FTM Franken Tourismus Marketing GmbH

What FTM Franken Tourismus Marketing GmbH does

FTM Franken Tourismus Marketing GmbH is the operational commercial arm of Tourismusverband Franken e.V., the registered regional tourism association covering Franconia (Franken) in Bavaria, Germany. The organization is headquartered at Pretzfelder Straße 15, Nürnberg (Registernummer 186, Amtsgericht Nürnberg; USt-ID DE133548030), and is led by Managing Director Angelika Schäffer with a core team of approximately 9 staff supplemented by paid interns. Its service surface spans three layers: the Tourismusnetzwerk Franken website platform (tourismusnetzwerk-franken.de) which serves as the central content, event, member-portal, and data hub for Franconia tourism; the Franken Tourismus Akademie, founded in 1999, which has delivered 148 seminars to 2,322+ participants with a 1.1 (Bestnote) evaluation; and the Teejit eLearning platform offering online courses for members on topics including AI applications, PR communications, and data management. The technology stack integrates BayernCloud Tourismus (BayTM open data), Teejit (Hiller & Stock GbR), Userlike live chat, Klaro consent management (KIProtect GmbH), Google Analytics 4, Google Ads, and self-hosted Plausible and Umami analytics under GDPR-compliant configurations.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid model combining recurring membership dues from municipalities, destination management organizations, tourist information centers, hotels, and tourism businesses with fees from training and education services delivered through the Akademie and Teejit. Pricing for membership and most training is not publicly disclosed; internships are compensated at €450/month for Praxisemester placements and €300/month for standard semester roles. Distribution is anchored on direct member relationships, the Tourismusnetzwerk Franken platform, social media (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube), email newsletters, in-person Akademie seminars, and online eLearning — supplemented by European sales promotion led by Claudia Büttner.

The organization addresses five core problems: regional destination promotion for Franconia, professional development for the tourism workforce (148 Akademie's since 1999), sustainability and digitalization transition in tourism (Zukunftsfähiger Tourismus program, Gemeinwohl-Ökonomie course, NAT:KIT visitor management, TourCert certification support), data standardization via BayernCloud, and youth talent pipeline development (Franken – Junge Touristiker for ages 18–35, Ausbildungskampagne). Strategic partners include Bayern Tourismus Marketing GmbH (strategic), DEHOGA Bayern and IHK chambers (co-founding Akademie partners), Teejit, KIProtect, Userlike, Bundesamt für Naturschutz, TourCert, and Bayerisches Zentrum für Tourismus. The organization is private (not publicly listed), with no disclosed funding rounds, M&A activity, or subsidiaries.

Name

FTM Franken Tourismus Marketing GmbH

Legal name

FTM FrankenTourismus Marketing GmbH

Website

https://tourismusnetzwerk-franken.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1904

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

FTM Franken Tourismus Marketing GmbH operates Tourismusverband Franken e.V., the regional tourism association for Franconia, Bavaria. It runs the Tourismusnetzwerk Franken information platform, the Franken Tourismus Akademie training program, and the Teejit eLearning platform, serving municipalities, DMOs, hotels, and tourism businesses as members.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Destination Marketing and Tourism Promotion Services

NAICS

Convention and Visitors Bureaus (561591), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Destination & Local Services Marketplaces (Transfers, Guides, City Passes) (THALAFAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sustainable & Responsible Incentives (Carbon Management, ESG Reporting) (THAHADAO), Consumer & Public Shows (B2C) Organizers (THAHABAC)

Keywords

• Destination marketing services
• Regional tourism promotion
• Tourism association management
• Hospitality training programs
• Travel industry networking

Headquarters

HQ city

Nurenberg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Organization is a membership-based association (Tourismusverband Franken e.V.) with members including municipalities, tourism organizations, and tourism businesses who pay membership fees
2. Training and Education Services: Franken Tourismus Akademie offers paid seminars and courses for tourism professionals; eLearning courses available through Teejit platform

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

FTM Franken Tourismus Marketing GmbH operates as the regional destination marketing organization for the Franconia region of Bavaria, providing B2B services to tourism stakeholders including membership-based marketing support, training and continuing education through the Franken Tourismus Akademie, eLearning courses, networking events, and the Tourismusnetzwerk Franken digital platform. The company acts as the operational marketing arm of Tourismusverband Franken e.V. and serves as the central coordination point for regional tourism promotion activities.

Product overview

FTM Franken Tourismus Marketing GmbH operates as the tourism association for Franconia (Tourismusverband Franken e.V.), providing a comprehensive network platform (Tourismusnetzwerk Franken) that serves as the central information hub for tourism in the region. The core offerings include the Franken Tourismus Akademie (FTA) for professional training with 148+ seminars conducted since 1999, and the Teejit eLearning Platform for online professional development accessible to members. Supporting products include the FrankenReporter participation tool, member newsletter, vacation planner, event calendar, location search, brochure ordering, market research/statistics, and funding program information. Additional initiatives target specific audiences: 'Franken - Junge Touristiker' network for young professionals, the Ausbildungskampagne training campaign for attracting new talent to tourism careers, and sustainability programs including NAT:KIT visitor management and the Gemeinwohl-Ökonomie organizational development course. The organization also aggregates job listings across the Franconian tourism sector.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Franken Tourismus Akademie (FTA): A continuing education initiative for tourism professionals in Franconia, offering seminars and workshops on topics including service quality, digital skills, marketing, and sustainability.
• Teejit
• Franken – Junge Touristiker
• Ausbildungskampagne – Kaufmann/-frau für Tourismus und Freizeit

