Thiel Family’s Fishing Pond: A Sustainable Escape from Hartz IV in Denmark.

“Goodbye Germany”: Goodbye Mallorca? Test for the Gülpens

In the new episode of the VOX emigrant documentary “Goodbye Germany” (Mon, July 15, 8:15 p.m., Vox), Tamara and Marco Gülpen have to decide where they want to live in the long term: on Mallorca or in Germany? A constant issue for the couple with the large age difference. Could it soon be ‘Adiós Mallorca’ for the Gülpens? Little son Giulio will start school next year and if Tamara Gülpen has her way, the entire family will move to the island next year. Marco Gülpen sees things a little differently after more than 20 years on the Spanish island. “If he has his way, it will be the last season that he and his family will spend entirely on Mallorca,” says the VOX preview of the new Mallorca episode on “Goodbye Germany. Such a big decision can quickly become an ordeal for the couple. The lease for the hostel will expire in three years. The Gülpens have been commuting between Cologne and the holiday island for eight years now: they spend their winters in Germany and their summers on Mallorca. Marco believes that his The hotelier, who runs a hostel on Playa de Palma, also manages a hotel in Cologne and recently opened an ice cream parlor, knows that the playa resembles a ghost town in three years and the Gülpens will only find out after the season whether an extension is possible. If they lose the hostel, Tamara has fewer arguments for Mallorca.

1. Short Description:
The Gülpen family faces a high-stakes financial and lifestyle decision on “Goodbye Germany”: commit to their Mallorca hospitality business or repatriate to Germany as key lease terms loom.

2. Read Time:
2 minutes, 15 seconds

3. Main Article:

For entrepreneurs like Marco and Tamara Gülpen, featured on VOX’s “Goodbye Germany,” the dream of a lifestyle business abroad is colliding with hard financial planning realities. Their eight-year commute between Cologne and Mallorca, split between German winters and Balearic summers, is at a critical juncture. With their son approaching school age and the lease for their Playa de Palma hostel expiring in three years, a definitive investment strategy is urgently needed. Marco, a seasoned hotelier with over two decades on the island, sees the precariousness of a seasonal business in a location that becomes a “ghost town” off-season. This looming lease expiration isn’t just a contract issue; it’s a direct threat to their primary asset diversification on the island and the family’s entire reason for being there.

The couple’s risk assessment reveals a classic entrepreneurial dilemma: emotional investment versus financial sustainability. Tamara advocates for doubling down on Mallorca, seeing it as a permanent home. However, Marco’s experience informs a more cautious approach. The uncertainty of a lease renewal, which won’t be clarified until after the upcoming tourist season, introduces significant business risk. His recent expansion with an ice cream parlor and management of a Cologne hotel suggests a strategic hedge, spreading assets and income streams across two countries. This potential pivot from a purely lifestyle business to a more calculated, geographically diversified portfolio underscores a mature approach to personal finance for expat entrepreneurs.

Ultimately, the Gülpens’ decision transcends simple geography; it’s a case study in aligning family goals with a resilient business model. Will they commit further capital and energy to an uncertain Mallorcan venture, or consolidate their operations in the more predictable German market? Their choice on “Goodbye Germany” highlights that sustainable expat living requires meticulous financial planning where lifestyle desires are continuously weighed against tangible risk assessment and the long-term security of the family unit.

4. Short Summary:
The Gülpen family’s featured dilemma on “Goodbye Germany” is a profound lesson in expat financial planning. Their story underscores that a successful lifestyle business abroad demands rigorous risk assessment and asset diversification. As they weigh an uncertain Mallorcan hostel lease against stability in Germany, their decision highlights the critical intersection of entrepreneurial ambition and family-focused investment strategy.

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