Zoo Duisburg

What Zoo Duisburg does

Zoo Duisburg gGmbH operates a non-profit zoological garden in Duisburg, North Rhine-Westphalia, founded around 1934 and reorganised as a wholly-owned, non-profit subsidiary of the municipal Duisburger Verkehrs- und Versorgungsgesellschaft (DVV) group in 2019. The institution maintains more than 4,700 animals across 360+ species (the broader organisation page cites "over 9,000 animals" when invertebrates and small fauna are included), houses nine bottlenose dolphins in a multi-pool dolphinarium, runs the European conservation breeding programmes for koalas, fossas, wombats and western black-and-white colobus, and participates in over 60 global conservation breeding programmes. It serves approximately 850,000 visitors per year and is led by Managing Director Astrid Stewin with a workforce of around 100 employees, including two wildlife/zoo veterinarians and biologists coordinating the breeding programmes.

The business model blends physical-visit ticketing with a growing digital revenue layer. Day tickets (adult €20, child €11.50, with discounts for partner cards), annual and 2-year passes (Jahreskarten that pay back after four visits), guided tours and premium experiences such as Night Safari and "Zoo Keeper for Half a Day" (€299) form the core. Supplementary revenue is generated through animal sponsorships (Tierpatenschaften at €50–€1,000+), project-targeted donation campaigns (Team Seelöwe for sea lion enclosure modernisation, Futterheld feed-donation program), corporate sponsorships (Sparkasse Duisburg, Schauinsland Reisen, Stadtwerke Duisburg, Wirtschaftsbetriebe Duisburg, GEBAG), an independent Friends-of-the-Zoo association with 9,000+ members, on-site gastronomy (Africa Lodge, Bear Kiosk, Dolphin Kiosk), retail merchandise, and bequests (inheritance-tax exempt due to gGmbH status).

The technology stack supporting these operations consists of a WCAG 2.1 AA-conformant public website (zoo-duisburg.de) and a separate e-commerce ticketing/sponsorship webshop (shop.zoo-duisburg.de) powered by HKS Systeme GmbH, with PAYONE GmbH handling payment processing (Visa/Mastercard, Sofortüberweisung, PayPal, SEPA). Marketing and analytics rely on Google Analytics, the Meta Pixel for Facebook/Instagram retargeting, embedded YouTube and Facebook social plug-ins, and the Eye-Able Assist accessibility overlay (CDN-delivered within the EU) for BFSG/WCAG compliance. Distribution is direct-to-consumer only — on-site ticket office, online shop, central visitor service desk, and reciprocal partner-card discounts (Stadtwerke-Kundenkarte, Volksbank Rhein-Ruhr gold girocard, Ruhrtopcard, NRW-Partnerzoo, Duisburg Family Card) — with no third-party resellers.

Name

Zoo Duisburg

Legal name

Zoo Duisburg gGmbH

Website

https://zoo-duisburg.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1934

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Zoo Duisburg gGmbH is a non-profit zoological garden in Duisburg, Germany (DVV subsidiary) housing 4,700+ animals across 360+ species and serving ~850,000 visitors annually through ticketing, annual passes, experiences, sponsorships, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Zoological Park Services

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections) (THAJADAL)

Keywords

• Zoological park services
• Wildlife conservation breeding
• Animal husbandry
• Visitor education programs
• Zoo admissions and tours

