CHANGE4DESTINATION

13 proposals for the future of publicly financed tourism

marketing

Page

Address
Wettiner Strasse 10
04105 Leipzig
www.tourismuszukunft.de

Contact
Catharina Fischer
Tel: +49 (0)177 795 8351
c.fischer@tourismuszukunft.de

Represented by
Tourismuszukunft Holding GmbH
HRB 5661 | Registration court Ingolstadt
Florian Bauhuber

CHANGE4DESTINATION
13 PROPOSALS FOR THE
FUTURE OF PUBLICLY
FINANCED TOURISM
MARKETING
Change4Destination is a think tank of experts from the tourism industry. It deals
with strategic questions relating to publicly financed tourism marketing and its
future in a digital society.
How can publicly financed tourism marketing significantly influence travel
decisions in an increasingly networked and high-tech society?
Do structures, and therefore organisations, have to change in order to keep up
with fast-changing demand in tourism?
What effects do these changes have on the products and services offered at the
destination?
The objective of the Change4Destination think tank is to identify new perspectives
and opportunities, rather than to deliver answers that are universally applicable.
The relevance of each socio-technological change is different and requires both a
holistic and a detailed look at the various levels of publicly funded tourism
marketing.
The digital revolution means change. Territorial structures, hierarchical
organisations and inflexible processes are no longer competitive. In particular,
changes to customer demand and new technologies make transformation a
necessity. In order to shape this transformation positively, a strong vision, a
willingness to be open, a wealth of expertise and a distinction between location
and destination are needed.

Page

Address
Wettiner Strasse 10
04105 Leipzig
www.tourismuszukunft.de

Contact
Catharina Fischer
Tel: +49 (0)177 795 8351
c.fischer@tourismuszukunft.de

Represented by
Tourismuszukunft Holding GmbH
HRB 5661 | Registration court Ingolstadt
Florian Bauhuber

THE VISION IF YOU DONT KNOW WHERE

YOU WANT TO GO, YOULL NEVER FIND
THE WAY.
Without a vision you wont find a way to actively shape the future. A vision is
vital to any process of development or transformation and therefore a
prerequisite for successful change. Locations of the future will have a clear
and coherent vision that is championed by all stakeholders.
WHAT IS A VISION?
The vision is an indispensable reference point for the alignment of all activities
and the achievement of set goals.
It is the thread that runs through all internal and external activities and provides
guidance in a fast-moving society with rapidly changing markets.
WHAT IS THE VISIONS PURPOSE?
The vision sets out a clear, long-term image for the future and is therefore
independent of short-term internal and external changes. The vision outlines a
path that can be followed in many ways, but in the end has only one goal. It
incorporates the self-image of the organisation, region or location, defines the
quality standard and illustrates the value added.

Page

Address
Wettiner Strasse 10
04105 Leipzig
www.tourismuszukunft.de

Contact
Catharina Fischer
Tel: +49 (0)177 795 8351
c.fischer@tourismuszukunft.de

Represented by
Tourismuszukunft Holding GmbH
HRB 5661 | Registration court Ingolstadt
Florian Bauhuber

THE LOCATION NOT THE DESTINATION

IS THE TARGET
The destination is often a location that has been chosen temporarily based on a
variety of criteria. The tourism infrastructure is certainly a significant factor, but
it is not the only one and this has long been the case. Peoples choice of travel
destination is influenced by many more factors than before. This is mainly due to
digitisation and the resulting loss of information sovereignty by companies, to ever
more demanding customers and to changes to work habits and lifestyles. A
growing majority now considers access to the internet, and with it international
communication, and societal, political, demographic, environmental and spatial
processes at the location more important than all-inclusive packages or places to
discover. A separation of location, tourism and destination is therefore no longer
realistic and can be marketed with only limited credibility.

