Tourism Heroes 2026: Those who go the extra mile for the Swabian Alb
If you want to achieve more than the expected in tourism, you have to be willing to go the extra mile. It is precisely this special commitment that is the focus of the “Tourism Heroes 2026” award, with which Schwäbische Alb Tourismus (SAT) honors people and institutions that are developing the Swabian Alb region with passion, responsibility, and new ideas.
The tourism heroes stand for commitment that goes beyond their own tasks. They want to help preserve the cultural heritage of the Swabian Alb, develop it in line with modern times, and make it accessible to guests and locals alike. At the award ceremony, State Secretary Dr. Patrick Rapp from the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labor, and Tourism praised this commitment with a welcoming speech and personally presented the certificates to the nominees. In doing so, he emphasized the importance of tourism as a mainstay for regions such as the Swabian Alb.
UNESCO Geopark Swabian Alb named Tourism Hero 2026
This year, the UNESCO Global Geopark Swabian Alb was also honored as Tourism Hero 2026 in the category of leisure and travel industry/destinations for the Swabian Alb landscape. This recognition is primarily for the continuous educational and outreach work with which the geopark makes geological and cultural features understandable and attractively accessible. The Discovery Card and the Cave Explorer Card, which have been firmly established among tourists from Baden-Württemberg and beyond for years, play a central role in this.
The discovery map, available in German and English, provides a clear overview of special places, geotopes, and themes in the UNESCO Geopark. It invites visitors to explore the landscape independently and discover connections between nature, history, and culture. It is supplemented by the cave explorer map for children, which introduces young explorers to the fascinating world of caves in a playful way and imparts knowledge in an age-appropriate manner.
Tourism as a strong pillar of the country
The Tourism Heroes award highlights the importance of committed stakeholders for the further development of tourism. At this year's CMT, Europe's largest public trade fair for tourism and leisure, 79 individuals and teams were honored for their outstanding achievements in the tourism industry in Baden-Württemberg.
Tourism is considered a key economic sector and shapes entire regions both economically and culturally. After Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg is the second strongest federal state in terms of overnight stays.
Further information: Tourism heroes
