Hochschwarzwald

What Hochschwarzwald does

Hochschwarzwald Tourismus GmbH is the official destination marketing organization (DMO) for the High Black Forest (Hochschwarzwald) region in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Hinterzarten, the company markets the region to domestic and international visitors and operates the central booking and information platform hochschwarzwald.de. Its service portfolio spans accommodation booking, experience and event ticketing, group travel arrangements, travel insurance distribution, and dedicated sub-brands for tourists (Hochschwarzwald Card with approximately 100 included experiences), local residents (WälderCard, 89€/adult, 69€/child annually), and corporate clients (WälderCard für Unternehmen, launched June 2025 at 69€/card). The company serves four primary customer segments: leisure tourists, regional accommodation providers (Gastgeber), international tour operators, and local companies purchasing WälderCards as employee benefits.

The underlying platform integrates NEOS CMS, Ecwid for e-commerce, Regiondo for experience booking, Caymland for CRM, Mailchimp for email marketing, Google Analytics 4, Eye-Able for accessibility, and the 'Kuckuck KI' chatbot (built on OpenAI models via Wiif GmbH) for automated visitor support. The company maintains physical tourist information offices alongside its digital channel and operates a broad partnership stack across technology providers (Holidu, Reservix, mein.toubiz via land in sicht ag, Cloudflare), regional producers (Badische Staatsbrauerei Rothaus, Elztalbrennerei Georg Weis, Schmidt's Märkte), and institutional bodies (Naturpark Südschwarzwald, Schwarzwald Tourismus, Tourismus-BW, TourCert).

Revenue is generated through multiple streams: card sales (Hochschwarzwald Card and WälderCard), marketplace commissions on accommodation and experience bookings, online shop sales, partner program fees from accommodation providers, and travel insurance distribution in partnership with Europäische Reisversicherung (ERGO). Governance is overseen by a supervisory board chaired by Bgm. Andreas Graf, with Patrick Schreib as Managing Director (Geschäftsführer). The company is a privately held GmbH with no disclosed funding rounds, parent company, or public revenue figures.

Name

Hochschwarzwald

Legal name

Hochschwarzwald Tourismus GmbH

Website

https://hochschwarzwald.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Hochschwarzwald Tourismus GmbH is the official destination marketing organization for Germany's High Black Forest region, operating a tourism portal that markets accommodations, books experiences, and sells regional visitor cards to tourists, residents, and corporate clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tourism Marketing and Destination Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520), Travel Agencies (561510), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation (487)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Permitting, Reservations & Visitor Information Services (Passes, Booking, Visitor Centers) (THAAAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Inbound/Local Retail Travel Agencies (Destination Booking Offices) (THAKABAH), Adventure & Expedition Travel Agencies (THAKAFAB), Recreation & Activity Services (Hiking, Boating, Climbing, Fishing—Guided/Authorized) (THAAAGAF)

Keywords

• Destination marketing services
• Regional tourism promotion
• Guest card programs
• Accommodation booking services
• Incoming tour operator services

Headquarters

HQ city

Hinterzarten

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Hochschwarzwald Card Sales: The organization sells the Hochschwarzwald Card which provides visitors access to approximately 100 included experiences and attractions. Revenue comes from card sales to tourists.
2. WälderCard Sales: Sale of WälderCard to local residents and companies for employee benefits. Cards priced at 89€ for adults and 69€ for children, with corporate pricing at 69€.
3. Online Booking Commission: The website facilitates bookings for accommodations, experiences, and tickets, generating commission revenue from partner establishments.
4. Shop Sales: Sale of souvenirs and products through the online shop using Ecwid platform.
5. Partner Program Fees: Accommodation providers and other partners pay to participate in marketing programs and the Hochschwarzwald Card system.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Hochschwarzwald Tourismus GmbH operates the official tourism portal for the High Black Forest (Hochschwarzwald) region in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It markets the destination, arranges accommodation bookings, guided tours, and tailor-made tour packages, and runs the regional Hochschwarzwald Card and WälderCard systems providing visitors and residents access to approximately 100 leisure activities and attractions.

Product overview

Hochschwarzwald Tourismus GmbH operates a tourism platform for the Black Forest Highlands (Hochschwarzwald) region, offering a portfolio of interconnected travel products. The core offering is the Hochschwarzwald Card (guest card) providing approximately 100 included experiences at participating accommodations, supplemented by the WälderCard for local residents offering similar benefits at discounted pricing, and the WälderCard für Unternehmen as a corporate employee benefit. The platform also provides comprehensive booking services for accommodations, activities, events, and experiences through integrated shop systems (Ecwid and Regiondo), alongside travel services including the KONUS-Gästekarte for public transit, group travel packages, wellness tourism, and seasonal activities (skiing, hiking, cycling). The destination marketing organization supports accommodation providers through the Gastgeber-Service while engaging visitors via the Reisemagazin digital magazine, and partners with Europäische Reisversicherung for cancellation insurance add-ons.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hochschwarzwald Card: Visitor card offering approximately 100 leisure activities and experiences included with the card for tourists in the Hochschwarzwald region.
• WälderCard
• Hochschwarzwald Tourismus GmbH – Incoming Agency

