Bern-Netzwerk Interview: Kambly and Gurten

Jan and Martin, until recently you didn’t know each other – and now you’re working together. How did that come about?

Martin: We first met in person at the Bern-Vernetzer workshop at the Kornhauskeller. It quickly became clear that we should meet again for a more in-depth exchange, since we have very similar target audiences. I then visited the newly redesigned Kambly Erlebnis in Trubschachen for the first time, and we discovered a lot of shared touchpoints. For me, any collaboration needs to deliver a clear benefit for both sides.

Jan: That’s right – having families as a shared target group was definitely a key factor. We also enjoy working with partners that have a wider reach and can attract strong visitor flows. Through our platforms, we can create synergies – supported by the fact that our destinations are relatively close to each other. That makes it possible to visit both Gurten and Kambly Erlebnis on the same day. And of course, the personal connection is essential too – and so is the balance between effort and benefit.

You mention similar target groups as a reason for your collaboration. How can you join forces and complement each other without cannibalising your offers?

Jan: I’m quite relaxed about that. A family doesn’t want to go to the Gurten every weekend – just like they don’t visit the Kambly Erlebnis every week. People are always looking for variety. So if we can be visible through each other’s platforms, that helps both of us.

Martin: I fully agree – that competitive mindset is outdated. I believe that providers with similar audiences can absolutely collaborate, and both benefit when they offer each other visibility and presence on-site.

You talk about visibility – is that the main goal? What does your collaboration look like in practice?

Jan: At the moment, it’s a very loose cooperation – more of an exchange of marketing and communication platforms. We display each other’s brochures and take part in each other’s spring festivals on site. There, we offer a small activity or experience for our target audience. We’re starting with these small steps and seeing what develops from there.

Martin: It would be a mistake to aim for a joint product right at the start of a collaboration. This kind of gradual approach is a good beginning. What’s important now is to continue exchanging ideas and to regularly assess whether we want to keep going as we are or move to a more integrated level of cooperation. It’s also fascinating to learn how an established player like Kambly operates: how they address families, what marketing activities they plan, and so on.

Jan: The exchange of experience is always valuable. There’s almost always something you can take away for yourself and your work. That’s also why we’re part of the Bern-Vernetzer – to connect and share ideas at the workshops. In the first year, I felt there was a push to create joint products at all costs. But for me, it’s much more important to focus on meeting new people and gradually building partnerships based on synergies.

Our goal is to strengthen the competitiveness of the destination Bern by encouraging cooperation and joint product development. Does the Bern Network with its Bern-Vernetzer members live up to that ambition?

Jan: As service providers, we rely on a strong destination. Our success depends directly on the strength and potential of the destination. This is where hotels come into play – their goal is to generate overnight stays, and we can support that by offering attractive complementary programmes. This interaction should be promoted even more. In the end, a network is only as strong as the people in it.

Martin: I completely agree. We shouldn’t aim to be the only player in the market – that’s not the reality, and it never will be. What really matters is that the destination Bern is strong and offers a wide range of experiences to set itself apart from others. As service providers, we should see ourselves as a whole, not as competitors. Sometimes the other has more success, sometimes we do – and that’s OK.

Many thanks to Martin and Jan for these valuable insights. We’re very much looking forward to starting the next Bern Network year together.