Headquarters

HQ city

Duisburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Day-ticket admissions: One-time admission tickets sold at the on-site ticket office and online (online tickets are cheaper than on-site). Tiers include adult (€20), child 3-17 (€11.50), discounted adult (€18), discounted child (€10.50), dog (€6), family day ticket. Group rates apply for 20+ persons; school classes pay in one amount.
2. Annual and 2-year passes (Jahreskarten): Recurring annual memberships that pay for themselves after four visits. Examples: adult annual pass €78, child €47, dog €31; 2-year adult €140, 2-year child €84.50. Family annual passes (Familienjahreskarte I and II) and additional-child pricing available. Optional haptic pass costs €3.50 per person.
3. Guided tours and educational experiences: Bookable guided tours for adults (€85/€115 incl. feeding), individual guided tours plus admission (€85/€115), night safaris (€33 adult / €27 child), zoo-keeper-for-a-half-day (€290 incl. zoo entrance), and special-needs tours (€110 for visually impaired). Plus children's birthday tours (€90 for up to 12 children plus admission).
4. Animal sponsorships (Tierpatenschaften): Recurring/one-off sponsorship of individual animals with tiers at €50, €80, €120, €150, €250, €500 and €1,000. Sponsors receive personalised certificate, life history of the animal, invitation to annual sponsor day, optional name on sponsor list or plaque (sponsorships ≥€2,600). Tax-deductible.
5. Donations and project sponsorships (Futterheld, Team Seelöwe): Voluntary donations tied to specific causes: symbolic feed donations (Futterheld) from €10 to €50, and "Team Seelöwe" donations from €10 (children) to €1,000 for the modernisation of the sea lion enclosure, with named donor plaques on the donor wall. Includes voluntary "Wildlife Conservation Euro" added to every ticket. Also accepts bequests/inheritances (exempt from inheritance tax).
6. Merchandise and shop articles: Sale of branded merchandise via zoo shop and online: Zoo-Wimmelbuch, Zoo-Puzzle, Set Wimmelbuch+Puzzle (€13.50 + €6.20 shipping), Monopoly Duisburg (€49.95), Brochure Zoo Duisburg (€2.00), Block & Stift (€4.00), Magnet Delfin, Schlüsselanhänger Wombat (€4.50 + €6.20 shipping).
7. Gift vouchers (Wertgutscheine): Free-amount gift vouchers redeemable in the online shop, ticket machines, ticket office and visitor service for day tickets, annual passes, events and shop articles. Valid 3 years until 31 December of the third year after issue. Cannot be used to buy further vouchers, in the zoo shop or gastronomy. Cash payout excluded.
8. On-site gastronomy and ancillary services: Africa Lodge self-service restaurant (300+ seats), Bear Kiosk at the spectacled bear enclosure, and Dolphin Kiosk at the dolphinarium offer food, snacks, ice cream and drinks. Wheelchair hire (free with deposit) and pullable handcarts (€5 + €20 deposit) also generate ancillary revenue.
9. Corporate sponsorship and partner programmes: Sponsorship and cooperation deals with regional brands (Sparkasse Duisburg, Schauinsland Reisen, Wirtschaftsbetriebe Duisburg, Stadtwerke Duisburg, GEBAG). Specific co-operations include project-based sponsorships (e.g. GEBAG Ant Colony) and exclusive guided tours / events at unusual locations.
10. Memberships and bequests: Friends of Duisburg Zoo e.V. memberships (Zoofreunde Duisburg) with 9,000+ members and bequests/inheritances. Bequests are exempt from inheritance tax because Zoo Duisburg is a non-profit (gGmbH).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Zoo Duisburg operates a non-profit zoological park in Duisburg, Germany, caring for more than 4,700 animals across 360+ species. Its offering combines on-site recreational attractions (dolphinarium, koala house, Outback Aviary, Rio Negro tropical hall, Chinese Garden, aquarium) with educational programming, conservation breeding of endangered species, animal sponsorships, guided tours, day tickets and annual passes sold through on-site ticket desks and an online shop.

