Petition launched

Relaunch of the logo: Gams dispute divides Kitzbühel

Rasmushof landlady Signe Reisch presents the petition(Bild: Berger Hubert)

The well-known, iconic Gams logo created by Alfons Walde has been relaunched by Kitzbühel Tourismus. Landlady Signe Reisch has been fighting to preserve the original ever since.

A good five months after its presentation, the new Kitzbühel logo is still causing quite a stir on two fronts in the Gamsstadt. As a reminder: after 50 years, the old Gams logo, which was created by the world-famous painter Alfons Walde, has been modernized. During this redesign, the lower part of the "ruminating alpine horn bearer" was cut off, which has caused massive criticism ever since.

"We want the original Kitzbühel chamois back," demands prominent Rasmushof boss Signe Reisch, herself a former long-time chairwoman of Kitzbühel Tourismus. The new "truncated" chamois is the wrong signal. The money for the brand relaunch, the costs of which are a secret (but run into the millions), would have been better spent on other measures to get a grip on declining overnight stays, argued the resolute landlady yesterday at a press conference that took place in the Rasmushof with a lot of media interest.

The new Kitzbühel logo.(Bild: Kitzbühel Tourismus)

She explained her displeasure with the current tourism situation in more detail: "The number of full occupancy days fell from 135 to 120 by 2023 and Kitzbühel Tourism was the leader in value creation in Tyrol until 2019, now we are in second place behind the Achensee region."

The old Kitzbühel logo. Over 4000 people want it back.(Bild: Hubert Berger)

As part of this information to the media, she also presented the result of the online petition she had started for the preservation of the well-known Kitz logo. A total of 4337 people from Kitzbühel and its immediate surroundings (Reith, Jochberg, Aurach, with vacation guests also reaching for their pens) ultimately signed the petition, which Signe Reisch will now hand over to the supervisory board of Kitzbühel Tourismus.

Naturally, Kitzbühel Tourismus takes the opinions of its members and guests seriously.

Viktoria Veider-Walser, Geschäftsführerin von Kitzbühel Tourismus

Veider-Walser defends the relaunch of the brand
Viktoria Veider-Walser, Managing Director of Kitzbühel Tourismus, emphasizes to the "Tiroler Krone": "Of course Kitzbühel Tourismus takes the opinions of its members and guests seriously. Basically, the petition made by Ms. Reisch confirms the decision and investment of the Supervisory Board this June to secure the full rights to the Walde-Gams for Kitzbühel and, above all, for future generations." The summer season to date, on the other hand, has left tourism managers less than satisfied, Veider-Walser also reports, as overnight stays were down 2.3 percent overall from May to September.

This summer (May to September), 380,042 overnight stays were recorded in Kitzbühel Tourismus accommodation establishments, compared to 396,638 overnight stays in the same period in the 2023 summer season.