Verband der Fährschifffahrt und Fährtouristik e. V. (VFF)

What Verband der Fährschifffahrt und Fährtouristik e. V. (VFF) does

Verband der Fährschifffahrt und Fährtouristik e. V. (VFF) is a Hamburg-based, registered non-profit trade association (eingetragener Verein) founded in 1995 by 15 ferry shipping companies to represent the European ferry industry in the German market. Today the VFF has ~61 members, comprising German ferry operators, international ferry companies with German representation, and tourism partners (e.g., CTS, ADAC Fähren, plus online booking platforms such as Mr Ferry, Ferryhopper, Direct Ferries, and Faehren.net). Its 6-person office is led since July 2025 by Jana Dott, with Dagmar Bleile as board spokesperson.

VFF generates revenue exclusively through recurring membership fees (subscription model) and does not sell ferry tickets. Its core deliverables are industry representation, B2B distribution support to German travel agencies and tour operators, training programs (webinars, VFF Seadays educational trips), market research (commissioned NIT Ferry Tourism Study, conducted in 2018, 2021, 2025), and consumer-facing brand-building via the annual brochure "Fähren, Routenkarten, Reedereien" and the newly launched "Tag der Fähren" consumer action day. The association maintains simultaneous membership in the German Travel Association (DRV), the International Bus Tourism Association (RDA), the German Travel Management Association (VPR), and ASR, giving it policy reach across consumer, group, and corporate travel segments.

VFF is not a technology company; it operates a standard content-and-events marketing stack (website, newsletter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, WhatsApp, trade-show presence) without proprietary software. Its competitive position rests on category incumbency — being the sole German ferry-industry association — and on its cross-association network, which creates structural advantages for member recruitment and trade-channel influence that no single ferry operator could replicate independently.

Name

Verband der Fährschifffahrt und Fährtouristik e. V. (VFF)

Legal name

Verband der Fährschifffahrt und Fährtouristik e. V.

Website

https://faehrverband.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

VFF is a Hamburg-based non-profit trade association founded in 1995 that represents ~61 European ferry operators and tourism partners in the German market. It delivers industry advocacy, B2B travel-trade training, market research, and consumer-facing ferry-travel brand-building funded by recurring membership fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Industry Association

NAICS

Water Transportation (483)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

International Cross-Border Ferry Services (THAEAGAL)

Keywords

• Ferry industry association
• Maritime tourism advocacy
• Travel trade training
• Ferry route information
• Industry market research

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: The VFF generates revenue through annual membership fees paid by ferry companies (both German and international with German presence) and tourism partners. Members receive access to industry resources, training programs, marketing support, networking events, and representation in tourism associations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels14 records

Core offering

VFF is a registered non-profit trade association that represents ferry shipping companies and tourism partners active in the German and European market. It provides industry representation, training and education for travel trade professionals, joint marketing initiatives, market research, and informational publications such as the annual ferry route brochure. The association does not sell ferry tickets or operate vessels; its products and services are delivered to its 61 member companies and to the German travel trade distribution channel.

Product overview

Verband der Fährschifffahrt und Fährtouristik e.V. (VFF) is a German trade association for the ferry and ferry tourism industry, not a product company. Its offering consists of industry representation, member services, and informational products for the travel trade and consumers. The core informational product is the annual 'Broschüre Fähren, Routenkarten, Reedereien' brochure, which catalogs European ferry routes and operators. VFF complements this with educational offerings including the VFF Seadays (information trips for travel agents), webinars and training sessions, the annual 'Tag der Fähren' family event, and market research publications such as the NIT-Studie Fähr-Touristik. The association also publishes regular newsletters (B2C and B2B) and facilitates joint marketing and PR initiatives for its member ferry companies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Broschüre "Fähren, Routenkarten, Reedereien" Annual brochure providing an overview of ferry routes, route maps, and ferry companies across Europe and beyond, available for download or postal delivery. Targeted at travel trade professionals and consumers planning ferry travel.
• VFF Seadays (Informationsreisen für Reisevertrieb) Multi-day information trips for travel agents and tour operators to experience ferry routes and destinations firsthand, featuring educational formats such as TableTalks and Walk & Talk sessions. Recurring annual event.
• Tag der Fähren (Ferry Day) Annual family-oriented event celebrating ferry travel with ship tours, entertainment, and information booths, promoting ferries as a sustainable and family-friendly mode of transport. Held at Schwedenkai in Kiel.
• NIT-Studie Fähr-Touristik Market research study commissioned by VFF analyzing the development of ferry tourism in Germany, tracking trends in demand, passenger demographics, booking behavior, and market positioning versus competing travel modes. Conduced by NIT (Institut für Tourismus- und Bäderforschung der Universität Kiel).
• VFF-Newsletter (Fähren in Europa) Regular email newsletter providing news about ferry routes, member companies, industry events, and travel offers, serving both B2C consumers and B2B travel trade professionals.
• Webinare und Schulungen für Reisevertrieb Online and in-person training sessions for travel agents and tour operators covering ferry routes, destinations, and sales arguments to strengthen ferry distribution channels through the German travel trade.

