The district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a popular destination for hikers and relies heavily on tourism. In order to improve orientation in the region, Zugspitz Region GmbH has launched an extensive and subsidized project that provides for uniform signage with several thousand new signposts. The Murnau-based company Green Solutions is playing a key role in this project as a specialized partner.

Standardized signposts for more orientation and protection

A well-structured waymarking system is of central importance in a hiking region: it helps locals and tourists to reach their destinations, provides useful additional information and makes it possible to direct visitor flows in a targeted manner. The latter is particularly important in order to protect sensitive areas from the negative effects of mass tourism.

Until now, the signposts in the district have been inconsistently designed. Differences in information – sometimes times, sometimes distances in kilometers – often led to confusion. The introduction of a standardized system in accordance with the specifications of the German Alpine Association should now eliminate this “uncontrolled growth”.

Cooperation with Green Solutions

The project is managed by Zugspitz Region GmbH and involves all 14 municipalities in the district, including Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Grainau and the municipalities of the Blaues Land. Green Solutions, an expert in sustainable and efficient solutions, was brought in as a partner to effectively implement the project. “This is a huge win for the region,” explains Sebastian Kramer, Managing Director of Zugspitz Region GmbH. Tourism manager Philipp Holz also emphasizes that the measure makes the district much more hiker-friendly.

Progress and innovation

The signage system will be completed by the end of the year and includes around 4,000 new signs in the Zugspitz region. In addition to building yard employees and trail construction teams, mountain guides will also be deployed to install markings in alpine terrain. The signs contain destination details, distances in the form of times and additional information such as accommodation options and themed trails.

Digital support for greater security

Preparations began back in 2019, including the recording of all locations in a digital database. This not only enables efficient administration, but also offers advantages for safety: the rescue coordination center has access to the register, which can make it easier to search for accident locations.

With the support of Green Solutions, the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen has opted for a modern and sustainable concept that both promotes tourism and protects nature.