Rhineland-Palatinate - Tourism industry drives digitalization forward
The tourism industry in Rhineland-Palatinate is driving forward the digitalization of businesses and their structures. "Corona has been a burning glass and has shown what didn't work so well with digitalization before," said the Managing Director of Rheinland-Pfalz Tourismus GmbH, Stefan Zindler, to the German Press Agency in Mainz. There has been an immense increase in online information offerings. Guests were increasingly looking for trips, excursions and accommodation online.
"Anyone who wasn't visible was really left behind," reported Zindler. "That opened the eyes of many in the industry." The regular guests that the businesses have and who come back every year are an important asset. "But the regulars are getting older. You have to think about who the regular guests of tomorrow will be." The type of bookings, the way information is obtained and the type of inspiration have changed.
"I now meet guests on other platforms, on other channels. You have to keep your finger on the pulse," emphasized the Managing Director. This involves the classic tourist offers in the accommodation, well-functioning booking systems on online platforms in order to be visible nationally and internationally, and a stable internet connection.
However, tourism businesses must also constantly keep their data in the booking systems up to date with the latest information. This includes information data such as address and facilities as well as current photos. " Tourism lives by transporting and communicating images," explained Zindler. "The images create wanderlust and wanderlust - the desire to go there."
For this reason, businesses should be up to date with any renovations to their buildings, changes to the landscape or illustrated excursion destinations, for example, and provide their photos with the most extensive rights of use possible to enable international marketing. Up-to-date data is also necessary for special features of the accommodation, such as accessibility, said the managing director. The certification for this is usually valid for three years. If this is not extended, the business can no longer be found on the relevant websites.
In order to support the operators and owners of tourism businesses with the rapidly advancing digitization, an e-learning platform with a wide range of offers and in cooperation with the chambers and the hotel and restaurant association Dehoga has been launched since the beginning of 2023. "It is being used very well," reported Zindler.
The greatest demand is for the topics: What are the requirements for my website? How can I make better use of search engines? How can I improve the quality of my business? What is open data?
As an example of innovative projects, the Managing Director cited an experience guide that is linked to the brown signs on the highway to attractions in the region. Zindler explained that anyone who installs a corresponding app on their cell phone can be shown information about these tourist attractions as they drive past these signs to whet their appetite for a trip there.
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- Stefan Zindler, the Managing Director of Rheinland-Pfalz Tourismus GmbH, shared his observations with the German Press Agency in Mainz, stating that businesses in Rhineland-Palatinate's tourism industry have significantly increased their online presence due to Coronavirus.
- Zindler highlighted that during the pandemic, a considerable number of tourists relied on digital platforms to explore tourism offerings in Rhineland-Palatinate, highlighting the importance of digitization for the industry.
- The German Press Agency reported that, as a result of this shift, tourism businesses in Rhineland-Palatinate have been striving to maintain updated information in their booking systems, emphasizing the significance of up-to-date data for successful marketing in the digitized tourism industry.
- To tackle the challenges posed by digitization and support tourism businesses, Rheinland-Pfalz Tourismus GmbH launched an e-learning platform in 2023, offering training in various topics such as web optimization, improving business quality, and understanding open data.
Source: www.stern.de
