50 years of REMET: A true success story

From a package tour operator in the early 1970s to an institution for the development of tourism in the MYK leisure and vacation region

REMET has developed the district of Mayen-Koblenz into an award-winning “dream trail district”, making it the best quality hiking region in Europe. Today, 50 years after its foundation, the Rhine-Moselle-Eifel Tourism Association can look back with pride not only on this success story, but also on the entire development and implementation of new tourism concepts for the Mayen-Koblenz leisure and vacation region.

The founding of REMET in 1972 is inextricably linked to the name of Dr. Georg Klinkhammer (1925-2020). “The then District Administrator of the Mayen-Koblenz district had recognized that tourism – as tourism was still called at the time – was not part of the curriculum for administrative officials, but could still be an important source of income for the district,” reports District Administrator Dr Alexander Saftig. For this reason, the former district administrator laid the foundations for a separate organization with trained staff. “We made it clear to people what was possible in tourism and how it could be done,” recalled the former district administrator Dr. Klinkhammer shortly before his death. For him – and he is not alone in this – REMET is a success story. “Back then, we were looked at askance. Today, REMET is a matter of course. I would do it again today.”

REMET’s objectives have hardly changed over the past 50 years:

“The main concerns were and still are to identify trends, generate added value and develop tourism in the Rhine-Moselle-Eifel region in line with the times,” says District Administrator Dr. Saftig. Initially, in the early 1970s, the measures to achieve these goals were certainly very different to those of today. Back then, the years that were often praised as the golden age of tourism were characterized in particular by tour operators who brought special trains full of holidaymakers from the Ruhr region and other conurbations as well as bowling clubs and regulars to the Rhine and Moselle. The guests were often welcomed in the best local tradition by winegrowers’ bands for the weekly program with local and dance evenings, wine hikes and more. Everything was organized down to the last detail. The demand for this package tourism was so great that beds in hotels and guesthouses became scarce during the season.

Showers and toilets in the corridors of the hotels were still the norm back then. District Administrator Klinkhammer provided subsidies for modernization. Many other support programs for hotels and restaurants followed in the years and decades to come. The district and its organizations poured considerable subsidies into the hospitality industry. With success: the hosts followed suit. And over time, the quality continued to improve. In addition, there were successful events such as the Juniper Festival in Langscheid and “Happy Schrumpftal”, which were initiated by REMET and are still held today. Last but not least, the treasures and unique selling points that the region has to offer were highlighted to residents and visitors alike.

REMET’s projects have become increasingly infrastructural and sustainable since the 1990s. “In the mid-1990s, the focus was increasingly on cycle tourism. A cycle tourism network with a length of around 270 kilometers was developed and signposted throughout the state – Mayen-Koblenz was the first district in the state to do so. And it is sustainable,” reports Michael Schwippert, Deputy Managing Director of REMET.

REMET landed a major coup with the premium hiking trails “Traumpfade im Rhein-Mosel-Eifel-Land”:

From 2006, together with the district’s economic development agency (WFG) and, above all, the municipalities and towns as well as 80 volunteers, the different facets and landscapes that the district has to offer from the Rhine to the Moselle and up to the Eifel were bundled into a first-class success project. The result: the dream trails, which REMET knows how to play as a trump card. “With the dream trails, which were successively implemented in three phases in 2008, 2009 and 2010, the district has succeeded in joining the Champions League of hiking regions. Every year, more than 350,000 hikers can be found on the 27 award-winning premium hiking trails of varying degrees of difficulty and lengths between 6.6 and 18.6 kilometers,” emphasizes Michael Schwippert. Along the Rhine, the Traumpfade Höhlen- und Schluchtensteig, Rheingoldbogen, Saynsteig, Streuobstwiesenweg, Waldschluchtenweg and Wolfsdelle trails are a delight. On the Moselle, you will find the hiking dream trails Bergschluchtenpfad Ehrenburg, Bleidenberger Ausblicke, Eltzer Burgpanorama, Hatzenporter Laysteig, Koberner Burgpfad, Pyrmonter Felsensteig and the Schwalberstieg. And in the Eifel region, the Bergheidenweg, Booser Doppelmaartour, Förstersteig, Heidehimmel Volkesfeld, Hochbermeler, Monrealer Ritterschlag, Nette-Schieferpfad, Pellenzer Seepfad, Vier-Berge-Tour, Virne-Burgweg, Vulkanpfad, Wacholderweg, Waldseepfad Rieden and Wanderather dream trails are tempting. The dream trails in the Rhine-Moselle-Eifel region have already won the title of “Germany’s Most Beautiful Hiking Trail” four times: In 2008, the “Virne-Burgweg” dream trail won the coveted title; in 2011, the “Monrealer Ritterschlag” dream trail successfully beat off the competition; in 2013, the “Eltzer Burgpanorama” dream trail took the win in the Mayen-Koblenz district. And in 2015, the eighth year after the start of implementation, the “Traumpfad Pyrmonter Felsensteig” made it to its fourth German championship. For a few years now, 14 premium walking trails – the “Traumpfädchen” – have complemented the extensive hiking portfolio, which can also be experienced and accessed digitally in addition to the district’s other tourist potential. Whether on the remet.de and traumpfade.info websites or via the Traumpfade app, REMET is always keen to provide hiking enthusiasts and potential guests with up-to-date information.

Quality is the be-all and end-all for all REMET projects:

The WFG has made 4 million euros available for a quality offensive in the accommodation and catering sector. It is clear that, following investments in the hiking infrastructure, private hospitality businesses are now following suit and also investing. “The quality concept is working. More than 300 classified accommodations now await guests – from vacation rooms to four-star hotels. In Mayen-Koblenz, there are also a good 40 establishments that have been awarded the ‘Wanderbares Deutschland Quality Host’ seal of approval,” says the deputy managing director of REMET. If you consider that the district started from scratch in terms of star classification, this is an enormous achievement for everyone involved. Spurred on by the success of the dream trails, circular tours for cyclists have also been designed since 2016 with the Rhine-Moselle-Eifel cycle tours.

Other tourist lighthouses that have been realized by the REMET municipalities and shine far beyond the district are the Lava Dome in Mendig and the world’s highest cold water geyser in Andernach. These contribute significantly to the more than 200,000 visitors a year to museums, adventure centers and visitor mines. Equally important visitor magnets in the district are the German knight’s castle Burg Eltz, the cultural park in Sayn, the Sayner Hütte, the two UNESCO World Heritage Sites Limes and Upper Middle Rhine Valley, the Mayen Castle Festival and many more. “They all make a decisive contribution to the fact that tourism has become an important pillar of Mayen-Koblenz’s economic strength,” emphasizes District Administrator Dr. Alexander Saftig. While around 640,000 overnight stays were recorded in the district in 2006, this figure had already risen to around 915,000 in 2019 (and thus before coronavirus). “Guests from near and far generate added value in retail and gastronomy, create and retain local jobs and maintain infrastructure in the district of Mayen-Koblenz,” says the district administrator.

A look into the future of REMET:

REMET is pursuing other forward-looking projects, including the development and implementation of the leckerMYK umbrella brand, which brings locals and guests closer to regional products, authentic offerings, regional identity and wine cuisine. Digital visitor guidance and the creation of digital experiences using applications such as augmented reality are also on the agenda. REMET wants to combine real and virtual worlds and take tourism in MYK to a second, digital level. This will not only appeal to tourists, but also to citizens.

REMET has evolved from the package tour provider of the early 1970s into an institution that significantly promotes tourism development in Mayen-Koblenz, ensures quality, promotes networking, supports and certifies service providers, appeals to target groups and focuses on leisure activities in the district. “Truly a success story,” emphasizes District Administrator Dr. Alexander Saftig.