Products and services

• Hochschwarzwald Card

Quantifiable outcome

• Savings of over 370€ per year for adults and 265€ for children through WälderCard
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration24 records

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Badische Staatsbrauerei RothauscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPremium partner and regional beverage partner. The brewery offers brewery tours and is one of three remaining state-owned breweries in Baden-Württemberg. Rothaus is located in Grafenhausen and is known for its Tannenzäpfle beer.
• Schmidt's MärktecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional retail partner operating supermarkets in the Black Forest area, focusing on local products and community values.
• Elztalbrennerei Georg WeiscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional spirits partner producing fruit brandies and liqueurs since 1924. One of the largest spirit producers in the region, operated by Christian and Hansjörg Weis in third generation.
• PeterstalerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMineral water brand from Bad Peterstal, a traditional regional product offered as a beverage option.
• Sektkellerei GeldermannminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSparkling wine cellar located in Breisach am Rhein, offering premium sparkling wines with regional connection to Baden.
• Naturpark SüdschwarzwaldcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNature park partnership for sustainable tourism development and conservation of the Southern Black Forest natural landscape.
• Schwarzwald TourismuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional tourism organization partnership for broader Black Forest destination marketing.
• Tourismus-BW (Tourism Development Corporation Baden-Württemberg)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level tourism marketing partnership promoting Baden-Württemberg as a travel destination.
• TourCertminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCertification partner for sustainable destination certification, ensuring environmental and social responsibility in tourism.
• Regiondo GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationBooking system provider for experiences, tours, and event tickets, enabling online booking of tourist activities.
• HoliducoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline booking platform partner providing consulting sessions for accommodation providers on online booking integration.
• Reservix GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationTicket sales partner for event ticketing services across the region.
• land in sicht ag (mein.toubiz)coreTechnology or IntegrationContent delivery network and website development partner providing the mein.toubiz platform and website development services (NEOS CMS).
• Europäische Reisversicherung (ERGO)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerInsurance partner providing travel cancellation insurance products offered to guests during booking.
• Caymland Technologies AGcoreTechnology or IntegrationCRM platform provider for customer relationship management, website operations, and form integration.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Allgäu GmbH: Regional DMO for the Allgäu region in Bavaria operating a comparable destination portal, accommodation booking platform, and AllgäuCard experience pass with hundreds of partner establishments. Closest structural peer for the card-and-booking business model.
• Bodensee Tourismus GmbH: Regional DMO covering Lake Constance, a neighboring southern-German destination. Operates a comparable destination portal, member-based accommodation marketing, and the Echt Bodensee Card with partner experiences.
• Eifel Tourismus GmbH: Regional DMO for the Eifel in NRW/Rhineland-Palatinate operating a similar destination portal, Naturpark partnerships, and the EifelCard experience pass — a near-direct structural analog for the Hochschwarzwald Card model.
• Harz Tourismusverband: Regional DMO for the Harz mountains with comparable winter/summer activity mix, accommodation booking, and the HarzCard experience pass — a structural analog at similar scale to Hochschwarzwald.
• Schwarzwald Tourismus GmbH: Regional DMO for the broader Black Forest, formally partnered with Hochschwarzwald as a strategic co-marketing organization. Operates the same DMO model with member-based marketing, destination portals, and experience cards across an overlapping geography.

Others

• Regiondo GmbH: Booking software vendor powering Hochschwarzwald's experience and event ticketing flow; comparable as a digital booking infrastructure provider serving multiple regional DMOs across the DACH market.

Broad incumbents

• Tourismus Marketing GmbH Baden-Württemberg: State-level tourism marketing corporation that partners with Hochschwarzwald. Operates one tier up as a broader state DMO promoting all of Baden-Württemberg rather than a single sub-region.
• Deutsche Zentrale für Tourismus (DZT): National tourism board for Germany promoting international inbound travel; works one tier above regional DMOs like Hochschwarzwald on international marketing but shares the destination-marketing mandate.
• Tirol Werbung: State-level DMO for Tirol in Austria with a much larger destination marketing operation but an overlapping Alpine tourism product (hiking, skiing, family experiences) and a similarly mature digital booking platform.

Emerging players

• Outdooractive AG: Digital outdoor activities platform providing tour discovery, mapping, and booking infrastructure used by regional DMOs across the DACH region — partial overlap with Hochschwarzwald's guided hiking and cycling tour booking capability.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hochschwarzwald
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hochschwarzwald-tourismus-gmbh

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

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 Hochschwarzwald