PROJECT M

What PROJECT M does

PROJECT M GmbH is a Hamburg-based strategic consulting firm specializing in tourism, destination management, health tourism, and tourism infrastructure, founded in 1998 by Cornelius Obier and operating across the DACH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) market. The firm operates four core service lines — Destinationsmanagement, Gesundheits- und Medizintourismus (Health & Medical Tourism), Infrastrukturentwicklung (Infrastructure Development), and Datenmanagement & Research (Data Management & Research) — delivered to a client base of ministries, state tourism marketing organizations (LMO/LMOs), destination management organizations (DMOs), municipalities, health resorts and Kurorte (Heilbäder), thermal-bath operators, and major German tour operators including TUI, DER Touristik, AIDA Cruises, and Amadeus. PROJECT M has completed over 2,500 projects and employs 30+ staff across offices in Hamburg and Munich, led by Managing Partner Cornelius Obier and Managing Director Peter C. Kowalsky (appointed 2024).

The company's product portfolio combines project-based consulting with proprietary research products: the Trendstudie #TourismusPerspektive, Städtereisenstudie (city travel study, 6,000 respondents, 170 European cities), Winterstudie (winter tourism, 8 source markets), and Gesundheitsstudie (health tourism, 3,000 respondents); analytical tools including the Destination Quality (DQ) benchmarking platform integrating official tourism statistics, TrustYou scores, and DTV/DEHOGA quality data; and the Tourismusradar Hessen continuous monitoring service operated for HA Hessen Agentur since 2020. Project M applies the Sinus-Milieus psychographic segmentation framework across its surveys and brand analyses. Pricing for published studies ranges from EUR 49 (Trendstudie) to EUR 2,500 (Sinus-Milieus add-on); consulting fees are project-based and not publicly disclosed.

PROJECT M has been a Managing Partner within the SERVICEPLAN GROUP since 2021 — the largest independent, partner-run agency group in Europe with 4,400 employees across 23 offices in 34 countries — and forms part of the HOUSE OF TOURISM alliance alongside Saint Elmo's Tourismusmarketing (marketing) and the Europäisches Tourismus Institut / ETI (research), enabling bundled strategy + marketing + research delivery. The firm is an active industry convener, co-organizing Tourismustag Baden-Württemberg (1,250 attendees in 2025, a record), TalkTourism FUTURE DIALOGUES, and the CMT Netzwerkfrühstück, alongside a continuous content-marketing presence through the Gesundheit.Tourismus.Blog, LinkedIn/Xing, and webinar series.

Name

PROJECT M

Legal name

PROJECT M GmbH

Website

https://projectm.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PROJECT M is a Hamburg-based strategic consultancy founded in 1998 that advises DMOs, ministries, health resorts, and tour operators across the DACH region on destination management, health tourism, infrastructure development, and tourism market research, operating as part of the SERVICEPLAN GROUP's HOUSE OF TOURISM alliance.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tourism Consulting Services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

TMC & OBT Selection, Implementation & Optimization (THACAMAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Travel Program Analytics, Reporting & Benchmarking (THALAMAF), Full-Service Destination Management (Ground Handling & Onsite Operations) (THAHADAA)

Keywords

• Tourism consulting services
• Destination management advisory
• Health tourism strategy
• Market research studies
• Tourism infrastructure planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Strategic Consulting and Advisory Services: PROJECT M generates revenue through project-based consulting engagements for destination management, tourism infrastructure, health tourism, and market research. Projects are scoped and priced individually for public and institutional clients.
2. Published Studies and Market Research Reports: Sale of market research studies including the Gesundheitsstudie (Health Tourism Study), Städtereisenstudie (City Travel Study), Winterstudie (Winter Tourism Study), and Trendstudie TourismusPerspektive. Studies are sold as individual products with standard and individual evaluation modules.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

PROJECT M is a strategic consulting firm for the tourism and leisure industry in the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), advising public sector clients such as ministries, state tourism organizations (LMOs), DMOs, cities, and municipalities. It delivers strategy, organization, and change management for tourism destinations, health tourism positioning for spas and cure resorts, infrastructure master plans for thermal baths and hotels, and proprietary market research studies. The firm also publishes branded benchmark studies and operates the Destination Quality (DQ) benchmarking tool, all under the HOUSE OF TOURISM alliance with Saint Elmo's Tourismusmarketing and ETI.

