Bern
Bern Welcome is the official destination marketing organization for the Bern region of Switzerland, promoting the City of Bern, Gantrisch, Oberaargau, Laupen, and Emmental to leisure tourists and business event planners through a multilingual website, tourist information centers, and a network of local hospitality and transport partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1890
- HeadquartersBern, Switzerland
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Bern does
Bern Welcome is the official destination marketing organization (DMO) for the Bern region of Switzerland, designated under a core partnership with the City of Bern (Stadt Bern). It markets five sub-regions — the City of Bern, Gantrisch, Oberaargau, Laupen, and Emmental — to two principal customer segments: leisure tourists (individuals and families seeking cultural, nature, and culinary experiences) and business event organizers (corporate, association, and conference planners served through the Bern Convention Bureau). A secondary segment includes international community members affiliated with Bern's embassies, consulates, and multilateral institutions, supported through the International Bern Welcome Desk.
The organization operates a digital platform centered on bern.com, a multilingual (DE/EN/FR/IT) content and booking portal built on the Storyblok CMS. Core products include the Highlight Audio Tour of the UNESCO World Heritage Old Town (CHF 14.90 per person), themed City Tours (walking, beer, food, cycling, and accessible variants), the Bern-Ticket transit pass for overnight guests, an e-commerce shop selling merchandise and attraction passes, and a Bern Convention Bureau for MICE services. Distribution combines a global-facing website with a physical Tourist Information office at Bern main station (Bahnhofplatz 10a), supported by partnerships with BLS railway, Bern Hotels Förderverein, Gastro Stadt Bern, PubliBike, Rent a Bike, and Recircle.
The revenue model is mixed and predominantly publicly funded. Direct commercial revenue comes from transaction fees on tickets, tours, attraction passes, and merchandise sold through the online shop and on-site offices. The bulk of operating capacity is supported through municipal funding from the City of Bern, with additional programmatic revenue generated through the Convention Bureau's enterprise event services. GTM motion is direct-to-consumer for leisure travelers via website, physical offices, and social channels (Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, TikTok), complemented by mid-funnel email marketing and direct enterprise sales for the convention bureau.
Bern firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Bern
- Legal name
- Bern Welcome
- Website
- https://bern.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1890
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Bern Welcome is the official destination marketing organization for the Bern region of Switzerland, promoting the City of Bern, Gantrisch, Oberaargau, Laupen, and Emmental to leisure tourists and business event planners through a multilingual website, tourist information centers, and a network of local hospitality and transport partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Bern industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Destination Marketing Organization (Tourism Services)
- NAICS
- Convention and Visitors Bureaus (561591), Tour Operators (56152)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Full-Service Destination Management (Ground Handling & Onsite Operations) (THAHADAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Events-Integrated Corporate Travel (TMCs with Meetings/Groups) (THACAAAH)
Keywords
Where Bern is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bern
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Bern business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Tourism Services and Ticket Sales: Bern Welcome operates an online shop selling tickets, tours, attraction passes (Museumsquartier-Pass), and merchandise such as the Aarebag swim companion. Revenue is generated through direct consumer sales of tourism experiences and products.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Highlight audio tour of Bern's Old Town |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Bern product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Bern Welcome is the official destination marketing organization for the Bern region, selling visitor tickets, guided and self-guided city tours, attraction passes, and Bern-themed merchandise through its bern.com platform and physical Tourist Information offices. It also operates the Bern Convention Bureau, providing advisory and event-planning services to corporate clients organizing seminars, conferences, and large-scale events in Bern.
Product overview
Bern Welcome is the official tourism marketing organization for the Bern region, operating a digital platform that promotes destinations including the City of Bern, Gantrisch, Oberaargau, Laupen, and Emmental. The core offering consists of the Bern Welcome Website as the central portal, complemented by the Bern-Ticket travel pass, the Highlight Audio Tour for self-guided exploration, various themed City Tours, the Bern Convention Bureau for business events, and an Online Shop for merchandise. Additional services include the I love Bern Newsletter for visitor engagement, Webcams for real-time destination viewing, and E-Bike Tours for active exploration. The organization also supports accessible tourism through the Accessible City Tour and coordinates regional tourism across multiple Swiss cantons.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Highlight Audio Tour
Companies that use Bern
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Bern technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Bern partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- BLS (Regional Railway)minorBLS is highlighted as a sustainable travel partner offering connections from Bern through the Emmental to Lucerne, along the Aare Valley to Lake Thun, and onwards to Valais. BLS network covers 420 kilometers with excursion ideas including bike rides, hikes, and boat trips.
