Successful launch of the nationwide UNESCO visitor survey: 1,000 respondents after two months

The visitor survey in UNESCO World Heritage destinations, conducted in cooperation with UNESCO World Heritage Sites Germany Association (UWD), has started successfully. Within just two months, 1,000 visitors have already been surveyed.

The official launch of the nationwide market research project took place during a digital kick-off event in early February.

Methodologically ambitious: a system for 59 UNESCO destinations

With a methodological approach that accounts for the diverse structures of UNESCO World Heritage destinations and provides destination-specific support throughout the survey process, the visitor survey is currently likely one of the most sophisticated market research projects in German tourism.

The foundation is the Comparative Visitor Monitor (VGM), which has been specifically further developed for the UNESCO survey. The result is a visitor survey system that integrates individually tailored surveys across 59 World Heritage destinations. Visitors can access the survey either via a central entry point or through destination-specific landing pages.

The survey focuses on topics such as travel motivations, information behaviour, sustainability aspects, and the actual visitor experience. Particular emphasis is placed on the role of UNESCO designation in travel decisions and destination perception.

Broad database and scientific quality

The aim is to generate robust results for different types of UNESCO destinations, such as historic town centres, cultural monuments, parks, or natural World Heritage sites.

To validly assess the role of UNESCO designation for each destination, the survey targets all visitors to the respective destinations.

Data collection will take place throughout 2026, primarily as an online survey following the established VGM standard, complemented by selected use of printed questionnaires.

To ensure data quality, measures such as sample control, systematic data checks, and post-survey weighting are applied.

Powerful system architecture

The technical foundation consists of an accessible, multilingual survey tool, a central visitor data system with ongoing data validation, and a user-friendly dashboard.

The dashboard allows for various segmentation analyses, seasonal evaluations, and benchmarking comparisons. In addition, UNESCO-specific analysis and comparison functions have been integrated.

In the future, the collected data will be linked to a broad benchmarking database of up to 1,000 cities and municipalities across Germany, enabling well-founded positioning within the competitive landscape.

Strong project start

The initial phase, with around 1,000 surveyed visitors, demonstrates strong participation and effective outreach to target groups. The survey is supported by local partners who promote participation and, in return, gain access to the results.

Data collection will continue in the coming months, with the goal of building a robust evidence base for the tourism development of UNESCO World Heritage destinations in Germany.

Contact person

Dr Alexandra Partale
Benchmark Services
alexandra.partale@benchmark-services.de
+49 6192 9558436

Further information: https://www.gaeste-zufriedenheit.de/unescobefragung