Product overview

PROJECT M is a strategic consulting firm offering tourism consulting services across four core competency areas: Destinationsmanagement, Gesundheits- und Medizintourismus (Health Tourism), Infrastrukturentwicklung (Infrastructure Development), and Datenmanagement & Research (Data Management & Research). The company operates as part of the HOUSE OF TOURISM partnership alongside Saint Elmo's Tourismusmarketing and the European Tourismus Institut (ETI), all under the SERVICEPLAN GROUP umbrella. Their portfolio includes branded research studies (Trendstudie #TourismusPerspektive, Städtereisenstudie, Winterstudie, Gesundheitsstudie), analytical tools (Destination Quality DQ, Tourismusradar Hessen), and consulting services for destination development, health tourism, infrastructure projects, and market research.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HOUSE OF TOURISM: A collaboration between PROJECT M, Saint Elmo's Tourismusmarketing, and Europäisches Tourismus Institut (ETI) within the SERVICEPLAN GROUP, offering bundled tourism competence for destination management, tourism, and hospitality.

Products and services

• Destinationsmanagement Strategic consulting covering destination strategy development, organizational structure optimization, change management, and inter-municipal tourism cooperation for city destinations, regions, and DMOs in the DACH market.
• Gesundheits- und Medizintourismus Health and medical tourism consulting combining health-tourism and medical-therapeutic expertise, with particular competence for spa towns (Heilbäder) and cure resorts (Kurorte) to ensure future-oriented positioning of this market segment.
• Infrastrukturentwicklung Future-oriented development consulting for tourism infrastructure and master plans, specializing in thermal baths, spa facilities, resort accommodation, and hotel properties, including feasibility studies, master plans, repositioning strategies, and interim management.
• Datenmanagement & Research Market research services covering the full spectrum from guest surveys and group discussions to image and brand analyses, combining various data sources (Smart Data) for actionable recommendations.
• Trendstudie #TourismusPerspektive International trend study providing practical guidance for developing successful tourism infrastructure, covering Hospitality, Active Sports, and Health Tourism themes with trend monitoring, best-practice cases, expert assessments, and actionable recommendations. Sold at EUR 49.00 per report.
• Städtereisenstudie (City Travel Study) Representative survey of 6,000 city-travel-affine persons from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland providing insights on travel motives, information/booking behavior, and future travel preferences including Sinus Meta Milieus segmentation for 170 European city destinations.
• Winterstudie (Winter Tourism Study) Multi-dimensional future study on winter tourism perspectives in Austria, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland, combining representative surveys, host surveys, marketing organization perspectives, and Delphi methodology across eight European source markets.
• Gesundheitsstudie (Health Tourism Study) Market potential study on health tourism focusing on spending behavior, usage patterns, and willingness to pay among health-oriented guests in spa towns and health resorts across the DACH region, based on responses from over 3,000 respondents.
• Destination Quality (DQ) Competence analysis tool for market and quality data including comparable benchmarks and controlling reports, combining official tourism statistics, TrustYou scores, and quality data from DTV and DEHOGA for destination benchmarking.
• Tourismusradar Hessen Continuous monitoring instrument providing essential tourism data for actors in Hessen through regular representative population surveys, official statistics analysis, and international studies review since 2020.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 80% of surveyed health travelers in HOT Gesundheitsstudie 2025 intend to take a health trip in the next three years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SERVICEPLAN GROUPcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021PROJECT M has been part of the SERVICEPLAN GROUP as Managing Partner since 2021. SERVICEPLAN GROUP is the largest independent, partner-run agency group in Europe with headquarters in Munich, comprising over 40 agencies and companies in 23 locations and 34 countries with approximately 4,400 employees.
• Saint Elmo's TourismusmarketingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMARKET LEADER in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland for integrated marketing in the tourism industry. Together with PROJECT M and ETI, forms the HOUSE OF TOURISM alliance offering combined strategy, marketing, and research services.
