Urban Development Through Tourism Enhancement
In a forward-thinking approach to urban development, the cities of Ingolstadt, Augsburg, and Nuremberg are embracing hospitality as a strategic principle to enhance their appeal as tourist destinations and improve the quality of life for both locals and visitors. This shift in perspective is the result of a research project conducted at the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, which explores the use of hospitality as a broader concept of welcoming and inclusive urban spaces.
The cities are focusing on enhancing visitor experiences, cultural offerings, and infrastructure support to create inviting and accessible urban environments.
Nuremberg, for instance, is preserving and promoting its rich cultural heritage, including the medieval Old Town and historical sites like Kaiserburg Castle and the Nuremberg Trials Memorial. This heritage-focused hospitality enhances the city's identity as a welcoming cultural hub, attracting tourists and locals alike through well-preserved public spaces and efficient transport infrastructure such as pedestrian-friendly zones and extensive public transit networks.
Ingolstadt, on the other hand, leverages its automotive and military history, with attractions like the Audi Forum and Bavarian Army Museum, to create a hospitable environment that combines cultural engagement and modern urban convenience. Hotels such as the Maritim Hotel Ingolstadt support this concept by providing comfortable, centrally located accommodation combined with amenities that meet the needs of visitors and residents.
Augsburg has not been detailed extensively in the search results concerning urban hospitality strategies, but given its role as a historical Bavarian city with vibrant cultural and commercial activities, it likely adopts similar principles by investing in welcoming infrastructure and services.
The research project at the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt frames hospitality beyond hotel services—towards urban planning that includes accessible cultural sites, diverse commercial offerings, efficient transport, and comfortable public spaces that make cities feel welcoming to various populations, including tourists, residents, and business travelers. This holistic hospitality perspective aims to enhance urban quality of life and economic attractiveness.
The project, funded by the Bavarian Center for Tourism, was initiated in September 2023 and lasted approximately 1.5 years. The participatory structure of the project, with urban planners and tourism officials involved from the beginning, is hoped to be beneficial for the cities to implement the project's results.
Ingolstadt, in particular, sees potential in becoming an interesting tourist city by making its history and transformation visible. A common goal of the project is a culture of quality of life, with boundaries between tourists and locals blurring. The project team collaborated with IFG Ingolstadt, represented by Valentin Herbold, in Ingolstadt.
The "ecosystem of hospitality" model, which combines spatial development for tourists and locals, was the basis for the project. The synthesis workshop at the KU's Zukunftscampus in Ingolstadt's Georgianum brought together results from all three cities.
In times of tight municipal finances, it's important for tourism to think beyond just attractions and consider tourism themes as voluntary and secondary. Tourism is not an add-on in urban development, but rather a facilitating factor for various offers, according to Felix Hiemeyer.
The common insight from all three regional workshops was the need to consider cities not just in terms of functions, but atmosphere, for more quality of life. The cities are integrating water into playgrounds and parks, facilitating year-round access to public gardens, and supplementing static information boards on historical buildings with virtual reality applications to create a more engaging and welcoming urban experience.
In conclusion, the cities of Ingolstadt, Augsburg, and Nuremberg are transforming their urban spaces to be more inviting, accessible, and engaging, with a focus on promoting their unique histories and cultures. This approach not only boosts tourism but also enhances the quality of life for locals, making these cities more attractive and livable for all.
[1] https://www.nuremberg.de/ [3] https://www.ingolstadt-tourismus.de/ [4] https://www.maritim.com/hotels/deutschland/bayern/ingolstadt/hotel-maritim-ingolstadt/
The cities are incorporating home-and-garden elements into their urban spaces, such as integrating water into playgrounds and parks, and supplementing static information boards with virtual reality applications, to create a more engaging lifestyle for residents and tourists.
By providing comfortable accommodation combined with amenities that cater to various needs, hotels like the Maritim Hotel Ingolstadt play a crucial role in supporting the cities' broader hospitality strategy of enhancing the quality of life.
