Mittenwald – September 11, 2026 -- IT-Innerebner GmbH has launched a new "Insta-Hotspots" feature within its free-key CityApp, enabling cities and municipalities to spotlight photogenic locations that lack traditional tourist recognition. The tool responds to data showing social media's growing role in travel decisions: a Bitkom study found 58% of German social-media-using travelers were inspired to book a trip via social networks within the past year, while a TUI study found photogenic locations and social-media-worthy experiences are important or very important to 36.9% of travelers choosing a destination.
App lets municipalities tag unlisted photo spots with images, descriptions and location data
Each Insta-Hotspot can be uploaded with a photo, description and precise location within the CityApp, alongside specific shooting tips covering best perspective, standpoint or viewing direction. Walter Innerebner, managing director of IT-Innerebner GmbH and operator of the free-key CityApp, said nearly every city holds overlooked spots and perspectives that photograph well but remain largely unknown; making these visible turns visitor-generated photos and reels shared on social media into organic promotion for the location.
Smaller municipalities gain a channel to highlight sites absent from traditional guidebooks
The feature targets smaller towns without major landmarks, allowing them to direct visitor attention toward alleys, facades, water reflections, street art or unconventional backdrops that would not otherwise appear in classic travel guides. Where standard tourism listings show what visitors can see, Insta-Hotspots indicate where a distinctive photograph can be captured, shifting the value proposition from sightseeing toward content creation.
The addition positions the free-key CityApp at the intersection of digital visitor information services and contemporary destination marketing strategy.