The German National Tourist Board has been named winner of the TOP 100 Innovator Award for its use of digital solutions such as its Artificial Intelligence chatbot and Augmented Reality filter.

The TOP 100 Innovator Award has grown into Germany’s most prestigious prize for innovation among small- and medium-sized enterprises since it launched in 1993. Award judges analysed more than 100 innovations from across five sectors this year, as GNTB claimed the Category B title for companies with between 51 and 200 employees.

“We are very proud of the progress we have made in innovative travel content and delighted our commitment as a pacemaker for the tourism industry is being recognised,” said Yamina Sofo, Director of Sales and Marketing, GCC. “Germany has many attractive locations and we believe that highlighting them through our comprehensive communication channels will inspire tourists as restrictions change in the coming months.”

GNTB launched the chatbot component on the website Germany.travel and Facebook account, providing visitor general information regarding various sites and cities around the country, as well as updated travel guidelines and an artificial intelligence chatbot.

To maintain engagement with international travellers during the Covid-19 pandemic, the tourist board also introduced an interactive AR filter on Facebook, providing users the chance to virtually visit a host of castles, palaces, and other historical sites. Winner of the 2021 German Brand Award, the AR tool’s informative content and interactive format impressed the judges.

The introduction of digital market insight webinars further strengthened GNTB’s entry. The webinars, designed to share market research information and provide expert contributions and specific knowledge on overcoming tourism challenges posed by the pandemic, have proved popular among industry insiders.