«Sometimes e-guma remembers the needs we expressed four years ago even better than we do ourselves.»
Anyone looking to discover the Zurich Oberland can use the Zürioberland Voucher as an easy way to experience the diversity of the region. Whether it’s a cosy restaurant, an excursion, a hotel stay or regional specialities – one voucher provides access to around 60 experiences while also giving the numerous partner businesses greater visibility.
The voucher is managed by Standortförderung Zürioberland (SZO), an association with around 430 members from business, culture, tourism and public authorities. Since launching the voucher in 2019, SZO has relied on e-guma for the sale, management and redemption of its regional voucher.
In this interview, Mirjam Wüthrich, Head of Tourism, explains why personal interaction was a key factor, how the voucher has developed over the years and why the continuous development of e-guma provides significant added value for the organisation.
to the voucher shop to the event shop to the interviewZürioberland Regional Development facts
is a vibrant business location and an attractive place to live. Innovative companies, a diverse range of cultural and leisure activities, excellent public infrastructure and beautiful recreational areas all come together here.
from the worlds of gastronomy, culture and sport
at the organisation’s office
Voucher and ticketing system with online shops for vouchers and events
With its focus on business, regional products, culture & society and tourism, SZO is committed to making the Zurich Oberland an attractive, liveable and competitive region.
We appreciate the way e-guma is constantly evolving. Since 2019, numerous integrations have been added, simplifying processes for many businesses.
Interview with Mirjam Wüthrich, Head of Tourism
The Zurich Oberland and the idea behind the voucher
Mirjam, could you briefly introduce Standortförderung Zürioberland?
«SZO is an association with around 430 members from business, culture, tourism and public authorities. Our goal is to create an attractive, liveable and competitive Zurich Oberland where different sectors work together.
The Zürioberland Voucher is specifically aimed at leisure visitors to the region. It can be used exclusively for activities, experiences and at selected retailers offering certified regional products.»
If you had to describe the success of your regional voucher in one sentence, what would it be?
«60 experiences with one voucher.»
What would your partner businesses miss if the voucher no longer existed tomorrow?
«A platform that provides visibility and generates monthly revenue.»
Initial situation and implementation
How did you manage vouchers in the past?
«We launched the Zürioberland Voucher directly with e-guma in 2019. From a technical perspective, the implementation went very smoothly. What took a little more time was finding a high-quality physical version of the voucher suitable for sending by post.
Before that, we had also worked with other products, such as a gourmet pass in the form of a physical stamp card. Once redeemed, participating businesses issued their own invoices. That system also worked perfectly well. With e-guma, however, there is no longer any need for businesses to issue invoices. We have also noticed that purely physical products are much less popular with guests today.»
Why did you choose e-guma?
«One of our members recommended e-guma to us. We compared the solution with other providers. In the end, the company’s proximity, the conditions and the personal interaction were the deciding factors.»
How did the implementation of the system go?
«We received close support throughout the implementation. The technical side was up and running quickly. The greater challenge was coordinating with the businesses interested in participating.
Together, we assessed whether smartphone redemption would also be practical for businesses with frequently changing checkout staff. We also identified which businesses did not have sufficiently reliable Wi-Fi and where additional support was needed to ensure information was communicated internally.
We particularly appreciate the fact that e-guma is continuously evolving. Since 2019, numerous integrations have been added that simplify processes for many businesses. There are now even straightforward solutions for self-service offers.»
Development and collaboration
How have sales developed since the launch?
«Sales fluctuated during the coronavirus years. Since 2023, however, they have been growing steadily. Our rebranding in 2022 and the reorganisation that took place at the same time certainly contributed to this, as they also gave the voucher a more premium appearance.»
Were there any concerns among the partner businesses?
«Many businesses now also use e-guma for their own vouchers. This means they can redeem both their own vouchers and the Zürioberland Voucher through the same account.
We still see the greatest potential among museums. They are often already involved in many different initiatives and frequently work with volunteers or changing staff.»
Has your collaboration with the partner businesses changed?
«Our main task today is to keep our partners informed about new integrations, reporting options and updated instructions. This ensures that the voucher remains top of mind even for businesses where it is redeemed less frequently.»
Results and added value
What has surprised you most since the implementation?
«When we launched, we couldn’t have anticipated how e-guma would evolve. The fact that the system is continuously developed and new features are constantly being added is extremely valuable to us.»
What do you consider the greatest added value of e-guma?
«The support is fast, personal and professional. e-guma listens to individual needs and takes them on board. Sometimes e-guma remembers the needs we expressed four years ago even better than we do ourselves.»
Are there any developments you are particularly proud of?
«Today, we hardly need to convince our members to participate in the Zürioberland Voucher anymore. Many approach us proactively or respond very quickly and enthusiastically when we invite businesses to participate.»
Buyers and usage
Who mainly buys the voucher?
«Around 45% of sales come from private individuals, 25% from companies and 20% from associations, organisations and public-sector institutions. We use the remaining 10% ourselves for gifts, marketing and sponsorship activities.»
Are there typical seasonal peaks?
«Yes. Sales are particularly strong during Advent and at the end of the year. As the Zürioberland Voucher can also be used for the summer-season ‘Bade(s)pass’ swimming pass, April around Easter is another strong sales period. The end of the school year in June also has a positive impact.»
Which redemption locations are particularly popular?
«That depends greatly on how actively a business promotes its participation in the Zürioberland Voucher. If stickers or posters clearly show that the voucher is accepted, it tends to be redeemed more frequently there.
The voucher is particularly popular in gastronomy and hospitality, and somewhat less frequently used for cultural experiences. This also reflects the composition of our overall offering.»
Marketing
How do you promote the regional voucher?
«We promote it through our brochures, our magazine and our online shop for regional products. This is complemented by social media as well as stickers and posters at our partner businesses.»
Which marketing channels work particularly well?
«The more personal, the better. Word of mouth is the most valuable channel for us, followed by personalised mailings. Social media is particularly effective for reaching new target groups and informing people about new partner businesses or offers.»
Do you see a snowball effect?
«We believe so. Many people who receive the voucher as a gift later go on to give one as a gift themselves. However, this is difficult to prove conclusively.»
Looking ahead
How would you like to further develop the regional voucher?
«At the moment, our focus is on further developing the content and expanding the range with additional attractive experiences.»
Recommendations for other regions
What advice would you give other tourism organisations?
«For guests, it is important to have a high-quality product in their hands. It is worth investing a little more in this. When it comes to members, ongoing communication and actively involving participating businesses are crucial to success.»
Why would you choose e-guma again?
«Because of the excellent support, the personal collaboration and the continuous, customer-oriented development of the system.»
Would you recommend e-guma to other businesses?
«Absolutely. The entire system—from product management and sales through to voucher redemption and settlement—is thoughtfully designed from A to Z.»
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