The Balance of Tomorrow: A Warm Welcome to today's Hospitality Track
Summary
A brief opening welcome session for the Hospitality Track at ITB Berlin, hosted by Dr. Karoline Wiegerink (professor of city hospitality at Hotel School The Hague) alongside three student masters of ceremony from the same institution. The segment sets the tone for the track's theme — "leading tourism into balance" — and previews upcoming sessions covering macro trends, AI-enhanced guest understanding, and the hospitality skills gap.
Student hosts share personal reflections on meaningful tourism, the importance of genuine human connection, and the role of community-building in the industry's future.
Key Takeaways
- •The overarching theme of the convention is 'leading tourism into balance,' reflecting a need for equilibrium in a challenging global environment.
- •Student leaders from Hotel School The Hague served as hosts, symbolising the importance of next-generation voices in shaping the industry's future.
- •Meaningful tourism is defined by nurturing relationships — between people, cultures, communities, and the environment — rather than fleeting transactional moments.
- •Building genuine communities and connections is increasingly critical, going beyond simple network maintenance to authentic human engagement.
- •Upcoming sessions will address macro trends driving industry growth, AI-enhanced guest understanding, and closing the hospitality skills gap.
Transcript
Good morning, dear audience. Welcome to the green stage. Leading tourism into balance is the theme of this year's convention. And I think I'm convinced balance is something we urgently need in these challenging times. Welcome to the hospitality track. My name is Karolina Vikhing. I'm a professor of city hospitality at hotel school the H hospitality business school and a proud member of the board of experts of this convention. It was with pleasure that I have uh shaped the program of this morning...
