The event not only offered an opportunity to support young talents starting out in the industry and provide them an opportunity to network with their peers. The organizers also had the opportunity to get to know the next generation and discover potential talents. The focus was on positioning the tourism industry as an attractive employer and “people business” that combines diverse career opportunities with an exciting and dynamic working atmosphere. ITB Director Deborah Rothe also emphasized this: “The tourism industry is not just work, but also a lot of fun. ”
“We are delighted to be one of the first partners to take part in ConneXion Night,” comments Tina Kirfel, Managing Director of KITICON GmbH & Co. KG. “As a marketing agency, we know exactly how important it is to attract young talent to the industry. Above all, because the younger generation is very different to previous generations when it comes to getting people excited about a job. Traditional career sites are no longer sufficient - social recruiting in particular plays a key role. We are already successfully supporting our customers in this area, and the positive response confirms our approach."
The up-and-coming talents were particularly enthusiastic about the various “Connexion Areas”, which offered unique networking opportunities with an exciting twist. From casual get-togethers to getting to know each other at speed dating and competitions, there was something for everyone. The lounge corner, a video booth and a telephone disco in an old telephone booth also contributed to making the evening a complete success. The event was accompanied by a DJ throughout, which also impressed the young people across the board.
In addition to KITICON Global Networks, other partners also supported the event. These included AIDA, DerTour, Hanse Merkur, Stylink, Worldia and many other exciting companies in and outside the tourism sector.
BTW President Sören Hartmann emphasizes: “We are immensely pleased with the great response from young and, in some cases, aspiring tourism professionals. Our joint idea of closing a content gap in the colorful calendar of events surrounding the world's largest tourism trade fair by specifically addressing young talent has been a complete success.” Christiane Bläser and Constanze Maltzahn, the two managing directors of the organizing agency conneccted:, were also satisfied with the event — ConneXion Night 2026 is already being planned.