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Immerse yourself in the dynamic history and common goals that have been connecting Erfurt, Jena, Weimar and Weimarer Land since 1999.

  • State capital Erfurt

    Erfurt is the largest city in Thuringia with around 215,000 inhabitants and is the state’s economic and administrative centre. At the foot of the ensemble of the cathedral and Severi church, present-day life pulsates in the unique historical backdrop of one of the largest mediaeval city centres in Germany.

    This fusion of the past and future also characterises everyday life in the city. The university of applied science and new university as well as the Federal Labour Court continue the tradition as an intellectual, cultural centre. The economic structure is shaped by traditional industries such as food, mechanical engineering, construction and horticulture as well as the young industries logistics, telecommunications, software development, microelectronics, photovoltaics and microsystems technology. The media industry is developing around the MDR public broadcaster and the children’s channel KI.KA. Erfurt is a city of children’s media.

    Erfurt has always been a transport hub. The international airport and ICE train station connect Thuringia with the world. Its tradition as a commercial city is also being continued. Erfurt is the state’s centre for shopping. The catchment area of Messe Erfurt with capacity for events with up to 12,500 participants extends beyond the borders of Thuringia.

  • Weimar City of Culture

    Weimar is an important and charming city that used to have a royal court. With its 65,000 inhabitants, the smallest Capital of Culture in Europe and UNESCO city not only offers cultural highlights through its numerous museums, the German National Theatre, and the art festival, but also economic and scientific incentives. For years, Weimar has been a magnet for visitors and is one of the ten most popular congress cities in Germany.

    Weimar’s main industry sectors include construction technology, mechanical and plant engineering, metal processing and the media and creative industries. Regional expert networks work in the fields of chemicals/plastics and the food industry.

    And Weimar is growing: more and more people want to live here. In addition to the excellent “soft location factors”, the broad range of educational offers from day care centres to comprehensive schools and grammar schools as well as the so far only international school in Thuringia, the University of Music FRANZ LISZT and the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar are also important considerations. Clearly in its favour: the excellent infrastructure with direct links to the A4 motorway, the central location between Erfurt and Jena and the Erfurt - Weimar airport.

  • Jena City of Light

    The most comprehensive education on offer in Thuringia, the Thuringian University and State Library, a modern university hospital and 22,000 students – the Friedrich Schiller University is the heart of the city of Jena. Together with the university of applied sciences and internationally renowned institutes for applied research, it is part of the high-calibre Jena education and science landscape.

    This lively research network, based on the industrial tradition founded by Carl Zeiss, Ernst Abbe and Otto Schott, forms the basis for the city’s dynamic economic development. In addition to the technology group Jenoptik and the companies Zeiss and Schott, a large number of young, pioneering companies in the optics, biotechnology, medical technology, laser and sensor technology and microsystem technology sectors today represent the city’s positive future prospects.

    Jena also offers the approximately 110,000 inhabitants and visitors an extensive range of art and culture that attracts international attention with the Jena Philharmonic, the Theaterhaus and the “Kulturarena” music festival. The charming surroundings with biodiverse nature and an attractive contrast of steep shell limestone slopes and the floodplains of the River Saale complement the Jena location.

  • Weimarer Land district

    The Weimarer Land district has about 83,000 inhabitants and is the region’s green link. The district town of Apolda is the heart of the district as the administrative centre with 23,000 inhabitants. Due to its topography and the A4 motorway, which runs through it, the district is divided into three parts.

    The northern part is agricultural because of its good soils and large flat areas. The south invites tourists and those looking for relaxation to spend a while in its gentle, wooded hills and the Mittleres Ilmtal nature reserve. The northernmost wine-growing region of Germany, the Tuscany of the East, spa facilities and healing springs containing iron and iodine have made the region around Apolda and Bad Sulza well-known far beyond the state’s borders. Offers such as the Kunsthaus Apolda or the European Design Award contribute to raising the “Region Erfurt-Weimar-Jena-Weimarer Land” profile.

    The Weimarer Land district, which used to be shaped by agriculture, the craft industry and, in the Apolda area, the knitting industry, has seen a large variety of industries settle here successfully since 1990, especially in the areas of metal, food and plastic. Centrally located, easily accessible commercial and industrial areas ready for immediate development are available in sufficient numbers in the developed commercial areas at moderate costs.

  • Erfurt Tourismus und Marketing GmbH

    Erfurt Tourismus und Marketing GmbH (ETMG) is the official tourism promotion organisation in the state capital Erfurt. Its business areas include:

    • Organising city tours and tour guides
    • Booking rooms at hotels, bed and breakfasts, and with private landlords
    • Package deals, group travel, ticket sales for congresses

     

    The ETMG’s duties also include promoting local tourism as an essential instrument for the economic and urban development of the state capital Erfurt:

    • Positioning the city on the national and international 
 tourism market as a dynamic and friendly state capital, 
 an attractive city destination and conference location
    • Improving tourist services in accordance with the 
 needs of individual guests and the tourism industry
    • Operating Erfurt Tourist Information

     

    The main tasks in city marketing include raising the profile of the city as a traditional and innovative business location, a lively and creative science location and an attractive residential location with flair.

  • Jena Business Development

    The municipal business development company Wirtschaftsförderungsgesellschaft Jena mbH advises and supports all companies at the location on all business matters. The Jena Business Development team is available to large corporations as well as newly founded, small and medium-sized enterprises with a wealth of free services tailored to your needs. As a central point of contact, it works together in close cooperation with the city’s stakeholders to actively create a quality business-friendly environment for the local companies and uses its expertise to contribute to the competitiveness of the companies at the location. The range of services extends from site and real estate brokerage to skilled personnel services and location marketing with classic press and public relations work. It also offers the following services:

    • Location information
    • Advice on subsidies and funding
    • Assistance with planning and approval procedures
    • Business contacts and networks
    • Welcome service
  • weimar GmbH – marketing, congress and tourism company

    weimar GmbH is the city of Weimar’s marketing company. It operates the congress centrum weimarhalle and Tourist Information Weimar as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the city. One of weimar GmbH’s main tasks is tourism marketing for the city and conferences. The range of services includes the following:

    Tourism service:

    • Personal tourist service at Tourist Information Weimar
    • Public, themed city tours and group tours
    • Sale and further development of the weimar card plus
    • Sale and further development of the weimar card plus
    • Sale and further development of the weimar card plus

     

    Congress and events service:

    • Operating the congress centrum weimarhalle as the heart of the 
 congress location
    • Congress service and organising congresses
    • Targeted acquisition of new customers
    • Targeted acquisition of new customers

     

    Marketing/media:

    • Positioning Weimar as a tourist destination in Germany and abroad
    • Publishing all the weimar GmbH publications
    • Developing and expanding all online appearances
    • Trade fairs, workshops, press and study trips
    • Collaborative marketing
  • Weimarer Land Tourismus e.V.

    Weimarer Land Tourismus e.V. was founded in 1990 and currently has 56 members, including municipalities, hosts and tourism companies. The tourism association represents the presentation and marketing of Weimarer Land as a tourism region in Thuringia. With the aim of promoting the tourism industry in Weimarer Land, it bundles the municipal interests of its members and all tourism service providers, ensures the concept design and implementation of a coherent appearance as a regional tourist destination in Thuringia and thus contributes decisively to the design of tourism in Weimarer Land. The association’s other important areas of activity are:

    • Networking its members
    • Advising hosts on service and quality
    • Informing and advising guests of Weimarer Land