Cologne has appointed Stephanie Kleine Klausing as Chief Executive Officer of the Cologne Tourist Board, effective 1 April 2026. She brings nearly two decades of experience inside the organisation, having joined in 2008 and held a series of management roles spanning both operational and strategic functions.
Her appointment signals a deliberate shift in direction. The board is moving away from growth-at-all-costs tourism toward a model that weighs the needs of Cologne’s residents alongside those of its visitors.
Residents at the centre
Kleine Klausing has placed the concept of living space at the heart of her strategy. The approach treats tourism development as a branch of urban development, asking which visitors Cologne should target, which offers suit the city’s character, and how tourism can actively support local quality of life rather than strain it.
Sustainability, a well-kept cityscape and respectful coexistence between guests and residents are central to the vision. The board’s guiding principle, she says, is qualitative development rather than maximum growth.
“Tourism cannot be an end in itself. It must be aligned towards the needs of the city and create measurable added value — economically, socially and culturally,” said Stephanie Kleine Klausing, Chief Executive Officer of the Cologne Tourist Board.
Olympics ambition drives sports tourism push
One of the most forward-looking elements of the new strategy is a stronger focus on sports tourism, driven in part by a possible bid by CologneRhineRuhr to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2036, 2040 or 2044. Cologne already hosts numerous national and international sporting events and has established infrastructure and experienced organisers in place.
The board wants to position Cologne more clearly as a high-performance sports city, with an eye not only on major one-off events but also on recurring formats, sustainable use of facilities and increased international visibility.
Culture, conferences and the creative scene
The strategy also targets Cologne’s standing as a congress and conference destination. The board plans to sharpen the city’s profile in the meetings, incentives, conventions and events sector, emphasising its central European location, short internal distances and close ties between science, business and industry.
Culture and the independent arts scene are given equal weight. Kleine Klausing defines cultural diversity as a key location factor, not merely an attraction for visitors but a living part of the city that makes Cologne distinctive. She has committed to regular dialogue with local cultural stakeholders to protect existing structures and open new opportunities.
“The Cologne Tourist Board acts as a bridge between the city’s residents, the business sector, cultural institutions, policymakers and visitors. Tourism is created through teamwork,” said Stephanie Kleine Klausing.
A board that shapes, not just markets
Kleine Klausing frames the Cologne Tourist Board’s role as something broader than destination marketing. She describes it as a shaper of how tourism develops across the city and a link connecting society, business, politics, culture and the wider partner network.
Her four priority areas for 2026 are the living space concept, MICE development, culture and the independent arts scene, and sports tourism. She has described them not as isolated measures but as parts of a single coherent approach aimed at making tourism a sustainable economic force that delivers value to the city from the inside out.
Photo Credit: Axel Schulten
