History

In 1904, today's Harz Montain Tourist Board was founded under the name Harz Transport Association. It originated from the booming travel industry at the turn of the century. This was favoured on the one hand by the rapid expansion of rail transport, and on the other by the discoveries about the special effects of the different healing climates. After the rail network was connected to the major cities, the Harz could initially only partially benefit from the growing desire to travel and suffered from competition with other regional recreational areas, which advertised themselves intensively with brochures and posters.

During his travels, the ducal bathing commissioner Ernst Dommes from Bad Harzburg also noticed that the Harz region was still little known due to a lack of “propaganda”. So, in December 1903, he suggested in a letter to his colleagues a meeting that should focus on the joint promotion of the region. The stated goal “(...) that a similar ‘general’ advertising campaign should be initiated for the Harz as well, with the special interests of individual towns naturally having to be excluded from the outset ...” motivated around 50 representatives from Harz towns to gather in Goslar on 5 January 1904 for a first preliminary meeting. Dommes’ proposal to establish an association for general promotion met with great approval. At the same time, a working committee was formed to prepare the founding of the association and to define its field of work.

On 3 March 1904, this committee invited participants to a decision-making general assembly in Bad Lauterberg. As a result, the founding of the “Harzer Verkehrsverband” (HVV) was sealed, Bad Harzburg was chosen as the location of the office, and bathing commissioner Dommes was unanimously elected as the first chairman. With immediate effect, 25 towns declared their membership.

In the first years after its founding, the association’s work focused mainly on publishing promotional materials such as “Journey through the Harz” or the “Blue Harz Guide”, as well as developing railway and bus connections to the Harz. During the war years 1914–1918, the association’s work was adapted to the circumstances. Under the slogan “Healing and relaxation in the Harz”, promotional activities continued. At that time, the association had to deal intensively with supply shortages caused by the war.

After the Harz region had been divided for 40 years, the border finally opened in November 1989. The border facilities were first crossed on 11 November 1989 in Eckertal. On 3 December of the same year, the people “forced” the opening of the Brocken, probably the most symbolic place of the German division.

Shortly afterwards, the first contacts were made between the association’s management and the tourism partners from the eastern part of the Harz. The unity was soon to be reflected in the brochures as well. In the main catalogue “Harz Holiday” of 1990, the eastern part was already presented on several special pages.

In February of that year, partners from this area had the chance for the first time to present themselves under the HVV umbrella at the Reisen Hamburg fair. In March 1991, at its extraordinary general meeting, the HVV elected a new board made up of representatives from both the East and West Harz. The new brand identity consisted of the slogan “THE HARZ – always on top” and a mountain contour of the low mountain range. This design appeared on all HVV publication covers until 2003. The following years were characterised by close cooperation and a comprehensive marketing portfolio. Thanks to the reliable financial support from the federal states, the association was able to carry out numerous and high-quality marketing activities. In 1996, the first electronic booking system was introduced. In 1997, the first TUI regional catalogue for the Harz was published – a medium that, to this day, is still produced together with Germany’s largest tour operator and remains unique in its kind. In 1998, the HVV’s first website went online at www.harzinfo.de.

Stagnating overnight stays, overlapping areas of responsibility among the associations active in the Harz region, and criticism of the structure and working methods of the HVV – these were the reasons that sparked a broad structural debate among the board members in 2008/2009. As a result – and after examining various alternatives – the Harz Transport Association and the Harz Regional Association were placed under a common management. The Harz Support Circle (HFK), which had existed until then, was dissolved. The most important area of activity of the HFK, the responsibility for the product brand “Typical Harz”, was transferred to the HVV. The internal structures of the Harz Transport Association were made more efficient. The board was reduced by half. The marketing department was separated into an independent unit and has since been managed by a committee of 11 heads. Other marketing topics are handled in so‑called pools. The name change to “Harzer Tourismusverband” (HTV) was also an expression of this restructuring and reorientation.

In 2010, the marketing concept was consequently revised, and a new corporate design (CD) was developed. Based on this, the association has implemented numerous new, creative, and partly unconventional marketing activities. Especially in the online segment and in campaign work, marketing has achieved significant attention for the Harz in recent years. In 2013, the members’ assembly of the HTV adopted a new contribution scheme with a large majority. This prevented the financial decline of the association and placed tourism marketing on a solid economic foundation for the coming years.

After more than 100 years, the association looks back on a varied history full of setbacks and successes. Today, the Harz and the HTV – under a newly developed corporate design – form a united entity that stands internally for regional cohesion and externally for the most beautiful tourism region in the heart of Germany.