Tourismusverband Ostbayern

What Tourismusverband Ostbayern does

Tourismusverband Ostbayern e.V. (TVO) is a registered nonprofit association (eingetragener Verein) and regional destination management organization (DMO) headquartered in Regensburg, Germany, that coordinates and promotes tourism across Eastern Bavaria. It covers four sub-regions — Bayerischer Wald, Oberpfälzer Wald, Bayerischer Jura, and Bayerisches Thermenland — spanning 10 counties in Niederbayern and Oberpfalz, with the Bayerisches Thermenland alone hosting five health-spa towns and approximately 6.4 million overnight stays annually. TVO's membership comprises public-sector entities (Landkreise, municipalities) and private tourism businesses (hotels, guesthouses, tour operators, experience providers), and it is governed by a president (Thomas Ebeling, Landrat of Schwandorf), deputy president (Dr. Ronny Raith, Landrat of Regen), and board (Dr. Michael Braun).

TVO's core technology stack is a digital tourism ecosystem anchored by the PartnerNet knowledge platform (partner.ostbayern-tourismus.de), supplemented by an E-Learning platform (Teejit), the Onlinebuchungstool (OBT) by OnlineBuchungService GmbH, and the Erlebnisshop experience-booking environment integrated with bookingkit, Regiondo, feratel, and TOMAS. Supporting services include digital coaching ('Maximal digital'), certification support, market research dissemination, and the Freeda digital guest companion developed under the INTERREG project 'Digitalisierungsoffensive Ostbayern-Oberösterreich'. TVO also operates sub-brands and destinations including the NAWAREUM sustainability museum in Straubing (144,000+ visitors since February 2023) and the Bayerisches Thermenland destination brand.

TVO's business model is membership-fee-based, supplemented by project-based public funding (notably LEADER Kooperationsprojekte, e.g., the EUR 409,000 'Natürlich Ostbayern' sustainability project running to September 2028) and INTERREG cross-border funding. Revenue mechanics are not publicly disclosed. The organization monetizes indirectly by increasing regional tourism revenue (EUR 402.4 million gross for Bavarian Jura in 2024, +65% in added value since 2014) and supporting 6,329 FTE jobs in the Bavarian Jura alone, rather than through direct transactional revenue. Customer segments are dual: B2B tourism businesses and municipalities seeking digital infrastructure, training, and co-marketing, and B2C leisure travelers seeking nature, wellness, and cultural experiences in Eastern Bavaria.

Name

Tourismusverband Ostbayern

Legal name

Tourismusverband Ostbayern e.V.

Website

https://partner.ostbayern-tourismus.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tourismusverband Ostbayern e.V. is a Regensburg-based nonprofit regional DMO that coordinates tourism across Eastern Bavaria (Bayerischer Wald, Oberpfälzer Wald, Bayerischer Jura, Bayerisches Thermenland), serving member tourism businesses, municipalities, and leisure travelers via PartnerNet, online booking platforms, training, and destination branding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tourism Marketing & Destination Management

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Inbound DMCs (Full-Service Ground Handling) (THAKAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Accessibility & Inclusion Services (ADA Access, Adaptive Programs, Multilingual Support) (THAAAGAJ)

Keywords

• Destination marketing
• Tourism association
• Regional tourism promotion
• Travel information services
• Tourism networking

Headquarters

HQ city

Regensburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Tourismusverband Ostbayern (TVO) is a regional destination management organization (DMO) for Eastern Bavaria, Germany. It coordinates tourism marketing, knowledge sharing, digital services, sustainability initiatives, and networking among member tourism businesses and municipalities across 10 participating counties. The association manages regional destination brands including Bayerischer Wald, Oberpfälzer Wald, Bayerischer Jura, and Bayerisches Thermenland.

Product overview

Tourismusverband Ostbayern operates a comprehensive digital tourism ecosystem consisting of the PartnerNet knowledge platform as the core offering, supplemented by an E-Learning platform (Teejit), online booking tools (OBT), and an experience booking ecosystem (Erlebnisshop) connecting providers with systems like bookingkit, Regiondo, feratel, and TOMAS. The organization also supports partner digitization through 'Maximal digital' coaching and has developed regional brands including the NAWAREUM sustainability museum and the Bayerisches Thermenland health spa destination, collectively serving tourism stakeholders across East Bavaria's Bayerischer Wald, Oberpfälzer Wald, Bayerischer Jura, and Thermenland regions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PartnerNet: Knowledge and networking platform for tourism partners in Eastern Bavaria, offering resources, webinars, digital tools, and industry information.

