The MICE sector is set to see a new benchmark for excellence: the long-established MICE Hall of Fame Award is being fundamentally redesigned and will, with immediate effect, focus on measurable impact, transformation and sustainable relevance. With this reorientation, three industry figures are sending a clear signal: Ulf Gassner (CEO of Concept X), Matthias Beinlich (b’mine Hotels) and Jens Ihsen (Director and representative of the partner Düsseldorf Convention) are jointly launching an award that will actively shape the industry’s discussion about its own future.

In-person industry networking events and digital event search to be brought together under one roof in future

The 2026 BDT Nightclub Entrepreneur Award goes to Thomas Kubitza / BDT Innovation Award for ‘Asian Sensation’

In-person industry networking events and digital event search to be brought together under one roof in future

Capacity utilisation forecasts are above last year’s level for the second year running – 186 companies registered for the survey

A new technological standard is intended to simplify the configuration of mobile event networks and reduce technical interface problems at events.

A new look, a new era: Braunschweig’s event venues are unveiling the new corporate design for the Stadthalle Braunschweig, thereby marking the start of the active marketing phase. The listed event venue on St. Leonhard is currently undergoing extensive refurbishment and is expected to reopen in 2028.

The “Refugium” at the Schlosshotel Steinburg has taken first place in the “Conference” category of the nationwide “Special Conference and Event Venues” competition. Having come second last year, the Würzburg venue is now back at the top. In the ‘TOP 250 Conference Hotels’ competition, which ran in parallel, the Schlosshotel Steinburg was nominated in the ‘Retreat’ and ‘Event’ categories. In both categories, the hotel once again secured a place in the top 10: fifth place in ‘Retreat’ and sixth place in ‘Event’. In the ‘Retreat’ category, the Steinburg thus improved by two places compared with the previous year.

Accommodation, meetings & celebrations – and making new friends

European hotel distribution remains driven by direct sales and is, at the same time, more concentrated than ever. 85 per cent of all OTA bookings in Europe are made via two platform groups; in Germany, Booking Holdings even holds 70.5 per cent of the OTA market. This is the key finding of the European Hotel Distribution Study 2026, presented on Tuesday by HOTREC, for which Prof. Roland Schegg of HES-SO Valais-Wallis, in collaboration with the national hotel associations, analysed data from 2,713 hotels between February and May 2026 for the reference year 2025.

Grafschaft, 3 September 2026 – With its Food Vision 2030, L°&°D is establishing a binding and verifiable framework for the company’s sustainable development For L°&°D, sustainability is not a passing trend, but has been an integral part of the company’s philosophy for many years. From its first organic products, through the continuous reduction of food waste, to assessing the carbon footprint of its menus: sustainable business practices have long been a hallmark of the company. With Food Vision 2030, L°&°D is now taking the next step. The company-wide future

In 2026, the Frank Schwarz Gastro Group is once again making a conscious commitment to nurturing its own young talent – and calling for better conditions for companies providing apprenticeships

On 23 June 2026, the MICHELIN Guide Germany announced the country’s best restaurants in the stylish setting of the Gesellschaftshaus Palmengarten in Frankfurt am Main.

The 2026 BDT Nightclub Entrepreneur Award goes to Thomas Kubitza / BDT Innovation Award for ‘Asian Sensation’

The Association of Self-Employed Service Providers in the Events Industry (isdv e.V.) and the renowned Event Academy at EurAka Baden-Baden gGmbH are joining forces. From January 2027, the two institutions will enter into a forward-looking partnership to provide targeted support and training to self-employed entrepreneurs in the events industry, equipping them to meet the challenges of their day-to-day work.

The new study by SITE and IRF shows that safety measures and risk management are becoming increasingly important when selecting incentive travel destinations and event venues.

The oneworld airline alliance has revamped its ‘Meetings & Events’ offering, thereby making it easier to organise business trips to international events.

Initial pilot projects are demonstrating fully automated digital deposit-return systems for major autumn events.

New monitoring criteria are tightening the requirements for environmental claims in event advertising.

The organisers of the 2026 Mainz Wine Festival used the Share.Ware reusable system with deposit machines as part of a pilot project. This enabled them to save 10,000 single-use containers and avoid one tonne of waste. For the event’s approximately 70,000 guests, the deposit system was simple and time-saving.