Product overview

Zoo Duisburg operates as a non-profit zoo (Zoo Duisburg gGmbH, a subsidiary of Duisburger Verkehrs- und Versorgungsgesellschaft) with an integrated offering built around the physical zoo experience and a digital sales layer. The core products are Single Day Tickets and Annual Passes (1-year and 2-year), sold through both on-site cash desks and the Zoo Duisburg Online Shop (powered by HKS Systeme GmbH), which acts as the platform unifying ticket sales, gift vouchers, experience bookings, animal sponsorships, the Futterheld feed-donation program, the Team Seelöwe construction-fund donation program, and retail merchandise. On-site attractions include the Dolphinarium, the Rio Negro Tropical Hall & Aquarium, the Australian Animal Complex & Koala House, and the Chinese Garden, supplemented by experiences such as Night Safari (Abendsafari), Zoo Keeper for Half a Day (Tierpfleger für einen halben Tag), Individual Guided Tours, Children's Birthday Experiences, Zoo Camp/Holiday Programs, and accessible tours for senior and visually impaired visitors. Supporting services comprise the Zoo School, accessibility aids (wheelchair lending, handcarts), gastronomy outlets, and the strategic 25-year Masterplan Zoo covering ongoing modernization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Delfinarium Zoo Duisburg: The on-site dolphinarium operated by Zoo Duisburg featuring nine bottlenose dolphins, public training sessions and presentations; the dolphinarium has its own dedicated website at delfinarium-zoo-duisburg.de.
• Zooschule Zoo Duisburg
• Zoolauf
• Zoo Friends Duisburg (Zoofreunde Duisburg)

Products and services

• Single Day Tickets (Einzel-Tageskarte)
• Annual and 2-Year Passes (Jahreskarten)
• Gift Vouchers (Wertgutscheine)
• Animal Sponsorship (Tierpatenschaft)
• Team Seelöwe Donation Campaign
• Futterheld (Feed Hero) Donation Programme
• Night Safari (Abendsafari)
• Zoo Keeper for Half a Day (Tierpfleger für einen halben Tag)
• Individual Guided Tours (Individuelle Führungen)
• Children's Birthday Experiences
• Zoo Camp / Holiday Programmes (Tierische Ferienwoche & Zoo-Explorer-Woche)
• Accessible Tours (Senior Citizens & Visually Impaired)
• Zoo Shop Articles (Souvenirs & Merchandise)
• Friends of Duisburg Zoo e.V. Membership
• On-Site Gastronomy and Accessibility Services

Quantifiable outcome

• ~850,000 visitors per year
• +7 more outcomes

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

26 partnerships are on record, tiered major, flagship, core and minor.

