What Visit Düsseldorf does

Visit Düsseldorf is the official destination management organization (DMO) for the City of Düsseldorf, Germany, operating under the legal entity Düsseldorf Tourismus GmbH with municipal backing from the Landeshauptstadt Düsseldorf. Founded in 2001 and headquartered at Rheinstraße 3 in the Altstadt district, the organization runs the official tourism platform visitduesseldorf.de, which serves as the central digital touchpoint for visitor information, content, and transactional bookings across six languages (German, English, French, Dutch, Spanish, Japanese). It also operates physical Tourist-Information offices and a service hotline.

The core product portfolio is anchored by the DüsseldorfCard ecosystem — a tourist pass combining free public transport within Düsseldorf (and, in the Plus variant, across the broader VRR and VRS regional networks) with discounts of up to 100% at more than 80 partner attractions, museums, and leisure venues. Variants include 24h, 48h, 72h, and 96h durations for individuals or families, plus a Bike rental add-on. Complementary products include the Art:walk-Museumspass bundling six leading art museums (Kunstpalast, NRW-Forum, K20, K21, Kunsthalle, Sammlung Philara) for €25 over 48 hours, guided Stadtführungen (city tours) in multiple languages, themed experiences (Altbier Safari, Sound of Düsseldorf music tour, Little Tokyo tours), Hop On Hop Off bus tours, Rhine boat tours, and the annual DüsselMoments program. Content is supported by an editorial blog (Düsseldorf Stories), a podcast series, YouTube video, and a LinkedIn corporate channel.

Commercially, the organization runs a direct-to-consumer model with pay-as-you-go ticket pricing across all products, supplemented by souvenir sales through the Düsseldorf Shop and commission-based distribution via hotel partners, travel trade operators, and Messe Düsseldorf exhibitions. Revenue is predominantly public-sector funding from the City of Düsseldorf, supplemented by commercial product sales. Major recurring events (Japan-Tag, Rheinkirmes, Karneval, Christmas Market) function as flagship demand-generation moments, and the organization pursues specialized segments including Japanese inbound tourism (leveraging Düsseldorf's third-largest Japanese community in Europe) and health tourism through the duesseldorf-health.de platform.

Name

Visit Düsseldorf

Legal name

Düsseldorf Tourismus GmbH

Website

https://visitduesseldorf.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Visit Düsseldorf is the official destination management organization (DMO) for the City of Düsseldorf, Germany, operating Düsseldorf Tourismus GmbH. It runs the multilingual visitduesseldorf.de platform, the DüsseldorfCard ecosystem, city tours, the Art:walk Museumspass, and event marketing for leisure and inbound tourists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tourism Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (56152), Travel Agencies (561510), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation (487), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (4872)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700), Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100)

akta.pro primary industry

Inbound/Local Retail Travel Agencies (Destination Booking Offices) (THAKABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Museum & Landmark Guided Tours (Skip-the-line/Docent-led) (THAJAAAC), Permitting, Reservations & Visitor Information Services (Passes, Booking, Visitor Centers) (THAAAGAD), Cultural, Heritage & Arts Travel Agencies (THAKAFAK)

Keywords

• Destination management services
• City tourism marketing
• Guided city tours
• Tourist discount cards
• Museum pass ticketing

Headquarters

HQ city

Düsseldorf

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

Revenue model

1. DüsseldorfCard sales: Sale of DüsseldorfCard (24h/48h/72h/96h) and DüsseldorfCard Plus providing free public transport and discounts at 80+ attractions. Revenue from card sales to individual tourists and groups. Starting from €13.90 for 24h individual ticket.
2. City tours and experiences: Online booking of guided city tours, Hop On Hop Off bus, boat tours, themed tours (e.g., Altbier Safari, The Sound of Düsseldorf, Urban Art Walk). Revenue per tour ticket.
3. Art:walk Museumspass: Sale of the Art:walk Museumspass — 1 ticket for 6 museums over 48 hours at €25, generating commission from participating museum partners.
4. Souvenirs and merchandise: Sale of Düsseldorf-themed souvenirs through the online Düsseldorf Shop (der-duesseldorfshop.de) and physical Tourist-Information office.
5. Municipal destination marketing (public funding): Visit Düsseldorf operates as the official destination management organization (DMO) for the city of Düsseldorf, funded in part by the Landeshauptstadt Düsseldorf. Revenue model is predominantly public-sector funding supplemented by commercial product sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Visit Düsseldorf is the official destination management organization for the City of Düsseldorf, providing tourist information, the DüsseldorfCard (a transport and attraction discount card), guided city tours, museum passes, and souvenirs. It operates a multilingual website and physical Tourist-Information offices to help visitors plan, book, and experience the city.

