Field trips

For the second time students and teachers of our university will be represented with their own booth at the International Tourism Exchange (ITB) in Berlin, this year from 7 to 11 March. The trade fair appearance was organized jointly with the students of the 1. In this way, they can take the practical experience of a trade fair appearance with them right at the beginning of their studies

15 students will represent the university, the study programme and with it the dual study programme in general at stand 207 in the Career Center in Hall 11.1. at the trade fair. A student of the part-time MBA Tourism and Aviation Management will also be present. Both programs of the Faculty of Economics and Law - Bachelor and Master - will be presented by Professors Dr. Kerstin Wegener and Dr. Yvonne Ziegler in Elevator format on the ITB stage

In addition to the study courses, three outstanding projects of the dual study course Tourism Management will also be presented at the stand

The practical case project of the 5. Semester to the topic "the image of the travel country China": This project was commissioned by the cooperation partner China Tours, which will be present as an exhibitor at the ITB as a special China tour operator

Public institutions and bodies also approach the programme. This includes the University Hospital of Frankfurt, which commissioned an analysis of the travel behaviour of palliative tumor patients to improve their quality of life

In cooperation with NH ProjektStadt GmbH, Tourismus+Congress GmbH Frankfurt am Main and the City Planning Office Frankfurt am Main, target groups and recommendations for action were developed under the title "From industrial location to city holiday destination" to optimize the tourist marketing of Frankfurt's Höchst district

Project posters and exposés provide information on these projects at the exhibition stand and show both the breadth and topicality of the topics dealt with by the degree programme and the various practical and cooperation partners with whom it cooperates

The course of studies is greatly supported by the cooperation partners, who release their students from the operational part of their studies during their stay at the ITB. The trade fair experience is evaluated as an important practical element in the training

A major get-together at the exhibition stand on 8 March 2018 will finally bring together students, alumni, teachers, cooperation partners and interested parties

Text: Iris Teut

For the second time students and teachers of our university will be represented with their own booth at the International Tourism Exchange (ITB) in Berlin, this year from 7 to 11 March. The trade fair appearance was organized jointly with the students of the 1. In this way, they can take the practical experience of a trade fair appearance with them right at the beginning of their studies

15 students will represent the university, the study programme and with it the dual study programme in general at stand 207 in the Career Center in Hall 11.1. at the trade fair. A student of the part-time MBA Tourism and Aviation Management will also be present. Both programs of the Faculty of Economics and Law - Bachelor and Master - will be presented by Professors Dr. Kerstin Wegener and Dr. Yvonne Ziegler in Elevator format on the ITB stage

In addition to the study courses, three outstanding projects of the dual study course Tourism Management will also be presented at the stand

The practical case project of the 5. Semester to the topic "the image of the travel country China": This project was commissioned by the cooperation partner China Tours, which will be present as an exhibitor at the ITB as a special China tour operator

Public institutions and bodies also approach the programme. This includes the University Hospital of Frankfurt, which commissioned an analysis of the travel behaviour of palliative tumor patients to improve their quality of life

In cooperation with NH ProjektStadt GmbH, Tourismus+Congress GmbH Frankfurt am Main and the City Planning Office Frankfurt am Main, target groups and recommendations for action were developed under the title "From industrial location to city holiday destination" to optimize the tourist marketing of Frankfurt's Höchst district

Project posters and exposés provide information on these projects at the exhibition stand and show both the breadth and topicality of the topics dealt with by the degree programme and the various practical and cooperation partners with whom it cooperates

The course of studies is greatly supported by the cooperation partners, who release their students from the operational part of their studies during their stay at the ITB. The trade fair experience is evaluated as an important practical element in the training

A major get-together at the exhibition stand on 8 March 2018 will finally bring together students, alumni, teachers, cooperation partners and interested parties

Text: Iris Teut

On Tuesday, 16.05.2017, the 6th semester of Tourism Management visited the IMEX trade fair in Frankfurt am Main as part of the "Business Travel Management, Event Management and MICE" module. IMEX is the international trade fair for the congress, meeting, event and incentive industry, where important decision-makers from the industry meet.

Before visiting the fair, the students visited the premises of Messe Frankfurt GmbH and Thorsten Oestreich, who works at Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH as Strategic Stakeholder Relations Management Coordinator, gave them a comprehensive overview of Messe Frankfurt's areas of responsibility and event business. For example, the students learned that Frankfurt has had trade fairs since the 12th century, long before Frankfurt established itself as a financial centre  

The main task of Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH is to organize trade fairs at home and abroad. Messe Frankfurt's main objective is to attract economic power to the Frankfurt region. In addition to the successful trade fairs held in Frankfurt, Messe Frankfurt organizes events at more than 40 other locations worldwide. Messe Frankfurt is the world's most successful trade fair company with its own exhibition grounds, which are managed by Messe Frankfurt Venue GmbH.

