For the fifth consecutive year, the German National Tourist Board (GNTB) has captured the admiration of the panel at the ‘TOP 100 – The most innovative SMEs’ contest through its innovative digital initiatives and strategies that enhance inbound tourism. The GNTB showcased a range of digital projects developed through robust collaboration between its management and employees, which aid predominantly medium-sized industry firms in promoting Germany globally as a travel destination.

Petra Hedorfer, CEO of the GNTB, explains: ‘Digital transformation, and in particular the integration of AI-supported applications, is the key to ensuring the competitiveness of destinations in the global marketplace. We are proud that our targeted innovation management is making a substantial contribution to Germany’s strong position as a destination for international tourism. At the same time, we share the experience gained from our innovation projects with the domestic tourism industry and thus support them in marketing their offers on the global markets.’

Among the projects that stood out to the competition’s jury were the ‘Sustainable Travel Trends to Germany’ data dashboard, which provides comprehensive data on market-specific demand, emissions, and transportation mode splits. Other notable projects included the expansion of the Open Data/Knowledge Graph initiative that serves as a foundation for AI-driven services, the launch of an AI-powered chatbot named ‘Emma’ that acts as a digital guide for prospective visitors to Germany, and an interactive virtual reality experience titled ‘German Natural Landscapes.’

Background Established in 1993, the TOP 100 award acknowledges the exceptional innovative capabilities and outstanding innovation achievements of medium-sized enterprises. The cornerstone of the contest is a rigorous scientific evaluation process, overseen by innovation expert Prof. Dr. Nikolaus Franke and his team on behalf of the contest organizer compamedia, where they assess over 100 innovation metrics across five categories: Innovation-friendly top management, innovation climate, innovative processes and organization, external orientation/open innovation, and innovation success.

The jury particularly focuses on the significance of innovation within the company, the prevalence of routines and conventional practices, the ability to challenge the norm, the capacity for creative and novel thinking, and the ability to successfully navigate the market.

The mentor of TOP 100 is science journalist Ranga Yogeshwar. The project partners include the Fraunhofer Society for the Advancement of Applied Research and the BVMW association for small and medium-sized businesses. Media partners such as manager magazin, impulse, and ZEIT provide coverage and support for the initiative.

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