Regional Projects

Under the leadership of Tourismus NRW eV, the Mettmann district, together with other partners, has faced the challenging developments in the areas of big data, the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence. The aim of the project was to make relevant and shareable tourist content from the regions available to the general public as high-quality data sets. Particular attention was also paid to editorial content such as texts, images and videos, which are particularly important as inspiration for the guests. In order to be able to use this data more visibly and externally beyond the boundaries of local actors, uniform data standards were developed and defined during the course of the project. For the storage and exchange of data, as well as for networking the various service providers in tourism and beyond the tourism data hub NRW created.

Project goals:

• Driving forward digital change and systematic networking of the individual regions in the NRW state tourism association
• Change from pure marketing to management and management of data
• Adaptation to shortening product and innovation cycles
• More agile structures to adapt to new Sinus target groups and their behavior in relation to current market research activities

building blocks

Module 1: Technology & Standards
Module 2: Communication & Qualification
Module 3: Digital use cases and content distribution
Module 4: Big data analyzes and digital target group research
Module 5: Open Data

The network of Bergisches Panorama cycle paths connects the Bergisches Land with the southern Ruhr area and the Sauerland. These include: Bergischer Panorama-Radweg (132 km), Niederbergbahn panoramic cycle path (40 km) and Balkan route panoramic cycle route (51 km). The panorama cycle paths are marketed together under the motto "simply cycle in the mountains". Project partners are: the District of Mettmann, the District of Ennepe-Ruhr, the Bergisches Structure and Economic Development Corporation and Bergisches Land Tourismus Marketing eV, the City of Leverkusen and the two Bergische Kreises, represented by the Naturarena Bergisches Land GmbH. The following was brought about by the cooperation: The motto "simply cycle in the mountains" - traveling on former railway lines - was adopted, a new appearance for all marketing products and a new website, www.einfach-bergisch-radeln.de, have been implemented. The most important product at the moment is the cycling map ordered free of charge can be. An office has been set up to coordinate all activities.

"TYPICAL neanderland" was funded as a project from 2016 to 2019 as part of "Erlebnis.NRW - Strengthen the tourism industry". The aim was to develop and implement a uniform, nationwide marketing and sales concept that would give small and medium-sized companies in the Mettmann district a chance to enter the tourism market. A corresponding marketing and sales handbook for the companies awarded the TYPISCH neanderland seal is available. Since 2020 TYPISCH neanderland has been continued without funding in the tourism marketing of neanderland. The focus is on the tourism marketing of typical regional products Products, hosts and country experiences in neanderland and thus serves the increase in competitiveness of small and medium-sized companies in the district of Mettmann.

In order to increase the quality and innovation of tourism companies, Tourismus NRW e. V. in cooperation with neanderland and ten other regional tourism organizations the project "National Tourist Innovation Workshop". With workshops, seminars and coaching, tourism companies were able to develop new trends, innovative tourism products and services. As part of the qualification, networks of SMEs and local project partners were also promoted, which helped to secure the future of the numerous tourism companies and their employees. Other companies can access the results and experiences gained from this project. All companies active in tourism in North Rhine-Westphalia will benefit from this transfer of knowledge in the long term.

To the neanderland and the travel destination of North Rhine-Westphalia even more than "Active Tourism Region" to position and strengthen, the Mettmann district as one of nine project partners together with the project management agency Tourismus NRW eV from 2011 to 2015 the "Active Academy North Rhine-Westphalia".
The Aktiv-Akademie should contribute to that Quality of offers in active tourism to increase, to further develop the active holiday offers for the guests and to make them more professional in order to become even more competitive. In order to achieve this, tourism service providers in neanderland could also be given the opportunity to take part in training courses at low cost over the course of the project Subject areas of quality, product and package development, marketing and e-fitness participate.

As part of the follow-up project "Innovation Workshop" the active academy was further developed.

From Late 2011 to Spring 2015 the tourism team set up the EU/Objective 2 funding project "Expeditions to neanderland - destination marketing concept for the district of Mettmann" around. The aim of this project was to increase awareness of the brand and thus of the region, positioning the brand in the tourism competition and promoting tourism awareness and internal networking. By developing a new marketing strategy – in Cooperation with the ten district towns – new product lines emerged.

In addition to the active tourist Product lines hiking, cycling, sport & action include Museums, but also special offers for families and schools around the Neandertal to the main topics in neanderland. As a central component of tourism marketing, the website of neanderland was fundamentally revised in terms of concept and content. In addition, a neanderland travel catalogue been published with an integrated accommodation directory. A new logo and corporate design are also among the results of the work in the EU/Objective 2 funding project.