Interview with tourism manager Norbert Lopatta
Willingen tourism region
Willingen in the Sauerland offers great leisure activities for sports enthusiasts. Discover the different seasonal facets of the region around the Schutzhütte with Willingen tourism manager Norbert Lopatta.
What does the willingen region offer in the area of active & nature?
You might be asking yourself the same question. After all, if you’re going to spend your vacation at the Schutzhütte in the future, you’ll want to know what the region has to offer. Willingen offers a wealth of opportunities, especially in areas such as hiking, mountain biking and skiing.
To get an even better insight, we interviewed the Willingen tourism manager Norbert Lopatta and asked him 10 questions about the “Active & Nature” area.
Schutzhütte: What is particularly outstanding in Willingen in the area of “Active & Nature”?
Norbert Lopatta: The very special thing about Willingen is that it has an extremely high density of leisure activities, including both outdoor and indoor options. I am personally convinced that there is no other comparable place in the German-speaking world with this range of offers. Ice rink, lagoon pool, 3D golf, climbing hall, ski and bike lifts, summer toboggan run, …..
Schutzhütte: There are many different types of bike trails. For whom are the routes best suited?
Norbert Lopatta: Willingen also has an excellent reputation among cyclists. Whether it’s leisurely pleasure cycling to Diemelsee or downhill in the bike zone, there’s something for everyone. BRAND NEW: the Green Trails! New trails for everyone! The Green Trails Willingen were opened this year and offer a special kind of cycling-in-nature experience for every biker.
Schutzhütte: What developments can our mountain bike guests look forward to in the coming years?
Norbert: Lopatta: The Green Trails are continuing to develop. Korbach, Diemelsee and Willingen are already finished, and more places will be added, so new and exciting tours will be possible again and again. In total, around 200 km of new cycle paths are being built here, and they will be connected to each other. In addition, the Diemel Cycle Path starts in Usseln—one of only two cycle routes nationwide to be awarded 5 stars!
Schutzhütte: Willingen offers stunning hiking trails. Which ones would you particularly recommend?
Norbert Lopatta: The Willingen/Diemelsee region is part of Germany’s first Quality Hiking Region. This award clearly shows that hiking is a central theme in the Sauerland and is also highly valued in Willingen. I can particularly recommend the Uplandsteig and the Diemelsteig. Along these trails you’ll find the Trekking Park Sauerland, which makes camping out in the open countryside possible (www.trekkingpark.de). In addition, the themed trails are also recommended. The Milchpfad is especially popular with families, where everything revolves around milk. For adults, I can recommend the Besinnungsweg, which runs through several districts of Willingen. What’s special is that the churches in the districts are integrated into the route, helping you slow down and switch off from everyday life.
Schutzhütte: In winter, Willingen turns into a winter sports area for skiers, snowboarders and cross-country skiers. What does Willingen do when there is less snow and temperatures don’t drop as much?
Norbert Lopatta: Then Willingen carries on just as it does in spring, summer and autumn: hiking, cycling and lots of indoor activities that leave no room for boredom. Of course, we’re also able to prepare all ski slopes for skiing within 2–3 days using technical snowmaking, with a total of around 150 snow cannons. The only requirement is sustained cold temperatures below -2 degrees.
Schutzhütte: What events are there specifically for sports enthusiasts and active vacationers visiting Willingen?
Norbert Lopatta: The sporting flagship is the World Cup ski jumping at the Mühlenkopfschanze, the largest large hill in the world. This event ensures that winter sports enthusiasts from all over the world know Willingen. In addition, ski jumping ensures that all available beds in Willingen are fully booked and that around 50–60,000 visitors experience elite sport up close over one weekend.
The cycling season starts in May and the Bike Festival is one of the biggest outdoor events for mountain bikers. Here too, 25-30,000 visitors ensure a great atmosphere and excellent competitions. There is also an outdoor trade fair where well-known manufacturers can present their products.
Schutzhütte: How are the needs of individualists looking for peace and nature met in Willingen?
Norbert Lopatta: The wide range of leisure activities in Willingen doesn’t mean the town is hectic and loud. Willingen’s advantage is that from any point in town, you can be right in the middle of nature within a 3–5 minute walk. Forest, meadows, heath….
Schutzhütte: How does Willingen promote sustainable tourism?
Norbert Lopatta: Sustainability is becoming a central topic in people’s consumer decisions. Whether it’s a car, furniture or a vacation, the sustainability of products is becoming a key criterion in deciding where my next trip will take me. Here, in addition to the destinations themselves, accommodation providers and hosts are especially called upon. As part of the statewide campaign “Hesse as a sustainable travel destination”, Willingen—within GrimmHeimat Nordhessen—is shortly before certification by TourCert.
As a municipality ourselves, we are undertaking many projects to switch to renewable energies, including the construction of PV systems. The newly built lagoon pool is mainly heated by a combined heat and power plant that runs on biogas and the waste heat from the ice rink compressors. In addition, PV modules are also being installed here, which generate roughly the same amount of energy as around 65 four-person households.
Schutzhütte: How important are new accommodations like the Schutzhütte for the region?
Norbert Lopatta: From my point of view, the Schutzhütte is a necessary project for Willingen. A new and fresh product concept in the hotel sector that Willingen doesn’t yet have, and which will therefore attract predominantly new guests to Willingen. In addition, with its location the hotel fills a gap that makes the entire area (ice rink, lagoon pool, visitor center, cinema…) significantly more attractive and will thus bring more visitors.
Schutzhütte: What would you like to share with our future guests?
Norbert Lopatta: A vacation in Willingen is entertaining, relaxing, slowing down, invigorating, active, calming, lively,…. As you can see, a vacation in Willingen is attractive for everyone. Everyone finds what he/she needs at that moment. That’s the key difference that makes Willingen special!
Personally, I can only tell your guests that they have made the right choice in every respect!
Discover the Sauerland
We would like to thank tourism manager Norbert Lopatta for this very detailed interview.
Would you like to find out more about the leisure activities in our region? Discover Willingen at Willingen.de
