebuying

at affordable prices while

Naples has drawn wealthy Germans, but

no exact numbers are available about how many Germans own homes and other

property here, making it tough to judge the impact. In Cape Coral, for example,

affordable waterfront housing lured Germans to the city, which boasts a German-

American Social Club. But the area’s growth has boosted the prices in Cape

Coral, with some homes now selling for more than a million dollars. Local real

estate agents report that more Germans are selling than buying.

To bring them back, area tourism, community and business

leaders this year formed a German Marketing Task Force. We asked area

hoteliers, tourism officials, business leaders and real estate agents this

question: Where have the Germans gone?

Rainer Filthaut of International Realty Consultants in

Naples is president of the German-American Business Chamber of Southwest

Florida, which was formed last year:

“They’re going to Spain, Turkey, the Canary Islands. It’s

getting too expensive here and also, compared to some other destinations in

Europe, the United States is plain.”

Michael Schneider-Christians, an international real estate

consultant with Century 21 Sunbelt Realty who specializes in Cape Coral:

“It’s very easy. Europe is always trying to keep them in

Europe. With 9-11 and the anthrax scare, they blast those things in the

newspapers. People felt unsafe. A lot of Germans do not like to fly.”

D.T. Minich, executive director of the Lee Island Coast

Visitor and Convention Bureau, which has an office in Germany. In March, Minich

and other staffers attended the ITB Berlin, the world’s largest travel trade

show:

“A lot of them are staying within Europe, taking beach or

ski vacations. The German market is a long ways off in coming back to the level

where it was.”

Peter Piazza, owner of the nine-unit Palm Terrace Apartments

on Fort Myers Beach. A small operator, he is starting to see his loyal German

visitors booking rooms again, but not at the same levels as two years ago:

“They’re going to Spain or elsewhere. They’re still going to

take their vacations.”