- Gastro Stadt BernminorGastronomy association partner supporting the Bern culinary scene and restaurant ecosystem promoted through Bern Welcome.
- Bern Hotels Förderverein (Bern Hotels Promotion Association)minorHotel promotion association supporting accommodation partners and promoting Bern as a hospitality destination.
- Stadt Bern (City of Bern)coreOfficial municipal partner and parent organization. Bern Welcome markets tourist regions on behalf of the city government.
- PubliBikeminorBike-sharing partner offering convenient bike rental services throughout Bern city for visitors.
- Rent a Bike (TCS Camping Bern Eymatt)minorBike rental partner at TCS Camping Bern Eymatt and additional locations in the Bern region offering both motorized and non-motorized bikes.
- Recircle (Bernese Start-up)minorBernese sustainable food container start-up providing eco-friendly take-away containers recommended for visitors.
- Libero Fare NetworkminorRegional public transport network partner. Bern-Ticket provides free travel on all tram and bus routes within zones 100/101 including Gurten and Marzili funiculars.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Bern competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Switzerland Travel Centre: Switzerland's national tour operator and booking platform. Adjacent to Bern Welcome because it packages and sells Swiss tourism experiences (tours, rail, accommodations), often working with regional DMOs as distribution partners.
Direct peers
- Interlaken Tourism: Regional DMO for the Interlaken holiday region. Comparable operating model (regional DMO, content, partner network, tours, accommodation promotion), with a nature/adventure focus that overlaps Bern Welcome's Gantrisch and Emmental sub-regions.
- Luzern Tourismus: Official DMO for Lucerne. Comparable in scope and product mix (city tours, attraction passes, event promotion, partner network) and competes with Bern for inbound leisure and MICE demand in central Switzerland.
- Geneva Tourism: Official DMO for Geneva. Comparable in mission (city tourism marketing, partner coordination, content) and in operating context (Swiss city, multi-channel marketing, convention promotion) to Bern Welcome.
- Basel Tourism: Official DMO for Basel. Comparable Swiss city DMO with similar mix of leisure marketing, convention services, and partner coordination — direct competitor for MICE bookings and inbound leisure travelers.
- Visit Zurich: Official DMO for Zurich, Switzerland. Operates an analogous model — official city tourism marketing, online booking, content, and event services — and is the most directly comparable Swiss city-DMO peer.
Broad incumbents
- Destination Canada: National Canadian DMO with a comparable public-mandate tourism marketing mission. Useful benchmark for DMO operating model, content strategy, and partner-driven distribution, though at national rather than regional scale.
- Switzerland Tourism: National destination marketing organization for Switzerland. Operates with a similar DMO mandate (tourism promotion, content, partner coordination) but at national scope, making it a broader incumbent peer to Bern Welcome's regional DMO role.
- Visit London: Official DMO for London. Comparable model (city DMO, multi-channel marketing, convention bureau, ticket and tour marketplace) but at a materially larger scale, serving as a benchmark for mature city-DMO capabilities Bern Welcome could grow toward.
Regional players
- Tirol Werbung (Tirol Tourism): Official regional tourism organization for the Austrian state of Tirol. Comparable regional-DMO mandate (destination marketing, content, partner coordination, themed experiences) but operates in a different geography with a nature/adventure tilt.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Bern social profiles
Digital presenceBern financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Bern leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Bern funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Bern M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Bern
What does Bern do?
Bern Welcome is the official destination marketing organization for the Bern region, selling visitor tickets, guided and self-guided city tours, attraction passes, and Bern-themed merchandise through its bern.com platform and physical Tourist Information offices. It also operates the Bern Convention Bureau, providing advisory and event-planning services to corporate clients organizing seminars, conferences, and large-scale events in Bern.
Is Bern a public or private company?
Bern is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Bern founded?
Bern was founded in 1890. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Bern based?
Bern is headquartered in Bern, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does Bern make money?
One revenue line is on record: tourism Services and Ticket Sales.
Who are Bern's main competitors?
Switzerland Travel Centre is listed as an others. Direct peers are Interlaken Tourism, Luzern Tourismus, Geneva Tourism, Basel Tourism and Visit Zurich. Broad incumbents are Destination Canada, Switzerland Tourism and Visit London. Tirol Werbung (Tirol Tourism) is listed as a regional player.
Does Bern have an API?
No public API is recorded for Bern.
What industry is Bern in?
Bern's product category is Destination Marketing Organization (Tourism Services). Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAHADAA, Full-Service Destination Management (Ground Handling & Onsite Operations), with a secondary code of THACAAAH, Events-Integrated Corporate Travel (TMCs with Meetings/Groups). Its NAICS code is 561591 and its SIC code is 7990.