Products and services

• Tourismusnetzwerk Franken Digital networking platform connecting tourism stakeholders across the Franconia region, enabling information exchange, collaboration, and coordination among member organizations and tourism service providers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 11.4 billion EUR tourism revenue generated in Franconia (2023)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Teejit (Hiller & Stock GbR)coreTechnology or IntegrationeLearning platform provider for online tourism training courses. Provides the Teejit platform for Franken Tourismus Akademie eLearning offerings covering topics like AI in tourism, PR communication, storytelling, crisis communication, productivity, and data management. Data stored on Teejit servers.
• Google Ireland LimitedsupportingTechnology or IntegrationProvides Google Analytics 4, Google Ads, Google Tag Manager, YouTube integration, and Google Search (CSE) for website analytics, advertising, and video content delivery.
• Meta Platforms Ireland (Facebook, Instagram, Threads)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSocial media platforms for tourism marketing and community engagement. Tourismusverband Franken maintains social media profiles for brand presence and audience engagement.
• Userlike UGsupportingTechnology or IntegrationLive chat widget provider for real-time website visitor communication and support.
• Bayern Tourismus Marketing GmbH (BayTM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBavarian state tourism marketing organization providing BayernCloud Tourismus open data platform. Enables standardized tourism data management, content distribution across apps and portals, and supports digital tourism infrastructure for destinations.
• KIProtect GmbH (Klaro)supportingTechnology or IntegrationConsent management platform (Klaro) for GDPR-compliant cookie consent handling on the Tourismusnetzwerk Franken website.
• Bayerischer Hotel- und Gaststättenverband (DEHOGA Bayern)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founder of Franken Tourismus Akademie in 1999. Joint initiative for tourism professional development and training standards.
• Industrie- und Handelskammer Nürnberg (IHK)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChamber of commerce partner for tourism education and training programs. Part of co-founding consortium for Franken Tourismus Akademie.
• Bayerisches Zentrum für Tourismus (BZT)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerBavarian tourism research center providing expertise on sustainability certification, annual dialogue events, and tourism research for regional development.
• Bundesamt für Naturschutz (BfN)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman Federal Agency for Nature Conservation supporting NAT:KIT project on visitor management for mountain bikers in protected areas through association funding.
• Bayern Tourismus Marketing GmbH - Tourism Next NetworksupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerBavaria-wide young tourism professionals network 'Tourism Next' coordinated with Franken's 'Junge Touristiker' initiative for youth professional exchange.
• IHK AschaffenburgsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional chamber of commerce offering tourism education and training programs for Franconia region.
• IHK für Oberfranken BayreuthsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional chamber of commerce for Upper Franconia offering tourism training and education.
• IHK Würzburg-SchweinfurtsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional chamber of commerce for Mainfranken region offering tourism education and professional development.
• TourCertsupportingOthersSustainability certification body for tourism businesses. Bad Mergentheim achieved TourCert sustainable destination certification.
• Tourismusverband Franken e.V. (same entity)coreOthersThe FTM FrankenTourismus Marketing GmbH serves as the operating entity for the Tourismusverband Franken e.V. association. Registergericht: Amtsgericht Nürnberg, Registernummer: 186.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Others

• TourCert: Independent sustainability certification body for tourism businesses. Partnered with FTM on TourCert sustainability certification for destinations like Bad Mergentheim. Comparable as an enabling services provider in the same tourism ecosystem.
• DEHOGA Bayern: Bavarian hospitality industry association and co-founder of the Franken Tourismus Akademie in 1999. Not a direct competitor but an institutional partner with overlapping member base (hotels, restaurants) and shared training mandates.
• Bayerisches Zentrum für Tourismus (BZT): Bavarian state tourism research center providing sustainability expertise, annual dialogue events, and tourism research. Adjacent institution serving overlapping Bavarian tourism stakeholders with research and policy support functions.

Regional players

• Tourismus Marketing GmbH Baden-Württemberg: State-level DMO for Baden-Württemberg with similar mandate of promoting regional tourism, supporting DMOs, and providing training/marketing services. Closely comparable in scope, structure, and stakeholder mix to FTM Franken Tourismus Marketing.
• Tourismus NRW: State-level tourism marketing organization for North Rhine-Westphalia. Comparable on business model (membership-funded DMO providing regional marketing, training, and data services) and customer base (municipalities, hotels, DMOs), though operating in a different German state.
• Tourismusverband Allgäu/Bayerisch-Schwaben: Neighboring regional DMO in Bavaria, sharing the same state-level institutional framework and BayernCloud Tourismus data infrastructure. Directly comparable as a fellow Bavarian regional tourism association with similar member base and service portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• Deutsche Zentrale für Tourismus (DZT): Germany's national tourism organization responsible for international destination marketing. Comparable in functioning as a membership-funded tourism marketing body, but operates at the national level with significantly broader scope and budget than FTM's regional focus.

Direct peers

• Bayern Tourismus Marketing GmbH (BayTM): State-level DMO for Bavaria and the direct ecosystem partner via BayernCloud Tourismus. Operates the statewide open data platform that FTM Franken Tourismus Marketing integrates with, making it the most structurally comparable peer at the next geographic level up.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tourismusverband-franken-e-v-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about FTM Franken Tourismus Marketing GmbH