• Schauinsland ReisenmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerTourism sponsor of Zoo Duisburg with logo placement on the sponsors page and linked to schauinsland-reisen.de. Co-branding on the zoo's outreach to tourists visiting the Ruhr area.
• Wirtschaftsbetriebe Duisburg (WBD)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal operations partner of the city of Duisburg (wb-duisburg.de); corporate sponsor of Zoo Duisburg. Operational/logistical alignment with the city ecosystem and logo placement on the sponsors page.
• Stadtwerke DuisburgflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerMunicipal utility and dual sponsor/partner: Stadtwerke-Kundenkarte and Citypower cardholders receive 20% off day tickets (incl. dolphinarium) from 1 Nov-28 Feb and 10% off from 1 Mar-31 Oct. Stadtwerke also acts as a corporate sponsor with logo placement on the sponsors page. Zoo Duisburg hosts Stadtwerke customer-card promotional banners in its service section.
• GEBAG (Duisburger gemeinnützige Baugesellschaft)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal housing company that sponsored the GEBAG Ant Colony exhibit in the Rio Negro tropical hall (completed June 2021). Quote from GEBAG managing director Bernd Wortmeyer about housing the "minutest of beings". Project funded by GEBAG as part of its broader Duisburg housing mission.
• WAZA (World Association of Zoos and Aquariums)flagshipOthersInstitutional membership of the global zoo and aquarium association. Logo displayed on the "Our Zoo" page with a link to waza.org. Underpins international conservation and breeding cooperation.
• EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquaria)flagshipOthersInstitutional membership of the European zoo and aquarium association (eaza.net). Coordinates European conservation breeding programmes including the one Duisburg leads for koalas.
• VdZ (Verband der Zoologischen Gärten)majorOthersNational German zoo association (vdz-zoos.org); institutional membership.
• NRW-PartnerzoomajorOthersMember of the North Rhine-Westphalia partner-zoo network (partnerzoo.de). Annual-pass holders of NRW partner zoos pay the reduced day-ticket prices (€17.50 adult / €10 child).
• Friends of Duisburg Zoo e.V. (Zoofreunde Duisburg)flagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerIndependent support association with 9,000+ members - one of Germany's largest zoo support associations. Members receive zoo visitation rights comparable to an annual ticket plus hands-on activities, lectures and excursions. Web: zoofreundeduisburg.de. Provides community-led marketing and word-of-mouth for Zoo Duisburg.
• HKS Systeme GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner providing the e-commerce / ticketing platform shop.zoo-duisburg.de. The webshop is "powered by HKS Systeme GmbH" (footer copyright). Powers day tickets, Jahreskarten, Erlebnisangebote, donations, animal sponsorships, voucher purchases and gift vouchers.
• PAYONE GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationPayment service provider for the webshop, handling Visa/Mastercard, Sofortüberweisung, PayPal and SEPA direct debit. PAYONE performs the entire payment data collection; Zoo Duisburg does not store payment data. HQ: Lyoner Straße 9, 60528 Frankfurt/Main.
• Web Inclusion GmbH (Eye-Able®)coreTechnology or IntegrationProvider of the Eye-Able® Assist accessibility overlay used on zoo-duisburg.de. Enables font-size, colour/contrast, keyboard navigation, text-to-speech, night mode, blue-light filter, mouse-pointer enlargement and image-hiding features. Files are loaded via BunnyWay CDN within the EU to ensure GDPR-compliant processing.
• Google Ireland Limited (Google Analytics / YouTube)coreTechnology or IntegrationProvides web analytics (Google Analytics) and embedded YouTube video plugins. A data-processing agreement is in place per GDPR. Demographic features (age, gender, interests) are enabled for advertising optimisation.
• Meta Platforms Ireland Limited (Facebook + Instagram + Meta Pixel)coreTechnology or IntegrationOperates the Facebook and Instagram platforms on which Zoo Duisburg maintains organic accounts and runs advertising via the Meta Pixel for retargeting, conversion measurement and personalised ads.
• ZGAP (Zoologische Gesellschaft für Arten- und Populationsschutz e.V.)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional member; ZGAP campaigns worldwide for highly endangered but little-known species (e.g. Brazilian Salvadori grey-breasted parakeet, also kept at Zoo Duisburg). Zoo Duisburg provides regular financial support and is represented on ZGAP's advisory board.
• Chances for Nature (Madagascar)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNGO partner for the Fossa Fund: educational measures for the local population, personnel support for research work in Madagascar. Joint work on conservation of the Madagascan fossa.
• Koala Hospital Port Macquarie (Australia)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term personal exchange; the Port Macquarie facility rescues, treats and prepares koalas for reintroduction. Joint work on preserving koala habitat, planting eucalyptus, supporting wild koala research and raising public awareness.
• Fundación Rewilding ArgentinamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on giant-otter reintroduction into the Iberá National Park in northern Argentina (15,000 km² network of protected areas). A female giant otter born at Zoo Duisburg was made available for the reintroduction.
• YaquPacha (South America)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation organisation active in South America since 1992 dedicated to protection of South American marine mammals (dolphins, manatees, seals, otters). Zoo Duisburg supports with annual financial support, fundraising and educational activities.
• SANCCOB (Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZoo Duisburg supports the SANCCOB chick-rearing project for the highly endangered African penguins. SANCCOB has worked since 1968 to protect seabirds in southern Africa including a Cape Town rescue and rehabilitation station.
• WAPCA (West African Primate Conservation Action)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation organisation active in West-Central Africa since 2001 protecting rainforest and endangered monkey species (including Roloway's monkey and white-crowned mangabey, both kept at Zoo Duisburg). Annual financial support plus educational work at the zoo.
• Fundación de Conservación Jocotoco (Ecuador)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWith Zoo Duisburg's support, urgently needed habitat for the endangered spectacled bear was purchased in the Tapichalaca Reserve; an adjoining plot extends the protected area between Yacuri and Podocarpus National Parks.
• Bund Naturschutz in Bayern e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-running partner for the reintroduction of the European wildcat in Bavarian Forest and Spessart regions (since 1987). Zoo Duisburg has so far contributed five zoo-born offspring.
• Ruhr Tourismus GmbH (Ruhrtopcard)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerDiscount partnership: Ruhrtopcard holders receive one-off free admission to the zoo in accordance with Ruhr Tourismus GmbH's conditions. No advance reservation or online ticket available.
• Stadt Duisburg (Duisburg Family Card / Familienkarte)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMunicipal discount partnership: holders of the Duisburg Family Card receive discounted admission (€17.50 adult / €10 child). Listed on the special-prices page.
• DVV (Duisburger Verkehrs- und Versorgungsgesellschaft)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company / shareholder since 2019. Zoo Duisburg gGmbH operates as a subsidiary of the DVV-Konzern. DVV-wide Code of Conduct, LkSG risk-management process and corporate-governance policies apply. Zoo Duisburg is exempt from inheritance tax thanks to its non-profit status within the group.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Pairi Daiza: Pairi Daiza (Belgium) is one of Europe's most-visited zoos with comparable themed worlds, conservation programmes and premium experience monetisation. Operates in a different national market but competes for cross-border family day-trip spend from the Ruhr area.
• Allwetterzoo Münster: Allwetterzoo Münster is an NRW neighbour with a comparable admissions and conservation model but different positioning (all-weather covered enclosures) and a primarily Münsterland/Münster catchment rather than Ruhr-area.

