Hamburg has withdrawn its bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games after voters rejected the plan in a referendum, ending the German citys campaign to stage the event.

The result matters for travellers and the wider tourism industry because a successful bid would have triggered years of major transport, hotel and infrastructure work, followed by a surge in demand for accommodation, flights and local services. Instead, the city now avoids the disruption and cost that often come with hosting the Games, but also misses the potential boost in international visitation and investment.

The referendum outcome means Hamburg will not proceed with plans to bid for the Games, with officials accepting the public vote as decisive. The city had been positioning itself as a candidate for a future Olympics and Paralympics, but the defeat removes it from contention.

Local authorities had argued the bid could support regeneration and improve transport links, but opposition centred on the cost and scale of the project. That left the campaign unable to secure the backing needed to continue.

For the travel sector, the decision keeps Hamburg out of a process that would have influenced airline capacity, hotel development and citywide mobility planning for several years. It also means destinations that remain in the running for future Games will continue to compete for the longer term economic and tourism benefits associated with hosting the event.