Product overview

Visit Düsseldorf operates a destination tourism platform offering a unified portfolio of tourist services centered around the DüsseldorfCard system. The core offering consists of the DüsseldorfCard (basic), DüsseldorfCard Plus (regional transport), and DüsseldorfCard Bike — three card variants providing free public transport plus discounts at over 80 attractions. Supporting products include the Art:walk-Museumspass for bundled museum access, guided Stadtführungen (city tours) covering themes from architecture to music history, Hop On Hop Off bus tours, Rhine boat tours, and themed experiences like craft beer tastings and Little Tokyo culinary tours. The platform also facilitates hotel bookings, sells souvenirs, and offers event ticketing for major Düsseldorf festivals including Karneval, Rheinkirmes, Japan-Tag, and Christmas markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DüsseldorfCard: Tourist card offering free public transport and discounts at over 80 attractions and services in Düsseldorf
• DüsseldorfCard Plus
• DüsseldorfCard Bike
• Art:walk

Products and services

• DüsseldorfCard Official tourist card offering free public transport (bus and Bahn) in Düsseldorf and surroundings, plus discounts of up to 100% at more than 80 attractions including museums, tours, and leisure activities. Available in 24h, 48h, 72h, and 96h durations for individuals or families (max 3 adults or 2 adults + 2 children aged 4-14). Starting from €13.90 for the 24h individual adult ticket.
• DüsseldorfCard Plus Extended version of the DüsseldorfCard providing free travel throughout the entire VRR and VRS public transport networks, plus additional discounts at museums and attractions across North Rhine-Westphalia and Düsseldorf dining, hotels, and retail. Starting from €29.90. Family variant covers up to 4 adults or 2 adults + 3 children.
• DüsseldorfCard Bike DüsseldorfCard variant that includes a rental bicycle for 24 hours, allowing tourists to explore Düsseldorf by bike while retaining all standard DüsseldorfCard public transport and attraction discount benefits.
• Art:walk-Museumspass Museum pass providing access to all collections, permanent, and special exhibitions at 6 renowned art museums in central Düsseldorf (Kunstpalast, NRW-Forum, K20, K21, Kunsthalle, Sammlung Philara) for 48 hours at €25 per person.
• Stadtführungen (City Tours) Guided tours in multiple languages covering Düsseldorf's neighborhoods, attractions, and themes — including night watchman tours (€22/90 min), Altstadt tours, architecture tours, art walks, culinary tours, Little Tokyo tours, beer culture tours (Altbier Safari €36.50/120 min), and music history tours (The Sound of Düsseldorf €18/150 min). Available as public scheduled tours or private group tours.
• Hop On Hop Off Bus Double-decker sightseeing bus tour allowing passengers to board and disembark at various Düsseldorf attractions at their own pace over a 24-hour ticket validity.
• Schiffstouren (Boat Tours) Rhine river boat tours departing from the MedienHafen area, offering scenic views of Düsseldorf's waterfront, skyline, and riverside attractions.
• Souvenirs Düsseldorf-themed souvenirs and merchandise sold through the online Düsseldorf Shop (der-duesseldorfshop.de) and the physical Tourist-Information office at Rheinstraße 3 in the Altstadt.
• DüsselMoments Annual program offering behind-the-scenes tours, exclusive museum and hotel deals, and special cultural experiences for visitors to rediscover Düsseldorf from new perspectives.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 100% discount on attraction entry with DüsseldorfCard
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• D.LIVE GmbH & Co. KGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026D.LIVE is the official organizer of the Japan-Tag Düsseldorf/NRW and other major events at the Rheinufer and Rheinwiesen venues. Visit Düsseldorf promotes these events as part of its destination marketing offering.
• NRW.Global Business GmbHminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026NRW.Global Business GmbH co-organizes the Wirtschaftstag Japan (Japan Business Day) alongside the Japan-Tag Düsseldorf/NRW, targeting Japanese business investment in North Rhine-Westphalia.
• MWIKE (Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Innovation, Digitalisierung und Energie des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026MWIKE is the coordinating ministry for the Japan-Tag Düsseldorf/NRW as a state-level economic and cultural initiative.