Products and services

• PartnerNet Knowledge Platform
• E-Learning Platform
• Online Booking Tools
• Regional Destination Brand Management

Quantifiable outcome

• Bavarian Jura region generated 402.4 million EUR gross tourism revenue in 2024, with 188.5 million EUR in direct added value and supporting 6,329 FTE jobs
• +3 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration13 records

AI capability1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• OnlineBuchungService GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationTVO uses the Onlinebuchungstool (OBT) by OnlineBuchungService GmbH, based at Im Gewerbepark D 80, 93059 Regensburg, to enable online booking of accommodation and travel services across Eastern Bavaria.
• bookingkitcoreTechnology or IntegrationOne of several booking system integrations (alongside Regiondo, feratel, and TOMAS) enabling experience providers to list and sell tours, courses, and events online.
• RegiondocoreTechnology or IntegrationOne of several booking system integrations enabling experience providers to list and sell tours, courses, and events online.
• feratelcoreTechnology or IntegrationOne of several booking system integrations enabling experience providers to list and sell tours, courses, and events online.
• TOMAScoreTechnology or IntegrationOne of several booking system integrations enabling experience providers to list and sell tours, courses, and events online.
• Ferienregion Nationalpark Bayerischer Wald (FNBW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFNBW is a key sub-region partner for cross-border cooperation with Czech destination 'Destinace Šumava Žije', managing joint tourism development projects in the Bavarian Forest.
• Destinace Šumava ŽijecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCzech cross-border cooperation partner for tourism development, working with Ferienregion Nationalpark Bayerischer Wald on joint initiatives such as the ArberLandHalle cooperation project.
• LEADER Lokale Aktionsgruppen (LAG) – 10 countiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTVO coordinates the LEADER Kooperationsprojekt 'Natürlich Ostbayern – Nachhaltigkeit im Tourismus im Fokus' with 10 counties (Tirschenreuth, Neustadt a.d. Waldnaab, Schwandorf, Cham, Freyung-Grafenau, Passau, Deggendorf, Straubing-Bogen, Rottal-Inn, Kelheim) and their respective LAGs. Total project volume: 409,000 EUR, running until September 2028.
• BTE Tourismus- und RegionalbetreuungminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBTE Tourismus- und Regionalbetreuung provides external professional moderation, expert input, workshops, and development of a toolbox with checklists and quality criteria for the LEADER sustainability project.
• teejitminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partnerteejit (Benedikt Handel, Geschäftsführer) provides digital platform development and support for the LEADER sustainability project, including an online application for businesses to self-assess their sustainability status.
• INTERREG-Projekt 'Digitalisierungsoffensive Ostbayern-Oberösterreich'coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCross-border INTERREG project between Eastern Bavaria and Upper Austria developing the digital guest companion 'Freeda' for personalized, AI-powered visitor guidance. Partners include both Bavarian and Austrian tourism organizations.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tirol Werbung GmbH: Austrian state tourism board. Comparable as a regional DMO with destination branding (Tirol), partner services, training programs, and a strong focus on nature/hiking/wellness tourism similar to Ostbayern's mix.
• Visit Flanders: Regional tourism organization for Flanders, Belgium. Comparable as a sub-national DMO with destination branding, B2B partner services, digital platform coordination, and cycling/cultural tourism focus similar to Ostbayern.
• Tourismus Salzburg GmbH: Regional DMO for Salzburg state in Austria. Highly comparable to TVO as a sub-national tourism organization with destination branding, partner networks, digital platforms, and mountain/nature-based tourism focus.

Broad incumbents

• Tourismus NRW e.V. Regional tourism association for North Rhine-Westphalia. Comparable as a German state-level DMO coordinating destination marketing, partner services, and digital platforms for tourism stakeholders.
• Visit Denmark: National tourism organization for Denmark. Comparable as a DMO coordinating partner services, destination marketing, and digital platforms; relevant benchmark for TVO's digital ecosystem and partner training programs.
• Schweiz Tourismus: National tourism board for Switzerland. Comparable as a DMO with strong destination branding, partner network, digital booking infrastructure, and focus on nature/outdoor/wellness segments overlapping with TVO.
• Österreich Werbung (ÖW): National tourism board for Austria. Comparable as a higher-tier DMO that TVO partners with via INTERREG, operating similar partner services, branding, and digital platform coordination.
• Deutsche Zentrale für Tourismus (DZT): National tourism board for Germany. Comparable as a higher-tier DMO that coordinates international marketing and works through regional DMOs like TVO for ground-level execution.
• Bayern Tourismus Marketing GmbH: State-level DMO for all of Bavaria. Directly comparable as a regional tourism marketing and coordination body; broader geographic scope than TVO but overlapping mandate and partner base in Eastern Bavaria.
• Baden-Württemberg Tourismus: State tourism marketing organization for Baden-Württemberg. Comparable as a German regional DMO with similar mandate around destination branding, partner networks, and digital services for tourism businesses.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCkhat8sndEvj3gGxQSW0f8w
• Facebookfacebook.com/OstbayernUrlaub
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tourismusverband-ostbayern-e-v-

Compliance2 records

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 Tourismusverband Ostbayern