KITICON as a Company of the Future: Inspiration from the Big Bang AI Festival

Our managing director and ‘heart of the company’, Tina Kirfel, was recently a guest at HanseMerkur's 12th Travel Summit in Hamburg – an event that goes far beyond networking. Here, partners of the travel insurance company regularly exchange ideas on culture, politics and society. This year, social engagement was the focus for the approximately 70 guests.

HanseMerkur board member Johannes Ganser invited Sirkka Jendis, managing director of Tafel Deutschland, and Rüdiger Ratsch-Heitmann, managing director of Bürgerstiftung Hamburg, to speak at the event. In the cosy atmosphere of the Peacetanbul restaurant in the Kampnagel cultural centre, they provided fascinating insights into their work – an inspiring start to a day full of encounters.

Social projects with impact

After lunch together, the participants went straight into practice. Divided into two groups, they visited various social initiatives:

• Hamburger Tafel: As part of Tafel Deutschland, volunteers collect surplus food and distribute it to over 1.6 million people affected by poverty. More than 75,000 helpers ensure that around 265,000 tonnes of food are put to good use every year.
  
  
• Jenkitos: The theatre project in Jenfeld helps young people to build self-confidence, expressiveness and personal development. Through theatre and creative methods, young people gain new perspectives and can develop their potential.

‘It was impressive to see how differently commitment can have an impact: while the food banks ensure social cohesion, the Jenkitos open up new perspectives for young people through art and creativity,’ reports Tina.

When technology meets social engagement

Tina was particularly struck by the realisation of how strongly AI influences the work of the Hamburg Food Bank. Food banks distribute food to people in need that would otherwise be thrown away in supermarkets or elsewhere. Thanks to increasingly intelligent systems, supermarkets are buying more selectively, which means there is less surplus – an ecologically sensible approach, but one that has become a real challenge for food banks.

‘I had no idea that AI had such a direct influence here,’ says Tina. ‘It shows how closely technological developments and social engagement are linked today – and how complex the challenges have become.’

Exchange, inspiration, responsibility

The 12th HanseMerkur Travel Summit has once again demonstrated that it is not just about networking. It is about broadening perspectives, recognising commitment and experiencing social responsibility first-hand.

For KITICON, this day is a valuable source of inspiration – both for our agency work and for the attitude of our team. Commitment, creativity and social awareness are not just buzzwords, but a lived reality that we carry into our projects.

The bestfortravel GROUP is a leading provider of worldwide travel experiences, covering vacation destinations around the globe. The group brings together established brands such as Raiffeisen- and Volksbanken Touristik, AtourO GmbH, Raiffeisen Reisebüro GmbH, GEO Reisen und Erlebnis GmbH, and Meine Kreuzfahrt Cruise Center. It also operates the event and ticket platform my-ticket.shop and runs numerous travel agencies in Austria and Southern Germany. In addition to traditional package tours, the company offers themed trips, business travel, cruises, and tailor-made round trips – designed for unforgettable holiday experiences.

In close collaboration with the bestfortravel GROUP, we optimized the new website for the cruise sector with a focus on key SEO aspects and further strengthened the brand presence of meinekreuzfahrt.com through targeted SEA campaigns. We also promoted several campaigns with exclusive offers using customized advertising strategies to sustainably increase visibility and reach.

Timeframe: Since January 2025
‍
Industry: Tourism
‍
Objective: To increase the visibility of the bestfortravel GROUP in the cruise segment and reach more potential travelers through targeted campaigns. The focus was on increasing inquiries and bookings by highlighting exclusive offers and customized promotions. By precisely addressing the target groups and optimizing landing pages, we aimed to maximize the conversion rate and directly boost travel bookings.

Services Provided:

• SEA Campaigns
• Conversion Tracking‍

The Challenge: Beyond improving organic visibility, it was necessary to quickly and effectively increase traffic and exposure for cruise offers through targeted SEA measures. A key requirement was the differentiated targeting of various user groups with specific interests in cruises – whether for exclusive deals or general cruise information.