• Art:walk partner museums (Kunstpalast, NRW-Forum, K20, K21, Kunsthalle, Sammlung Philara)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVisit Düsseldorf co-develops and distributes the Art:walk Museumspass — a joint ticket granting access to all 6 participating museums for €25 over 48 hours. This partnership enables bundled museum access for tourists and promotes coordinated museum visitation across Düsseldorf's art institutions.
• Landeshauptstadt Düsseldorf (City of Düsseldorf)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVisit Düsseldorf operates as the official DMO of the Landeshauptstadt Düsseldorf (City of Düsseldorf). The municipal government is the sponsoring authority and primary partner, providing public funding and strategic direction for destination marketing.
• Japanischer Club Düsseldorf e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Japanischer Club Düsseldorf is a key cultural partner for the Japan-Tag Düsseldorf/NRW and the broader Little Tokyo tourism initiative, representing the Japanese expatriate community in Düsseldorf.
• Japanische IHK zu Düsseldorf e.V. (Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Düsseldorf collaborates on the Japan-Tag and promotes Düsseldorf as a business and cultural destination for Japanese companies and professionals.
• Japanisches Generalkonsulat DüsseldorfminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Japanese Consulate General in Düsseldorf supports the Japan-Tag Düsseldorf/NRW as a cultural diplomacy initiative and partner in promoting Japanese culture in Germany.
• Health tourism network (duesseldorf-health.de)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVisit Düsseldorf partners with the Düsseldorf health tourism network (duesseldorf-health.de) to promote medical and wellness tourism, connecting healthcare visitors with local providers through a dedicated platform.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Wien Tourismus: Vienna Tourist Board — municipal DMO operating the Vienna PASS, city tours, and multilingual visitor content. Closest large European DMO analog with similar card-plus-tours-plus-content model.
• Hamburg Tourismus: Official Hamburg DMO operating the Hamburg CARD with free public transport and discounts at 150+ attractions. Comparable German city DMO with identical card-plus-tours-plus-museum bundling model and municipal funding structure.
• Visit Copenhagen: Official Copenhagen tourism organization with Copenhagen Card (transport + 80+ attractions). Near-identical card pricing structure and DMO role, serving as a strong European benchmark.
• Tourismus+Congress GmbH Frankfurt: Official Frankfurt tourism and congress organization running the Frankfurt Card and city tour offerings. Comparable German city DMO with overlapping MICE and leisure visitor services.
• visitBerlin: Official Berlin destination management organization operating Berlin Tourist Card, city tours, and multilingual visitor services. Same municipal DMO model, multi-product card ecosystem, and official city-backed structure as Visit Düsseldorf.
• Köln Tourismus: Official Cologne tourism organization operating the KölnCard with public transport and attraction discounts. Same North Rhine-Westphalia region, parallel DMO structure and city-card product design.
• Amsterdam Marketing: Official Amsterdam destination organization operating the I amsterdam City Card with transport and museum access. Comparable Western European city DMO with similar bundled card product and visitor information role.
• München Tourismus: Official Munich city tourism board running the Munich City Pass and city tour portfolio. Direct German DMO peer with similar municipal ownership, multilingual content strategy, and integrated attraction/transport ticketing.

Broad incumbents

• Tiqets: Global online ticketing platform for museums and attractions. Partners with cultural institutions like those in the Art:walk Museumspass, creating both partnership and distribution competition for DMO-led ticketing.
• GetYourGuide: Global OTA for tours, attractions, and experiences. Not a DMO but competes with Visit Düsseldorf for distribution of city tours, museum passes, and sightseeing inventory across international visitors.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/visitduesseldorf

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 Visit Düsseldorf