• Europäisches Tourismus Institut (ETI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerETI supports PROJECT M through the transfer of scientific findings into consulting practice and complementary tourism research studies and investigations. Cornelius Obier has been Managing Partner since 2010.
• HOUSE OF TOURISMcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBundled tourism competence platform combining PROJECT M (strategy consulting), Saint Elmo's Tourism (marketing), and ETI (analysis/data). Can additionally draw on SERVICEPLAN GROUP specialists for digital advertising, media planning, and e-commerce.
• Destination Quality (DQ)coreOthersDQ is a market research instrument for German tourism providing decisive market data for regions. PROJECT M developed this tool for destination quality benchmarking and market analysis.
• TalkTourismminorOthersAn event series on current tourism industry topics organized by PROJECT M. Once a year FUTURE DIALOGUES are created for tourism and travel. Part of the marketing and thought leadership ecosystem.
• Gesundheit.Tourismus.BlogminorOthersPROJECT M's blog covering innovations, trends, and backgrounds in medical and health tourism. Serves as an information channel for decision-makers and industry insiders.
• CMT - Die UrlaubsmesseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-organizer of the Netzwerkfrühstück (network breakfast) of the House of Tourism for top decision-makers at CMT tourism trade fair. CMT is a major German consumer travel and tourism fair.
• Tourismus Marketing GmbH Baden-WürttembergminorGTM or Marketing PartnerState tourism marketing organization for Baden-Württemberg. Co-organizer of tourism financing event and partner in tourism development initiatives.
• Heilbäder und Kurorte Marketing GmbH Baden-WürttembergminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarketing organization for health spas and cure resorts in Baden-Württemberg. Co-organizer of tourism financing event and partner in health tourism initiatives.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Tourismuszukunft: Hannover-based tourism consulting and digital marketing firm serving DMOs and tourism organizations. Comparable to PROJECT M in combining strategic consulting with operational and digital implementation for German-speaking destinations.
• BTE Tourismusmanagement: German tourism management consultancy providing strategy, organization, and operational consulting for DMOs, cities, and regions. Directly competes with PROJECT M for strategy and repositioning mandates in the DACH public-sector tourism market.
• NIT — Northern Institute of Tourism Management: Kiel-based tourism research and consulting institute providing economic impact studies, market research, and destination analytics for German and European clients. Directly competes with PROJECT M on the research and benchmarking side of the DACH market.
• Kohl & Partner: Innsbruck-based tourism strategy and destination consulting firm with strong Austrian and Alpine footprint. Competes with PROJECT M for municipality and region-level tourism strategy and master planning engagements in the DACH region.
• dwif-Consulting GmbH: Berlin-based tourism economics and consulting firm focused on German destination, hotel market, and tourism investment analysis. Directly comparable to PROJECT M in serving DMOs, municipalities, and tourism ministries with strategic and economic consulting across the DACH market.
• Saint Elmo's Tourismusmarketing: Sister company within the HOUSE OF TOURISM alliance, specializing in integrated tourism marketing for DACH destinations. Directly comparable to PROJECT M as a DACH tourism specialist and commercial partner under SERVICEPLAN GROUP.
• IPK International: Munich-based travel and tourism research firm running continuous travel intention surveys (World Travel Monitor) and bespoke studies for tourism boards. Comparable to PROJECT M in serving DACH and European tourism organizations with market research and benchmarking products.
• Mascontour: Swiss tourism consulting firm specialized in destination management, spa and health tourism, and market research. Closely comparable to PROJECT M's health tourism and destination consulting practice, particularly in the German-speaking Swiss market.

Broad incumbents

• Deloitte Tourism, Hospitality & Leisure: Global consulting practice with dedicated tourism and hospitality advisory. Competes with PROJECT M only on the largest, most complex DACH tourism transformation mandates, but as a broad incumbent rather than a specialist boutique.
• ETC — European Travel Commission: Brussels-based umbrella organization coordinating national tourism boards across Europe. While not a commercial competitor, ETC sets benchmarking frameworks and commissions research that overlaps with PROJECT M's DMO strategy and analytics offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCCixvs1Vkv8qNkUtkIUS1PQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/PROJECTM.Tourismusinnovation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/project-m-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 PROJECT M