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DSTNCMP²² DAY 2
April 28, 2022, by Wolfgang Weiler
From the Alster to the Elbe
A CHANGE OF PERSPECTIVE
The theme of the evening program on the second day of the DSTNCMP22 really only gave Hamburgers a hint of the wide range of impressions and experiences awaiting the roughly 240 participants: “From the Alster to the Elbe” symbolized the shift in perspective that some of the 27 sessions had already brought about. But the theme also served as a programmatic statement for yet another unique evening event: it led from the Alster to the Elbe. And whether the Alster or the Elbe is one’s home means a great deal to Hamburgers.
Session Hopping & Knowledge Booster
In a total of 24 sessions across eight thematic tracks and three presentations at the netzvitamineAKADEMIE , the DSTNCMP22 at Hotel Le Méridien on the Outer Alster, the DSTNCMP captivated participants on the second day with creative discussions, authentic challenges, and genuine proposed solutions.
The topics, moderators, and speakers had already been posted on the website —and this year, despite COVID-19 restrictions, participants were finally able to move between sessions. This allowed everyone to plan their individual DSTNCMP22knowledge booster in advance.
The two-hour sessions at the netzvitamineAKADEMIE covered a wide range of topics, from the new Sinus-Milieus to the “Smart Tourism Mindset,” “experience shopping,” visitor management strategies, and criteria for living space concepts.
Underwater for the evening event
After the third session, the plan was: "We'll meet at 6:30 p.m. in grid square ///ewig.ausblicke.farbe. Anyone who isn’t there on time will miss the evening.”
No one wanted to miss it after all: The train pulled out right on time early evening, Landungsbrücken . The pier for harbor tours, boat trips through the Speicherstadt, and catamaran crossings to Heligoland is nearly 700 meters long. The procession trudged past it, following the “Follow Me” sign to the first “wow” moment of the evening: down the narrow stairs and into the large elevator cars leading into the Old Elbe Tunnel.
Four elevator cars transport pedestrians and cyclists into this architectural masterpiece, which opened in 1911 and lies a good 24 meters below the Elbe. Until 2019, cars were still transported up and down here; now the “Old Elbe Tunnel” is reserved for cyclists and pedestrians.
The harbor, the lights, and a sense of longing accompany the ship as it sails off into the distance
The Elbe Tunnel was originally built to connect the large shipyards in Steinwerder, such as Blohm+Voss, AG Vulcan, and Reiherstieg.
At the end of the 19th century, many thousands of port and shipyard workers had to be transported from one side of the Elbe to the other at shift change. The ferries could no longer handle such large numbers; for many workers, they were too expensive; and in any case, service was often suspended entirely during snow, ice, or storms.
After a ten-minute walk through the tiled tunnel under the Elbe and another ride in the elevator, Hamburg revealed a different side of itself: At Blohm+Voss, participants were treated to a completely new perspective on the Hamburg skyline and the architecturally impressive and stylish Elbphilharmonie.
Two musicians from Hamburg playing the accordion and a shipping container stand serving Astra beer set the mood. The spectacular viewpoint was the perfect spot for the group photo for the DSTNCMP22.
Then we headed back through the Elbe Tunnel with its speedy cyclists. The route beneath the shipping lane is the shortest connection between Steinwerder and St. Pauli and saves you a detour of more than seven kilometers over the bridges.
The next “aha” moment of the evening took the tourism professionals to the exclusive “Hafen-Klub” at the Landungsbrücken, with its two imposing domed towers. There, they enjoyed a dinner of the finest quality, followed by sea shanties. “Captain Alex and the Hamburg Boys” got some of the participants swaying their hips and dancing with rock ’n’ roll, rock-style shanties, and wild pirate songs.
The "Hafen-Klub" is, in essence, a members-only club for leaders in the maritime industry. It was founded to provide Hamburg entrepreneurs with a place where they can meet with their business associates from overseas.
The true scale of the Port of Hamburg can only be fully appreciated by looking at the large model on display in one of the two domes. It is housed under glass in the floor, and visitors can walk right over it. During the great storm surge of 1962, this spot temporarily served as Helmut Schmidt’s command center. In the other dome, the starry sky—which sailors once used for navigation—is painted on the ceiling.
Take me with you, Captain, on this journey
While some listened enraptured to the music of the Hamburg band, others strolled through the three levels of the Hafen-Klub, taking in the views of the water, the ships and shipyards, the city, and the Elphi.
At 11 p.m., hundreds of drones performed a magical dance around the city’s architectural highlight to celebrate the Elphi’s fifth anniversary, much to the delight of the DSTNCMP participants.
And because Hamburg is full of new stories, some of them later made their way up to the Reeperbahn to enjoy yet another chapter of Hamburg impressions.