Munich tourism benefits from strategic planning

It took a year for Munich to find the right person for the job. Their patience was rewarded; Geraldine Knudson is clearly the right person at the right time at the right place. Born in Austria, educated in Munich and Berlin (theater, art history and sociology) and holding a Masters of Arts degree in communications from the Freie Universitat Berlin, she moved through the theatre industry on her way to social media marketing technology and Luxembourg tourism. Today, as the Director of Tourism for the city of Munich, all of her skill sets are used to reach the organizations objective: to position the destination as a leader among its international competitors; to promote tourism to Munich.

Leadership

As the head of Munchen Tourismus (part of the Department of Labor and economic Development), her responsibility to is work cooperatively with the department’s private sector partners developing viable marketing campaigns that will differentiate Munich in the tourism industry.

With her background in theatre and technology, and her interest in culture, it is likely that the City’s unique attributes will be the focus of her marketing efforts. She has already begun to create an Internet presence for Munich to include B2B and B2C communication links. Platforms for the MICE and Congress markets are being developed to expedite new business opportunities. She is looking to use the Internet for one-stop shopping for group business where requests for proposals will be submitted online, electronically distributed to the vendors for information and pricing, and quickly returned to the potential client for review and approval.

Destination

Life in Munich is very special. Every year the city receives high marks for its economic strength and quality of life, making it a desirable destination for business and leisure travelers. Munich has the lowest unemployment rate, the greatest wealth and the highest income tax capacity in Germany. Demand of hotel rooms continues to grow. In 2012 over 6.1 million people visited this Bavarian capital with an average stay of 2.0 days for the city is a popular destination for weekenders and short business trips. People are attracted to the destination for beer gardens, museum, music, sports as well as economic development. In addition, local transportation is excellent and there are plans to extend and expand the urban railway system.