Press release: GNTB wins Red Dot Design Award for gamification application Grimm’s Quest

Frankfurt am Main, 13 August 2025 – The German National Tourist Board (GNTB) has received the Red Dot Award: Brands & Communication Design 2025 in the Digital Solutions category for its gamification application Grimm’s Quest.

The international Red Dot jury honoured the outstanding design of the GNTB’s project among submissions from companies, design studios and agencies around the world.

The Grimm’s Quest application was developed by the GNTB as part of the campaign marking 50 Years of the German Fairy Tale Route. Its aim is to make the regions along this holiday route virtually accessible to potential travellers to Germany worldwide. Five of the best-known Grimm fairy tales (Little Red Riding Hood, The Frog King, Rapunzel, Snow White, and Hansel and Gretel) have been transformed into digital mini-games.

Petra Hedorfer, Chief Executive Officer of the GNTB, commented: “Digital solutions play a central role in the GNTB’s global marketing. They enable us to reach and inspire new target groups and spark enthusiasm for an actual journey to Germany. These include interactive gaming applications, such as Grimm’s Quest, as well as the use of virtual reality and mixed reality, for example in our new UNESCO app. The worldwide trend towards gamification allows us to present tourism products, such as the Fairy Tale Route, in an attractive way for a gaming-oriented audience and thereby extend our reach.”

Grimm’s Quest invites international travellers to explore the magical settings of the Grimm fairy tales through playful storytelling in a digitally designed environment – emotional, interactive, and with no need to download an app. Specially created 3D fairy-tale characters in papercraft style guide players across an illustrated map while offering thematically curated travel tips.

The game was promoted immediately after its launch in March this year across social media channels including Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, as well as China-specific platforms. It is available on the dedicated microsite at www.germany.travel/grimms-quest. Cross-media elements such as QR codes provide seamless access to the Fairy Tale Route and to the website www.germany.travel.