Tourism plays an important role in this district on the Baltic Sea. Boltenhagen and the Poel Island are well-known seaside resorts. With its many nature reserves, landscape conservation areas and bird sanctuaries, nature tourism related to these attractions, alongside coastal tourism, plays an important role in Northwest Mecklenburg. In recent years, Northwest Mecklenburg has also become a top European location for the timber and food industries. In economic terms, the district belongs to the metropolitan region of Hamburg. The district’s administrative seat is the Hanseatic city of Wismar, where the virtually unchanged medieval old town is a world heritage site.