"It was an accident"

Burp video causes a stir among tourism professionals

A somewhat different Tirol image film was not intended for the public, but then appeared on Facebook for a short time. What followed was a wave of outrage. Tirol Werbung apologized and explained: "It was an oversight!"

"Social media doesn't forgive anything", Karin Seiler states in an interview with the "Krone". The Managing Director of Tirol Werbung is currently having to explain herself for something that should never have seen the light of day: an image video showing a burping family in the middle of the idyllic Tyrolean mountains.

Tourism experts are not at all pleased
"By mistake" - as Seiler emphasizes - the clip appeared on Facebook for a short time as part of an isolated advertising test. The effect was enormous - but certainly not intended. "Tasteless; an unsuccessful attempt to be funny; an image like that doesn't suit Tyrol" - these are just some of the comments from the industry.

We very much regret this incident. Internal approval management is being reviewed to ensure that this does not happen again.

Karin Seiler, Geschäftsführerin der Tirol Werbung

Bild: Julia Tuertscher

"One of many suggestions"
"The video was one of many suggestions from the agency. However, we rejected it as unsuitable for us. That doesn't correspond to our values," Seiler states. After the oversight became known, the test was stopped on the spot and the video was removed from all Tirol Werbung channels.

Does the oopsie in one of her departments weaken her personally as head of the state tourism organization? Seiler does not think so. But of course she accepts the responsibility to apologize for it.