The local tourist board plays an essential role in the state's tourist industry. Currently there are 79 tourist boards, although the number is soon to reduce due to planned mergers.

Tourist boards in South Tyrol are privately organised, governed by federal state law and can take the legal form of tourist board or cooperative. The members of tourist boards are primarily commercial and non-commercial accommodation providers but can also include cable car operators, ski schools, mountain and ski guides, service providers, traders and craftspeople.

Tourist boards assume primarily the following functions:

• Information and service providers for tourists, including arranging tourism services and the corresponding bookings
• Data collection and electronic data entry of all tourism relevant information
• Promoting and carrying out events and other initiatives that particularly concern tourism.
• Seizing marketing initiatives in conjunction with the tourism association
• Location and structure maintenance
• Ensure appreciation of scenic, artistic and historical heritage
• Promote and operate facilities and services that particularly concern tourism (e.g. footpaths and cycle ways, cross country ski tracks, toboggan runs, etc.)
• Initial point of contact and go-between for accommodation providers
• Responsible for looking after and entertaining visitors
• Complaint management
• Ensuring appropriate holiday location development (view of the place)
• Coordinating promotional offers
• Local product development.

The South Tyrol tourist board’s biggest problem comes from the voluntary basis for membership which has led to insufficient finance as well as an ongoing battle for payment of annual membership fees.

The introduction of a location tax in January 2014 should consolidate the financial base.

The income from the location tax will be used for the construction and conservation of infrastructures and services, as well as for organising cultural and sporting events. The location tax will be collected from the accommodation provider per guest, per night. The rate of this communal tax is based on the business’s category. Children and young people under the age of 14 are exempt from the tax.The location tax is due for payment on departure and should be detailed on invoices.

The tourism organization in South Tyrol is an amalgamation of various independent tourist organizations from a specific area into a regional brand, with the aim of marketing the holiday destination together. By doing this, resources can be concentrated and market strength can be pooled as well as attracting competent employees.

The tourism organization can take any of the following legal forms; a tourist board, a cooperative, a consortium or a consortium company.

The functions of the tourism organization can be summarised as follows:

• Responsible for general marketing of the location and the area (destination)
• Inter-local cooperation for the tourist area, specification of mutual aims and coordinating the functions of the tourist organization
• Regional branding
• Profiling and positioning the destination
• Market development at national and international trade fairs
• Handling the press and public relations
• Sales promotion (hotels, brochures, etc.)
• Professional web presence and marketing for the holiday region
• Social Media Marketing
• Organising and carrying out intermunicipal events
• Operating the tourist industry inclusive booking service
• Regional visitor cards
• Strategic destination management
• Strategic partnerships
• Primary point of contact for IDM [Innovation Development Marketing]
• Go-between between IDM and the tourist organization
• Initiating product and proposal development in conjunction with IDM