FocusHOTEL

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Stage Hall 4 (MAHLE Halle)

We are FOCUSHOTEL

We are the place where the hotel industry shapes its future. FOCUSHOTEL brings together hoteliers, architects, planners, manufacturers, interior designers and creative thought leaders to discover new ideas and think ahead together.

For us, the focus is not purely on the product, but on inspiration, exchange and collaboration. We combine trends from design, interior design, technology, digitalisation and sustainability to create an environment where encounters become genuine partnerships.

We are a curated space for innovation, a network of dedicated industry professionals and a platform where visions become visible.

We provide the hotel industry with impetus, guidance and new perspectives.

Fascinating concepts and smart hotel solutions

On the FOCUSHOTEL stage, you can expect exciting presentations on a wide range of digital tasks and solutions. Innovative products, smart concepts, keynote speeches and panel discussions can be experienced. As an established platform, FOCUSHOTEL offers space for networking and professional exchange.

Programme

Saturday, 7.2.2026 - FOCUSHOTEL Stage (Hall 4, Stand 4D68)

Employer attractiveness - How to make your company a top employer in the hospitality industry

Presentation of the largest employee survey in the German-speaking world with over 30,000 pieces of data collected in collaboration with the leading specialist publishers ahgz and Hotel Inside.
Prof. Sandra Rochnowski, Berlin School of Economics and Law

The leadership role of the future in the hospitality industry - what employees want and expect from managers


See a vision of the ideal manager in the hospitality industry. The data is based on the largest employee survey in the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) with over 15,000 qualitative responses about what employees expect, need and want.

Prof. Sandra Rochnowski, Berlin School of Economics and Law

NextGen Hospitality - Young talent, new paths and real opportunities

Supporting the next generation in the hospitality industry - talented young staff provide insight into their needs and expectations of employers in the hospitality industry.
Anton Doll & Pichona Brendle, Berlin School of Economics and Law

How do top employers go about recruiting, supporting young talent and retaining employees in the hospitality industry?
Prof. Sandra Rochnowski (moderator); Homeira Amiri (DZG), Alexander Dürr (Minor Hotels), Thomas Edelkamp (Chairman of Romantik Hotels & Restaurants)

Gen Clash - When experience meets the expectations of GenZ
A clash of the generations - managers from the hotel industry meet Gen Z and talk about values, needs and expectations in the world of work
Prof. Sandra Rochnowski, Berlin School of Economics and Law

Leadership: Successful and female – How women are shaping the hotel industry

Project management:
"The five most expensive mistakes and how to avoid them"

Harro Grimmer, Projekt Plus GmbH

Sustainable leadership in the hotel industry
Insights into strategic leadership concepts and forward-looking approaches for the value chain of the hotel industry
Prof. Sandra Rochnowski & Christine Reinhardt (CSO Ada Cosmetics)

Destination marketing through hotel projects
"From hotel to destination: How special hotels shape entire destinations"

Prof. Dr Christian Buer, Markus Lehnert, Klaus Schurr, Ann-Kathrin Geyr-Schurr

The leadership role of the future in the hospitality industry - what employees want and expect from managers
See a vision of the ideal manager in the hospitality industry. The data is based on the largest employee survey in the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) with over 15,000 qualitative responses about what employees expect, need and want.

Prof. Sandra Rochnowski, Berlin School of Economics and Law

The circular hotel - zero waste, full experience - the circular hotel as a game changer
Keynote speech with a presentation of the new regulations
Paul Petzold & Malte Staffel, Berlin School of Economics and Law

How can a circular economy be organised sustainably and cost-effectively in hotels?

Insights into how leading industry representatives operate a circular economy in the DACH region
Prof. Dr Sandra Rochnowski (moderator); Christine Reinhardt (ADA Cosmetics), Philipp Hangartner (SWISSFEEL) & Marvin Campell (Hertzfeld Bioenergie)

Digitalisation/AI 

Presentation: Presentation of market results from Stuttgart

Prof. Dr Christian Buer, Can Erdem

Discussion round: How can digital technologies/AI make the everyday lives of hoteliers easier without reducing the level of personal service?

Prof. Dr Christian Buer, Alexander Haussmann (straiv), Christian Müller (Onsai), Yonca Yalaz (Plaza)

Between home and hotel - a fact check on the successful serviced apartment model
Market update, concept and operational trends
Annett Gregorius, founder and owner of Apartmentservice

Sustainability certifications in the hotel industry - which one do I need for my hotel product
Presentation of the latest studies on sustainability certifications in the DACH region for the B2B and B2C market
Prof. Sandra Rochnowski, Berlin School of Economics and Law

Cradle to Cradle - A concept for apartment living as a cycle
Best practice ideas from Christian Hiller, CEO of Konzept Haus Collective GmbH and Anett Gregorius.

The new mix for more visibility and bookings
David Saremba

 New forms of accommodation - Presentation of heimatsuite

Anica Reif, Angelos Richter, Elisabeth Siejak - Students of Business Psychology, Balneotec 

Architecture as an expression of identity – how design builds character and recognition value in hospitality

Hotels are more than just buildings – they are stories, experiences and identity. But all too often the character of a hotel remains abstract or is limited to the interior. In this keynote speech, Nina Züllig, owner of Bruag Design Factory, shows how architecture becomes the visible and tangible identity of a hospitality project – both externally and internally. 

Customisable facades, balconies, wall and ceiling coverings and acoustically effective solutions illustrate how architecture creates spaces for holistic experiences – from the first impression outside and in the entrance area through to the dining areas and wellness and sauna spaces. The presentation shows how designs, themes and their material implementation can be freely selected in a targeted way to translate the DNA of a hotel into an architectural concept and create places with character and high recognition value – places that touch guests emotionally even before they check in.

Nina Züllig, Owner and Managing Director of Bruag Design Factory AG

BIM and hotel construction

Cruu Architects

SpeedDating

SpeedDating

SpeedDating

Participating companies

Impressions FOCUSHOTEL 2024