THE DIGITAL DNA OF SUCCESSFUL LOCATIONS

The three success factors of a digital DNA:

CUSTOMER-CENTRIC

The focus is on the complete user experience

Systematically reviewing the way things are done if there appears to be a better solution
for the customer

AGILE

Getting things done rather than striving for perfection

Speed as a key competitive advantage

DATA-DRIVEN

Iterative optimisation through continual learning

Deployment of the latest technologies (tracking, monitoring, big data, inbound marketing,
etc.)

Page

Address
Wettiner Strasse 10
04105 Leipzig
www.tourismuszukunft.de

Contact
Catharina Fischer
Tel: +49 (0)177 795 8351
c.fischer@tourismuszukunft.de

Represented by
Tourismuszukunft Holding GmbH
HRB 5661 | Registration court Ingolstadt
Florian Bauhuber

Publicly funded tourism marketing needs to address these requirements and this
new way of thinking, and must adapt structures, processes, expertise and
implementation as soon as possible. Public bodies must provide support to not
only enable a digital future for organisations and locations, but also to secure it.
The following proposals are based on these three elementary factors and attempt
to identify approaches, possibilities and requirements.

ORGANISATIONAL AND LEADERSHIP

PROPOSAL
1. LOCATIONS OF THE FUTURE ARE ENABLERS, NOT
FULFILLERS
LOCATIONS OF THE FUTURE REQUIRE VALUE-ORIENTATED LEADERSHIP
WITH AN EXCEPTIONAL NETWORK OF PARTNERS.
In a globalised and highly digitised world there needs to be a national,
regional or local driver. The driver is the developer of the vision, the
protector of values and the brand leader. The driver coordinates agile
ecosystems with productive networks consisting of various experts
from each spatial unit.
Spatial units in a digital society must be managed across borders and
with spatial customer behaviour in mind. In this context, structural
boundaries must be overcome as they become increasingly blurred in
the markets, and in the eyes of the consumer, and start to disappear.
Furthermore, the driver passes on expertise and facilitates the
creation of interfaces, especially technological ones. Internal and
external communication provides information and advice, and is open
in its dialogue with politicians and other stakeholders.

Page

Address
Wettiner Strasse 10
04105 Leipzig
www.tourismuszukunft.de

Contact
Catharina Fischer
Tel: +49 (0)177 795 8351
c.fischer@tourismuszukunft.de

Represented by
Tourismuszukunft Holding GmbH
HRB 5661 | Registration court Ingolstadt
Florian Bauhuber

2. CHANGE CAN ONLY BE ACHIEVED IF YOURE WILLING TO

MAKE MISTAKES
THE CREATION OF SAFE AREAS FOR TAKING CALCULATED RISKS
ENCOURAGES INNOVATION.
Start walking, fall over and get up again. Only someone who sets
themselves challenging goals, who has the force of will and the
persistence to chase them, and who is willing to take the road less
travelled, can be a driver of innovation. In our times of rapid change,
it is important to have the freedom to further develop all types of
business models and to think in radically new ways. Those who only
react will become increasingly irrelevant in the market. Active
iteration based on the value assumptions of the vision is more futureproof than monitoring.

3. LEAD THE WAY, DONT FOLLOW

MODERN LEADERSHIP AND EXPERTISE IN THE USE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY
ARE VITAL TO THE FUTURE ROLE OF PUBLIC ORGANISATIONS.
The war for talent is real. Filling strategically important positions
within an agile network and so providing a pool of diverse experts is
one of the key factors for success. Structures and budgets need to
adapt to demand, not the other way around. Those who have not
managed to recruit expert knowledge will remain followers and cannot
actively shape the future. It is particularly in the areas of technology
(methods of product development, marketing and sales) and analysis
(business intelligence, tracking, market research) where these skills
are a prerequisite for remaining competitive.