Quantifiable outcome

• 42% of Germans have taken at least one ferry trip in the past five years (NIT study commissioned by VFF)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers14 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

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• DRV (Deutscher Reiseverband)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1995VFF maintains membership in the German Travel Association (DRV), the leading interest group for Germany's travel industry. Through this partnership, VFF advocates for ferry travel interests within the broader tourism policy discussions and gains access to industry networks and resources.
• RDA (Internationaler Bustouristik Verband)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1995VFF holds membership in the RDA, the international bus tourism association. The partnership enables VFF to participate in the annual RDA Group Travel Expos in Friedrichshafen and Cologne, which attract approximately 5,000 international trade visitors, providing visibility for ferry travel among group tour operators.
• VPR (Verband Deutsches Reisemanagement)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1995VFF is a member of VPR, representing German travel management interests. This partnership enables VFF to engage with corporate travel managers and promote ferry travel as a sustainable business travel option.
• ASR (Absatzwirtschaft Reisen)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1995VFF maintains membership in ASR to represent ferry industry interests in travel distribution discussions and connect with additional travel industry stakeholders.
• NIT (Institut für Tourismus- und Bäderforschung der Universität Kiel)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVFF commissions the NIT (Institute for Tourism and Spa Research at Kiel University) to conduct regular studies on ferry tourism in Germany. The NIT Ferry Tourism Study, conducted in 2018, 2021, and 2025, provides valuable market data and consumer insights for the ferry industry.
• Port of KielmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerVFF partners with the Port of Kiel for the annual Ferry Day (Tag der Fähren) event, bringing together ferry companies, partners, and port stakeholders for a family-oriented celebration of ferry travel at the Schwedenkai terminal.
• Kiel-MarketingsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerVFF collaborates with Kiel-Marketing, the city's tourism marketing organization, to promote ferry travel and co-host events like the Ferry Day.
• ADAC Schleswig-HolsteinsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerVFF extraordinary member ADAC (Europe's largest automobile club with over 20 million members) partners with VFF for joint marketing activities, providing access to mobility-conscious consumers interested in ferry travel.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Interferry: Global trade association for the ferry industry, representing operators worldwide. Closest functional analogue to VFF but at the global rather than German level, with overlapping member companies.
• DRV (Deutscher Reiseverband): Leading German travel industry association of which VFF is a member. Operates the same trade association model (membership fees, training, policy advocacy) for travel agencies and tour operators that is VFF's channel to market.

Regional players

• Verband der Reeder Bremerhaven (Regional German Maritime Association): Regional German shipowners' association. Functions as a local-level trade body with similar member services, complementing VDR's national role and VFF's ferry-specific focus.
• VDR (Verband Deutscher Reeder): German Shipowners' Association representing the wider German maritime sector including cargo, cruise, and ferry operators. Overlapping membership with VFF and complementary representation in Berlin/Brussels.
• UK Chamber of Shipping: UK trade association for the shipping industry. Performs equivalent functions to VFF (policy, representation, member services) for a different national maritime community.
• Cruise Baltic: Regional cruise and passenger shipping network for the Baltic Sea region. Overlaps with VFF's Baltic ferry member base (Viking Line, Tallink, Eckerö Line) and shares promotional/marketing mission.

Broad incumbents

• CLIA Europe (Cruise Lines International Association Europe): Regional arm of CLIA representing cruise lines in Europe. Operates in adjacent maritime passenger transport sector with similar trade association functions (policy, marketing, training).
• ECSA (European Community Shipowners' Associations): Brussels-based trade association representing European shipowners across all maritime segments. Broader scope than VFF but provides similar industry representation and policy advocacy services.
• BTW (Bundesverband der Deutschen Tourismuswirtschaft): Federal association of the German tourism industry — broader umbrella body VFF works alongside. Similar advocacy and member services model but covering all tourism sub-sectors.

Others

• European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO): European port authority association. Adjacent maritime infrastructure trade body that VFF and its members engage with on terminal access and policy matters.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@faehrenineuropa
• Facebookfacebook.com/faehrenineuropa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/faehrverband
• Instagraminstagram.com/faehrenineuropa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Verband der Fährschifffahrt und Fährtouristik e. V. (VFF)