Our Approach: To ensure successful Google Ads campaigns, we first implemented comprehensive conversion tracking to monitor performance and accurately measure campaign success. At the campaign launch in January 2025, we conducted detailed keyword research to identify high-conversion potential search terms in the cruise sector. Based on this, we developed three customized campaigns addressing different aspects of the target audience and their interests:
‍

• Brand Campaign:
  Aimed at users already familiar with the bestfortravel GROUP, ensuring they see relevant ads that support their booking intent when searching for specific cruise-related offers.
• Deals Campaign:
  Designed to attract potential customers with attractive, exclusive offers during fixed time periods, targeting users specifically searching for cruise promotions and discounts.
• Generic Cruise Campaign:
  Targeted users looking for general cruise information – whether for their first cruise or as returning cruise travelers.

Each ad was closely linked to specially developed landing pages offering relevant information and compelling calls-to-action to boost conversion rates. In addition, comprehensive tracking allowed us to monitor user behavior and campaign performance, enabling ongoing optimization and detailed performance evaluation.

Throughout the campaign period, we continuously made seasonal adjustments, managed budgets precisely, and excluded irrelevant search queries to further improve performance.
‍

Results:

Click-Through Rate (CTR):

• Brand Campaign: Outstanding CTR of 30%, underscoring strong brand recognition and high user interest.
• Deals Campaign: Impressive CTR of 12%, reflecting high interest in exclusive offers and effective messaging.
• Generic Campaigns: Solid CTR of 8%, indicating ongoing potential for further optimization and expansion.

Conversion Rate: With an average conversion rate of 9%, we achieved a strong performance in converting visitors into bookings.

Thanks to continuous optimization and data-driven strategy, we created a stable foundation for the long-term visibility and success of the cruise offerings. These campaigns not only increased the reach of the bestfortravel GROUP in the cruise industry but also helped position the brand as a trusted expert in the cruise travel market.‍

Explore cruise trips now on the meinekreuzfahrt-Website.

Sounds interesting? Meet our SEA experts in a free initial consultation!

Royal Caribbean International is one of the world’s most innovative cruise brands. Since 1969, the company has redefined the travel experience with extraordinary attractions and a wide range of onboard entertainment. In the DACH region, Executive Cruises serves as the exclusive sales partner, managing the cruise business through a network of several thousand travel agencies and providing access to a highly competitive market. From the very beginning, we have supported the German-speaking Executive Cruises team with a wide range of B2B marketing initiatives designed to strengthen local sales and increase brand visibility across the DACH region.

Period: November 2022 – December 2024
‍

Industry: Tourism
‍

Objective: Marketing support for the sales team to strengthen Royal Caribbean’s visibility and positioning in the DACH market.
‍

Services provided:

• Trade Marketing & B2B Communication
  
• Newsletter Marketing
  
• Social Media Management & Community Building
  
• Webinar Organization & Presentation Design
  
• Partnership & Co-Marketing Activities
  
• Website Concept & Maintenance
  
• Print Design & Corporate Stationery
  
• Sales Collateral
  ‍

‍The Challenge: The Executive Cruises team was looking for an agency with proven expertise in cruise line marketing and a strong understanding of the unique requirements of a complex distribution network. They needed a partner capable of aligning diverse interests, reinforcing structures, and developing marketing measures that not only convince sales partners but also clearly position Royal Caribbean within the market.
‍

Our Approach: In close collaboration with the Executive Cruises team, we developed a wide range of initiatives to strengthen trade marketing. These included the conception of a dedicated B2B newsletter series, the launch of a closed social media group for sales partners, and the organization of webinars supported by tailored presentations. Each format was designed to share knowledge and build excitement for the brand.

In addition, we executed co-branded marketing activities with travel agency networks, developed an informative website, and created a comprehensive suite of sales materials – from business cards, roll-ups, and promotional flyers to catalogs and posters.
‍

The Result: A significantly stronger brand presence in the DACH market, supported by a sales team equipped with effective tools, clear communication, and a recognizable brand identity. Royal Caribbean was successfully positioned as a leading brand in the cruise segment, with tangible impact across travel agency sales.
‍

Looking to strengthen your brand visibility in sales and set new impulses in B2B marketing?
‍We’d be happy to advise you in a free, no-obligation initial consultation.