Page

Address
Wettiner Strasse 10
04105 Leipzig
www.tourismuszukunft.de

Contact
Catharina Fischer
Tel: +49 (0)177 795 8351
c.fischer@tourismuszukunft.de

Represented by
Tourismuszukunft Holding GmbH
HRB 5661 | Registration court Ingolstadt
Florian Bauhuber

4. THE ROLE OF INCUBATOR: BREEDING NEW IDEAS, NOT

JUST SHOWCASING THEM
TAKING ON THE ROLE OF INCUBATOR FOR INNOVATION AND GROWTH AT
THE LOCATION.
New ideas, technical innovations and exceptional infrastructure
projects require an optimal climate and room to grow when faced with
rapidly changing parameters. The national, regional or local driver acts
as an advisor and coach. Where required, the driver makes rental
space, or even whole office complexes, with the necessary
infrastructure available and offers comprehensive service packages.
The driver also provides targeted investment in marketable, customercentric business models in each spatial unit and promotes innovation
and growth.

TECHNOLOGY PROPOSAL
5. FAST EATS SLOW
TECHNOLOGICAL AND SOCIETAL CHANGES ENTAIL NEW TASKS AND QUICK
ACTION.
In a high-tech world in which technological developments are
increasingly changing consumer behaviour, it is important to identify
and accept new tasks for the role of the organisation. More than ever,
fast, iterative and targeted action is a factor for success when dealing
with technology. The decision to develop technology yourself, or to
buy it in, should only be made if it will bring lasting value to the
delivery of the vision. In order to remain relevant in the global market,
decisions taken to achieve short-term gains should not be made at the
cost of the long-term fulfilment of the vision.

Page

Address
Wettiner Strasse 10
04105 Leipzig
www.tourismuszukunft.de

Contact
Catharina Fischer
Tel: +49 (0)177 795 8351
c.fischer@tourismuszukunft.de

Represented by
Tourismuszukunft Holding GmbH
HRB 5661 | Registration court Ingolstadt
Florian Bauhuber

6. DATA QUALITY IS THE CORE TASK

UNDERPINNED BY A DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE, IT IS POSSIBLE TO ADD REAL
VALUE FOR THE VISITOR.
Despite the many new tasks and challenges of this digital context,
there is one core task for regional players in tourism: building an open
digital data infrastructure and ensuring the quality and security of the
data in each area. It is often poorly understood or explained why this
task is important, and so it is frequently palmed off to the local level.
The consequences are a lack of homogeneity, inconsistencies and
glaringly insufficient data. Relevant data for consumers (e.g. data on
opening times of POIs, visitor limits at attractions, closures of
footpaths, water temperatures in swimming lakes) is often not
comprehensively captured, causing unnecessary frustration for
holidaymakers. New technologies and sensors provide the opportunity
to increase the quality and security of the data. High-quality data is
characterised by criteria such as currency, completeness and
availability. It is easier for local players to make these technologies
available in the regions than it is for global players. A digital
infrastructure offers optimised process management, strengthens the
decision-making process and provides fertile ground for innovation.
The networked use of data provides new incentives and creates added
value, leading to new products and services.

Page

Address
Wettiner Strasse 10
04105 Leipzig
www.tourismuszukunft.de

Contact
Catharina Fischer
Tel: +49 (0)177 795 8351
c.fischer@tourismuszukunft.de

Represented by
Tourismuszukunft Holding GmbH
HRB 5661 | Registration court Ingolstadt
Florian Bauhuber

7. OPEN UP YOUR DATA SILOS

ON A PAR WITH GLOBAL PLAYERS THANKS TO AN OPEN DATA STRATEGY
AND CLEAR RULES ON USE.
When it comes to the look of a brochure or the look and feel of a new
website, everyone wants to have a say. In many organisations the
picture is entirely different when it comes to data standards and data
laws. Having a data strategy as the basis of a content strategy is more
often wishful thinking than reality. Only at times of crisis, e.g. if data
laws have been broken, does the topic briefly come up. This
indifference must become a thing of the past. In order to be successful
as a brand and to not become dependent on global players, it is
necessary to open up data silos and to operate in the market with an
open data strategy and with clear rules on use. Open projects, such as
OpenStreetMap, have shown that global monopolies (Google Maps) can
be broken up if data is made available to a wide range of players. The
main objective is not to continuously come up with something new,
but to build on what already exists.

