Rostock, 28. August 2026 - The arcona Relief Fund supports social initiatives on Usedom, Rügen, and Sylt, promotes young talent through the Germany Scholarship, and is involved in the Sail4Kids charity campaign.
For arcona Hotels & Resorts, hospitality means much more than a warm welcome or a pleasant stay. It also means taking responsibility for the people and regions where the hotels are located. This is precisely what the arcona Hilfsfonds e. V. stands for; for many years, it has supported social, cultural, and charitable projects while bringing together the commitment of guests, employees, and partners.
“The arcona Relief Fund is an expression of our philosophy. For us, hospitality means more than just welcoming people. It also means taking responsibility for the regions where we live and work. That’s why we support projects that give hope, promote education, and support people facing difficult life situations,” says Christiane Winter-Thumann, Chairwoman of the arcona Relief Fund e. V.
A distinctive feature of the relief fund is its regional focus: A large portion of the proceeds from donations is intentionally kept at the hotels’ locations, where it benefits local social organizations and initiatives.
At the Hotel Kaiserhof Heringsdorf, the traditional New Year’s Eve raffle raised 2,710 euros. With a donation of 1,500 euros, the arcona Relief Fund is supporting the ASB “Wünschewagen” in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, which fulfills a heartfelt wish for terminally ill people in the final stages of their lives and, together with their loved ones, enables them to experience special moments one last time.
At the Vju Hotel Rügen, too, guests and staff participated with great enthusiasm. A total of 4,315 euros was raised through donation boxes and the traditional New Year’s Eve auction.
A portion of the proceeds will go to the Förderverein Kinder- und Jugendhospiz Leuchtturm e. V. in Greifswald, supporting care for seriously ill children and their families.
In addition, the Ostseebad Göhren Youth Fire Department will receive a donation of 500 euros. In this way, the arcona Relief Fund deliberately supports volunteer efforts and youth development right here at the hotel’s location on Rügen.
On Sylt, too, the arcona Relief Fund directly links the commitment of hotel guests to social responsibility on the island. At the Wyn. Strandhotel Sylt, this year’s raffle raised 1,000 euros. The proceeds will be donated in full to Lebenshilfe Inseln, supporting its work on behalf of people with disabilities on Sylt and the North Frisian Islands. Lebenshilfe Inseln is dedicated to promoting inclusion, self-determination, and support for people with disabilities and their families. With this donation, the money deliberately remains in the region and benefits people living in the same area where the Wyn. Strandhotel Sylt is located.
In addition to supporting regional projects, the arcona Relief Fund has also been committed to education and social inclusion for many years. For more than ten years, arcona has supported the Deutschlandstipendium at the Rostock University of Music and Drama, thereby fostering young talent on their academic journey. Through this long-term commitment, arcona is making a conscious statement in support of education, the promotion of young talent, and social responsibility. The arcona Relief Fund has also been a partner of the Sail4Kids charity campaign as part of the Hanse Sail Rostock for many years. With an annual donation of 1,500 euros, the association supports the project, which provides seriously ill and underprivileged children with special experiences at and around the Hanse Sail. For arcona, this commitment is also an expression of its deep connection to the Hanseatic city of Rostock, where the company is headquartered.
The arcona Relief Fund thrives on the commitment of many people. Raffles, charity events, donation boxes, and numerous other initiatives at the hotels make it possible to support important projects every year and provide aid where it is urgently needed.
“Behind every donation are people who want to make a difference together—our guests, our employees, and our partners. It is precisely this sense of community that makes the arcona Relief Fund so special. It shows that many small contributions can add up to something great and that hospitality extends far beyond a hotel stay,” says Christiane Winter-Thumann. Through its commitment, the arcona Relief Fund is supporting social projects on Usedom, Rügen, and Sylt this year, promoting young academics through the Deutschlandstipendium, and, together with Sail4Kids, setting an example of social responsibility in Rostock. As diverse as the projects may be, they are all united by a common goal: to support people, give them hope, and facilitate connections.
For many years, the arcona Hilfsfonds e. V. has been coordinating the social engagement of arcona Hotels & Resorts. It supports social, cultural, and charitable projects at the hotel locations as well as in the Rostock region. The relief fund is financed through raffles, charity events, donation boxes, membership dues, and support from guests, employees, and partners. Guided by the motto “Encounters in the heart. From this grows responsibility,” the association makes a lasting contribution to the people and regions where arcona is at home.
Founded in 2008, arcona Hotels & Resorts, headquartered in Rostock, specializes in the operation and development of first-class leisure and vacation hotels. The seven arcona properties currently in operation are located in renowned cultural and vacation destinations such as Rügen, Sylt, Usedom, and Weimar. The portfolio includes, among others, the well-known Hotel Elephant Weimar, the historic Hotel Kaiserhof on Usedom, and the Schloss Teschow Golf Club. As a licensee of the Barefoot concept developed by Til Schweiger, arcona also operates Barefoot Hotels in established destinations such as Mallorca. The owners and shareholders of arcona are Alexander Winter and Treugast founder Prof. Stephan Gerhard. The company is headquartered in the historic Zeeck’sche Villa in Rostock.
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