New head of tourism

Looking ahead with a “clear head”, looking back “in peace”

The new Tourism Director Marie-Louise Schnurpfeil with her predecessor Georg Steiner.

(Bild: Markus Wenzel)

Marie-Louise Schnurpfeil is the new woman at the helm of Linz Tourismus. She knows exactly what she wants. The "Krone" met the new boss and her predecessor Georg Steiner, who arrived from Bavaria in 2007, for an interview. A look ahead and a look back.

With Marie-Louise Schnurpfeil, Linz Tourism now has a woman in charge for the first time. Someone who knows exactly what she wants. And one who will immerse herself in all topics to see how she will play out the next five years.

"OÖ Krone":What was your first thought when you saw the much-discussed "Linz is Linz" video for the first time in summer 2021?
Marie-Louise Schnurpfeil: I had to watch it more than once. At first, it was very surprising, but the second or third time I watched it, I admired the courage and would have absolutely encouraged Georg if he had shown it to me beforehand.

What did you like about the multi-award-winning commercial?
Linz was simply portrayed in an authentic way. The fact that it became such a topic at all was simply the way in which the finger was put into the DNA of the people of Linz. And that was probably the aim behind it. The bottom line is that it worked.

As a tourism director, you have to live locally, anything else wouldn't make sense. I already live in Linz, but I still have to move my bike next. As soon as the weather permits, I'll be out exploring on two wheels.

Marie-Louise Schnurpfeil

The current campaign is "Planet Linz".
We'll continue to play it in 2023. Because we simply see that not everything has been told yet. Planet Linz still has a lot of facets and a lot of details that are worth showing in the sequel.

Experts say: The new truth in tourism is value creation, no longer overnight stays. How do you see that?
Against all better judgment, the Tourism Association 2023 continues to be measured massively and centrally in terms of overnight stays. And that is no longer acceptable to me. I object to the fact that we are seen purely as a tourism association. Because we have become a much stronger network agency or interface between the players - also due to Covid.

About the person

Marie-Louise Schnurpfeil, born in Steyr on April 11, 1984, studied tourism management and leisure economics with a focus on sports and cultural tourism in Krems. Her diploma thesis entitled "European Capital of Culture 2009 - An industrial city and its changing destination image on the way to becoming the European Capital of Culture" dealt with her current place of work. The likeable 38-year-old, who has been in charge of the Pyhrn-Priel Tourist Board since 2018, speaks six languages.

In September last year, you prevailed in the hearing. How have you prepared for the new job since then?
It was important to me that I could make a clean handover in my previous job. My preparation was actually a very consistent cut - with the attempt to clear my head as much as possible for the new task. In this role, I will certainly benefit from the fact that I have all the systemic knowledge from the tourism landscape in Upper Austria.

What will change under you as Linz Tourism Director?
I have given myself this 100-day timeframe to immerse myself in all the issues. So I haven't quite reached the time target yet. But I can't shake the basic pillars. The triumvirate of industry, nature and culture is set for me. Of course, I will look at how I prepare the 5-year cycle that I am allowed to cover. The topic of digitalization is also important to me, but with a very pragmatic view. What will be needed in 2023, but where do we also need to return to analog means?

The interview with Georg Steiner
In 2007, he came from Bavaria to finally get the city ready for the Capital of Culture year. Georg Steiner philosophizes about his beginnings, but also the dispute with the mayor of Linz

"OÖ Krone":Can you still remember your first day at work as Linz's tourism director?
Georg Steiner: Of course. It was April 14, 2007, and I also had a six-week transition phase. The first person to rush in with an appointment back then was Thomas Ziegler.

Would you classify "Linz 09" as the highlight of your almost 16-year term of office?
Yes. The Capital of Culture year was of course the linchpin. Even for my successor, who wrote her thesis on the subject.

After 16 years, I can say: 'The way I'm leaving the place, what more could I have achieved? We have sown some seeds that have not yet sprouted, but there is still a lot in the ground that can sprout.

Georg Steiner

Did people back home understand why you were going to Austria?
I had to listen to questions like "Why is he going to Linz of all places?" or "What does he want there?". It just appealed to me at the time. What's more, there were already much more solid structures in place in Upper Austria for tourism work. Before that, I worked in Eastern Bavaria. It was an association with 53 municipalities and 16 districts, where I had to deal with local politicians all day long, and they all had the philosophy that if you put two euros in the cigarette machine at the top, I don't expect a packet at the bottom, but a carton to come out. That 350 times a year got on my nerves at some point. Looking back, it was a good decision.

About the person

Georg Steiner, born on March 10, 1958 in Gerzen, Germany, studied business administration at Regensburg University of Applied Sciences before earning his professional spurs as tourism director for the city of Passau. He then became an authorized signatory of the Danube shipping company Wurm und Köck, before becoming Managing Director of the East Bavarian Tourism Association. Since 2007, he has been working as tourism director in Linz. Steiner has been politically active in his home town of Passau for many years, serving as a city councillor under the banner of the CSU.

But would you actually do everything the same again?
Manfred Grubauer and I had 16 years of continuity, and we were able to implement concepts that not everyone immediately understood. It wasn't that there were a lot of thigh-slappers, but rather a high level of skepticism. It was a very turbulent time, especially around Linz 09. We were also criticized a lot, but at the end of the day you have to say: we polished up Linz's image and positioned it really well. There are also measurable figures for this.

The relationship with Mayor Klaus Luger was shattered because of the Linz video. Has that changed in the meantime?
At the time, there was a myth that the mayor hadn't been shown the video. His entire entourage saw it at the time. I said I'd like to show it to him myself, but if he's not there, please prepare him for it. And that didn't happen. Although it was probably for the best in the end, because if I had shown it to him, his reaction would probably have been "over my dead body". He later told me in an appointment that everything I do is "oldschool". But I give him credit for congratulating me on my birthday and the successes we've had. All in all, the situation was not pleasant, but we have found peace.