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION

PROPOSAL
8. THE END OF THE WEBSITE
IF YOUVE LEFT A TRAIL, NO MATTER WHERE, YOULL BE FOUND.
Hyperlocal, authentic and personal to be perceived and to excite,
marketing and communication must be specific. Answers, not search
hits, are the next big thing, and so whoever delivers them is the one
who will be found. No matter where and therefore totally
independent of their own website.

Page

Address
Wettiner Strasse 10
04105 Leipzig
www.tourismuszukunft.de

Contact
Catharina Fischer
Tel: +49 (0)177 795 8351
c.fischer@tourismuszukunft.de

Represented by
Tourismuszukunft Holding GmbH
HRB 5661 | Registration court Ingolstadt
Florian Bauhuber

Access to information will change even more dramatically than it has

so far. To be fit for the future, marketing and communication must
move away from information silos and towards agile information
networks. Agile means actively producing, utilising and influencing
information and content. These networks consist of internal and
collaborative sources (e.g. partners, bloggers, influencers) and wholly
independent sources (travellers). These are networks that allow new
technologies, e.g. personal assistants like Google Now*, to provide
answers even before a question has been asked.
*The Google Now name appears to be going away. The latest beta for
Google's Android search app refers to Google Now as "Feed" and refers
Now on Tap as "Screen search."

BRAND PROPOSAL
9. THE IMAGE IS DEAD LONG LIVE THE IDENTITY
In a society flooded with media stimuli and messages, both private and
business customers are looking for identity and values that foster trust
and give meaning to ones own actions and the actions of society.
This is where the image, widely discussed and therefore often
subjectively influenced, falls short. In many cases it operates purely on
an emotional level and is consequently very superficial.
This makes it interchangeable and vulnerable to attack, both from the
outside and from within. In a seemingly infinite world of travel
opportunities, image is by no means unimportant, but it is worthless
without identity. The customer and your employees are looking for
identity, i.e. for a sense of meaning beyond familiarity and popularity,
in order to put a more precise value on their own decisions and
actions. In this context a clear identity with a vision, values and a
story not only provides visibility, but also ensures survival. The
national, regional or local driver is responsible for this.

Page

Address
Wettiner Strasse 10
04105 Leipzig
www.tourismuszukunft.de

Contact
Catharina Fischer
Tel: +49 (0)177 795 8351
c.fischer@tourismuszukunft.de

Represented by
Tourismuszukunft Holding GmbH
HRB 5661 | Registration court Ingolstadt
Florian Bauhuber

GUEST AND CUSTOMER PROPOSAL

10. THE CUSTOMER HAS NO BOUNDARIES
THE CUSTOMER NOT ONLY CROSSES DIGITAL BOUNDARIES, BUT ALSO
REGULATORY ONES.
These days, customer experiences are no longer confined by
boundaries. And not just digital, but also territorial and regulatory
boundaries. The sharing economy facilitates temporary, shared and
cross-border consumption, and offers a more sustainable, more
authentic and higher-quality product to an increasing number of
travellers. While the sharing economy is certainly no blueprint for a
perfect digital business model, its acceptance on the market is a clear
sign on the part of the customer. Territorial and regulatory
boundaries, however small they may seem, are of no interest to the
market; instead they are more likely to be perceived as an obstacle.
From conception and planning to delivery, customer experiences
should be transnational. This implies cross-border partnerships in agile
networks where collaboration is driven by customer needs, rather than
by action plans.

PRODUCT PROPOSAL
11. PRODUCT QUALITY IS THE KEY
PRODUCT FOCUS IN DIGITISED MARKETS THE QUALITY OF THE PRODUCT IS
MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER.
Increasing market transparency and the standardisation of digital
communications driven by global players are reducing the scope to
establish a distinctive offering through communication.

