Stephanie Kleine Klausing, CEO of the Cologne Tourist Board:“I have been involved in shaping the Cologne Tourist Board in various management positions since 2008 — operationally and strategically, in phases of growth as well as under challenging conditions. This experience has given me a clear foundation and the necessary confidence to consistently develop the company and its strategy. In doing so, I will strengthen what has proven successful while, of course, setting my own priorities in terms of Content. I am taking charge with a clear ambition: tourism cannot be an end in itself. It must be aligned towards the needs of the city and create measurable added value — economically, socially and culturally.”
Main strategic topics
Stephanie Kleine Klausing views the Cologne Tourist Board not only as a marketing organization, but also as a shaper of how Cologne’s tourism develops and as a link between the city’s society, business, politics, culture, partners from various sectors, and guests. Four topics are particularly in focus this year:
Living space as a core concept
Tourism development is a part of urban development. The objective is to balance the interests of visitors and residents of Cologne. This specifically involves questions such as: What offers are appropriate to Cologne? Which guests are we targeting, and what travel motives can we use to inspire them to visit Cologne? And how can tourism be organized so that it supports the local quality of life?
Topics such as sustainability, a well-kept cityscape and respectful coexistence play a key role here. The guiding principle of the Cologne Tourist Board is the qualitative development of tourism—not maximum possible growth, but rather a coherent, high-quality, and sustainable offer for the city.
MICE (Meeting, Incentives, Conventions and Events)
Cologne is already a well-established congress and conference centre. This position needs to be strengthened and further expanded. The key focus is on the city’s central location in Europe, the close integration of science, business and industry expertise, modern event infrastructures and short distances within the city.
Cologne offers excellent conditions for conventions that combine professional excellence with urban quality of life. In the future, the aim is to emphasize even more effectively what the city stands for in terms of content—for example as a platform for relevant future topics and as a place for communication, innovation and knowledge transfer. The Cologne Tourist Board wants to further sharpen the perception of Cologne as an efficient and high-profile congress destination both nationally and internationally.
Culture and the independent arts scene as a location factor
Cultural diversity and the independent arts scene characterize Cologne’s identity and ensure a high level of dynamism that is also perceived beyond the city. The Cologne Tourist Board defines culture as a key location factor—also against the background of current challenges such as refurbishments, lack of rooms, and temporary solutions. A regular dialogue with local stakeholders is crucial in order to strengthen existing structures, tapping into new potential and creating long-term perspectives.
Culture is firmly established as part of the tourism profile and is seen not only seen as an offer for visitors, but also as a living part of the city that makes Cologne distinctive and contributes significantly to its appeal.
Sports tourism
In the light of the possible bid by CologneRhineRuhr for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2036, 2040 and 2044, the topic of sports tourism is becoming significantly more important. Sport connects across borders and Cologne is already the venue for numerous national and international sporting events and has established structures, experienced organizers, and a high affinity for sport in the city’s society.
The goal is to further develop this profile strategically and to position Cologne even more clearly as a high-performance sports city —both with regard to possible major events and recurring formats. This is not just about the events themselves, but also about the sustainable use of infrastructure, international visibility, and strengthening local value creation.
Stephanie Kleine Klausing, Chief Executive Officer of Cologne Tourist Board:
“For me, our strategic priorities are not individual measures, but rather part of a clear overall approach. The Cologne Tourist Board acts as a bridge between the city’s residents, the business sector, cultural institutions, policymakers and visitors.
Tourism is created through teamwork, and this is exactly where we come in —with binding cooperation, open communication and a shared sense of responsibility. Our objective is to systematically continue developing Cologne’s strengths and to boost tourism as a relevant economic factor that generates sustainable added value for the city — both internally and externally.”