Direct peers

• Tierpark Hagenbeck (Hamburg): Hamburg's Hagenbeck is one of Germany's most-visited privately/family-owned zoos with comparable animal collection scale, dolphinarium-free modern positioning and similar ticket/experience/donation revenue mix. Comparable operating model and premium family positioning.
• Zoo Leipzig: Leipzig Zoo (Pongoland, Gondwanaland) operates a comparable large-scale German zoo model with multiple themed halls, strong conservation programme participation and premium experience monetisation (overnight stays, themed worlds).
• Zoo Berlin: Berlin Zoo is a large German urban zoological garden with similar EAZA/WAZA accreditation, conservation breeding programmes and ticketed admissions model. Comparable on animal collection size (~20,000 animals) and experience monetisation.
• Zoo Wuppertal: Wuppertal Zoo is another NRW zoological garden of comparable scale and similar municipal ownership structure, operating conservation breeding, daily experiences and ticketed admissions. Direct overlap in NRW family day-trip catchment.
• Zoo Frankfurt: Frankfurt Zoo is a comparable German urban zoo with the Borgori-Wald walk-through concept, strong EAZA conservation profile and similar admissions + experience + sponsorship revenue mix.
• Zoo Dortmund: Dortmund Zoo is a same-Ruhr-area zoological garden with a similar municipal-utility ownership lineage and comparable admissions/sponsorship model. Overlaps in target audience (Ruhr families) and competes for NRW-Partnerzoo passholders.
• Kölner Zoo (Cologne Zoo): Cologne Zoo is a comparable mid-to-large German zoological garden operating a similar mix of day-ticket admissions, annual passes, experiences, conservation breeding and corporate sponsorship. Comparable in animal collection scale, EAZA membership profile, and Ruhr/NRW family-day-trip catchment.
• Krefelder Zoo (Krefeld Zoo): Krefeld Zoo is a same-region NRW zoo operating a comparable gGmbH-style non-profit model with strong conservation credentials (famous ape house). Directly overlaps Duisburg's catchment via the NRW-Partnerzoo reciprocal-pass programme and competes for family visitors along the A57 corridor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat8 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ZooDuisburg
• Facebookfacebook.com/ZooDuisburg
• Instagraminstagram.com/zooduisburg

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Zoo Duisburg