Page

Address
Wettiner Strasse 10
04105 Leipzig
www.tourismuszukunft.de

Contact
Catharina Fischer
Tel: +49 (0)177 795 8351
c.fischer@tourismuszukunft.de

Represented by
Tourismuszukunft Holding GmbH
HRB 5661 | Registration court Ingolstadt
Florian Bauhuber

As a result, the focus of efforts in the tourism regions must switch

from external communication to developing and improving the product
and to internal communication with service providers. A consistent
brand experience at all relevant contact points of the customer is THE
key factor for successful locations in the future. These locations align
themselves to their guests requirements and experiences and define
indicators for measuring and optimising the quality of the product and
of the information. The objective is not only to achieve economic
targets, but also to deliver on environmental and socio-cultural
assumptions.

12. EXCEPTIONAL LEADERS INSPIRE PLAYERS

THE PRODUCT, THE VISION AND THE EXPERIENCE IN HARMONY WITH LOCAL
PLAYERS.
Building on rigorous market research, it is important to get all service
providers on board and align them to the common vision and strategy.
New types of training and development can enable comprehensive
communication and motivation. Good leadership and an inspiring vision
will uncover new leading players and innovations, in line with the
mission. Further decisive factors in the market are the creation of
networks between relevant players, the management of product
quality and consistency, and development.

Page

Address
Wettiner Strasse 10
04105 Leipzig
www.tourismuszukunft.de

Contact
Catharina Fischer
Tel: +49 (0)177 795 8351
c.fischer@tourismuszukunft.de

Represented by
Tourismuszukunft Holding GmbH
HRB 5661 | Registration court Ingolstadt
Florian Bauhuber

13. HOLISTIC, CROSS-BORDER PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

AS THE CUSTOMER HAS NO BOUNDARIES, PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT MUST
HAVE NONE EITHER.
The guest experience goes beyond the tourism element of the service
package and beyond territorial boundaries. Product development must
be conceived holistically and separately from tourism. The spatial unit
needs to be developed, i.e. a region, a federal state, a city or a town,
and not an inclusive package. This requires agile networks with a wide
range of experts who design, plan and test ideas for the market and in
the spatial unit. It requires structures that can react quickly and
flexibly to change, and simple and unbureaucratic processes.

Page

Address
Wettiner Strasse 10
04105 Leipzig
www.tourismuszukunft.de

Contact
Catharina Fischer
Tel: +49 (0)177 795 8351
c.fischer@tourismuszukunft.de

Represented by
Tourismuszukunft Holding GmbH
HRB 5661 | Registration court Ingolstadt
Florian Bauhuber

THE PARTICIPANTS
Florian Bauhuber, Prof. Pietro Beritelli, Michael Buller,
Catharina Fischer, Tina Fraune, Michael Frischkorn, Ulrich Kastner,
Manuel Kliese, Nicholas Montemaggi, Prof. Julia Peters, Stein Ove
Rolland, Martin Soutscheck, Wolfgang Tchterle, Maximilian
Waldmann

Published by:
Tourismuszukunft
By providing advice and support to the tourism industry and tourism associations,
Tourismuszukunft aspires to shape the future of tourism. Drawing on the wideranging expertise of our network partners, we help clients find new strategies and
solutions for the digital age.
We consider the future and help you shape it for your company. You will find a
skilled and competent partner in our team for every stage of your process from
analysis and consultation to training and delivery.
Innovation Norway
Innovation Norway is the Norwegian governments most important instrument for
innovation and the development of the countrys enterprises and industry.
An agile organisation pools various mandates and funding mechanisms. This
enables Innovation Norway to provide targeted financial assistance and support for
innovative product developments, new business ideas and models, and enterprise
clusters, in the tourism industry and beyond.

Page

Address
Wettiner Strasse 10
04105 Leipzig
www.tourismuszukunft.de

Contact
Catharina Fischer
Tel: +49 (0)177 795 8351
c.fischer@tourismuszukunft.de

Represented by
Tourismuszukunft Holding GmbH
HRB 5661 | Registration court Ingolstadt
Florian Bauhuber