Where does tourism in the Sauerland currently stand? How is the region developing? What challenges is the industry currently facing? These and other questions were the focus of the annual general meeting of Sauerland Tourism on October 27 at the Kurhaus in Bad Fredeburg, chaired by Chairman Frank Linnekugel. Dr. Jürgen Fischbach was also introduced as the new Managing Director, who took over from Thomas Weber at the head of the tourism association at the beginning of the month.
"I am looking forward to the new task and would like to thank my predecessor once again for his many years of work, which has significantly shaped the region and tourism through his commitment," emphasizes Fischbach. "Together as a team, we want to build on the successful work of the past few years and consistently continue on the path to becoming an inspiring outdoor region throughout Germany." Fischbach is no stranger to tourism professionals in the Sauerland. The geography graduate has been a key player in the region since 1991. First for five years as Managing Director of the Arnsberg Tourist Association, then from 1994 to 1996 as Head of the SGV Nature Conservation Center and as Deputy Managing Director of the South Sauerland District Association from 1996 to 2004. Fischbach has been working for Sauerland Tourism since its foundation in 2004. In his role as Head of Marketing since 2009 and then as Deputy Managing Director since January 2020, the Olpe native has played a significant role in the realignment of the association and its strategic development in recent years.
Guest numbers in the region are steadily normalizing
A look at guest arrivals and overnight stays in the first eight months of 2022 is very positive. Although "Germany's inspiring outdoor region" is still below the figures from 2019, the last year before the coronavirus pandemic, with 1,536,846 guest arrivals and 4,926,293 overnight stays in the period from January to August, the figures are steadily returning to normal and show that the Sauerland continues to be a popular vacation region. However, the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the energy crisis in Germany remain major unknowns, which are causing concern in the hospitality and accommodation industry.
REACT-EU funding program shapes the work of the tourism association
The implementation of the nationwide REACT-EU funding program to cushion the impact of previous cuts and mitigate future effects in tourism has been and continues to be particularly influential in the work of the tourism association. In cooperation with the Siegerland-Wittgenstein Tourism Association, the focus here is on the aspect of digitalization. A total of 26 project modules in fields of action such as content production, content marketing, initiating new communication formats, creating new services or digital infrastructure are intended to achieve a sustainable effect and strengthen the work of both destinations in the long term.
Jannik Müller new deputy managing director
There has also been a change in the position of Deputy Managing Director. This will be filled by Jannik Müller in future. The qualified tourism manager is also no stranger to Sauerland and initially worked intensively on the further development of cycling tourism in the region as project manager of Sauerland-Radwelt from November 2015 to March 2020 and has been the contact person for marketing, market research and IT at Sauerland Tourism since January 2020. "Our goal must be to make the region appealing to the milieu-specific target groups through extensive marketing measures and to further highlight our advantages," emphasizes Müller.
Continuity in the work of the board
However, there were no changes to the Board of the tourism association. In 2023, the chairmanship will be in the proven hands of Frank Linnekugel, Head of Regional Development at the Hochsauerlandkreis district and Managing Director of the Hochsauerlandkreis economic development agency, for another year. Philipp Scharfenbaum, District Director of the Olpe district, will remain his deputy. "I would like to take this opportunity to once again expressly thank the board and all members for the good and trusting cooperation, and of course also Thomas Weber for his enormous services to our tourism region," said Linnekugel.
Contact for the press:
Rouven Soyka, Sauerland-Tourismus e. V.
Johannes-Hummel-Weg 1, 57392 Schmallenberg
Tel.: 02974-969830, e-mail: rouven.soyka@sauerland.com
Dr. Jürgen Fischbach (3.v.l.) als Geschäftsführer und Jannik Müller (2.v.l.) als stv. Geschäfts-führer bilden das neue Führungsduo des Sauerland-Tourismus - hier gemeinsam mit dem Vorstandsvorsitzenden Frank Linnekugel (1.v.l.) und seinem Stellvertreter Philipp Scharfen-baum (4.v.l.). - © Sauerland-Tourismus e.V. / Rouven Soyka