Following their visit to Messe Frankfurt GmbH, the students went to IMEX, where the diverse world of business travel was presented. With around 3,500 exhibitors from over 150 countries and around 9,000 visitors, IMEX is one of the most important trade fairs for the congress, meeting, event and incentive industry. The exhibitors ranged from tourism and convention bureaux to congress centres and conference hotels to event agencies, technology providers and transport companies  

A further appointment during the visit to the fair took place at the Frankfurt Convention Bureau's stand, where the students were greeted by Jutta Heinrich, Head of Business Unit. Ms Heinrich told the students about the tasks of the Frankfurt Convention Bureau, which belongs to Tourismus+Congress GmbH Frankfurt am Main. The employees of the Frankfurt Convention Bureau are contact persons for the planning and realisation of congresses, conferences, seminars and incentives in Frankfurt and the Rhine-Main area. Their services range from the organisation of the supporting programme to the search for a suitable event location and the application for a congress  

In addition to visiting the fair, the students were also able to take part in the supporting programme of the fair. Interesting lectures such as "Crisis management for events" or "Digital revolution - or just bells and whistles?" were offered, which were attended by the students. Thus, the varied daily programme made an interesting and instructive visit to the fair possible, which gave the students an understanding of the contents of the module "Business Travel Management, Event Management and MICE"

Text: Sarah Menzebach
 

"What comes to your mind when you think of Saarland?" With this question Mrs. Grauvogel, managing director of the "Tourismus Zentrale Saarland", started her presentation during an excursion of the 1st and 3rd Saarland Tour. The second semester of the study course Tourism Management on 7 December to Sankt Wendel. The answers to the question were sparse: The Saar loop, the Völklinger Hütte and the proximity to France. Students do not associate much more with Germany's smallest federal state. Many underestimate the only approx. 2,600 km large Saarland with its almost 995,000 inhabitants in the southwest of the Federal Republic of Germany. And so do we as budding tourism experts - until our excursion to Sankt Wendel! 

The journey to the administrative district Sankt Wendel took place with a rented coach. The first stop was the new Center Parc Bostalsee in Nohfelden. There we were warmly welcomed by Mr. Wendel and received some interesting information about the Center Parc in the north of Saarland, which opened in 2013. With 345 permanent employees and 500 houses, which are used to 75% capacity on average, the Center Parc Bostalsee has already generated a profit of €1.5 million in the last three years 

Due to the great location directly on the Bostalsee and the wide range of activities in and around the park, the Center Parc attracts especially young families and older guests seeking peace and quiet. We can also observe this fact on a tour through the Market Dome and the water paradise Aqua Mundo. The various swimming pools and slides in the middle of a tropical plant world are a real highlight in the park, both for the little ones and for the older guests. The Center Parc Bostalsee also has a large restaurant, a small supermarket, bowling alleys, playgrounds and a small farm for the children - everything you need for a relaxing holiday with or without a family

The bus ride continues to the city centre of Sankt Wendel. The District Administrator Udo Recktenwald welcomes us in the historic conference hall and gives us a warm welcome to his district. A presentation by Mrs. Grauvogel about the tourism situation of the destination Saarland and the marketing concept of the "Tourismus Zentrale Saarland", which was founded in 1997, follows. Here we learn, among other things, where the tourists who travel the Saarland come from. The largest share of this is with the Germans themselves, but the Dutch and Belgians also like to spend a few days in the beautiful Saarland

In general, it can be said that Saarland tourists rarely come from distant areas, but rather from Germany and other European countries - especially from Germany's neighboring countries. The largest share of overnight stays takes place in hotels or is linked to a visit by friends and relatives. The aim is to strengthen the hotel industry in Saarland as a destination in the future and to intensify cooperation with tour operators to this end. "We create value with quality and growth" is the central idea of the marketing concept 2025 of the "Tourismuszentrale Saarland". The precise objectives are sustainable tourism growth, the associated potential for economic power in Saarland, environmentally friendly tourism and the identification and satisfaction of the population of Saarland with the local leisure facilities

Major projects such as the Center Parc on Lake Bostal, which opened in 2013, continue to determine demand in the region. About three quarters of the total overnight stays in the district of Sankt Wendel are in the municipality of Nohfelden, where the Center Parc Bostalsee is located. Numerous other innovative concepts, for example the Saarland-Touren-App - a useful app for hikers and cyclists, with which they not only have access to numerous tour maps, but with the help of the "Mängeldetektiv" they also have the possibility to report road damage or similar defects directly

A trip to Saarland is not only worthwhile because of the numerous outdoor sports opportunities or the Center Parc, but also because of the many different Christmas markets. These are an important part of tourism in Saarland, especially in winter. One of the most important Christmas markets is the medieval market in Sankt Wendel, which of course we could not miss at the end of our excursion. Here life in the Middle Ages is presented in a vivid and interactive way: Archery, javelin throwing, camels, fire artists and stage program provide a varied entertainment of the guests

After a few medieval delicacies and a cup of mulled wine at the Sankt Wendel Christmas Market, the students return to Frankfurt. The many impressions that the students were able to gather throughout the day have certainly also positively changed their image of Saarland as a tourist destination. Special thanks go to Mrs Grauvogel and Mr Wendel for all the interesting information and impressions

Text: Ella Beu 

The students of the 3. The students were invited to take a look  behind the scenes at the Hilton Frankfurt City Centre in Frankfurt. The excursion was an exciting change in the "Hospitality Management" module, allowing students to get to know a hotel from up close

The students were welcomed by Hannah Backhaus (Human Resources & Training Officer) in the lobby of the hotel on Wednesday 02 November 2016 at 9.00 a.m.. Mrs. Backhaus took the students to one of the many conference rooms of the house, where a very tasty breakfast was waiting for them. During breakfast, the students learned that the Hilton Frankfurt City Centre has many conference rooms equipped with the latest technology

First, Ms Backhaus gave the students an insight into Hilton Worldwide and the Hilton Frankfurt City Centre in a one-hour presentation. For example, the students learned that Hilton Worldwide offers its own learning platform for continuing education for its employees worldwide and that Hilton trains a large number of trainees each year. Hilton Worldwide is also involved in many different social aid projects around the world. Following the presentation and after answering open questions, the students were invited to a guided tour of the hotel

The first stop was the hotel's own swimming pool, which is one of the largest hotel swimming pools in Frankfurt with a 25-meter pool. The Fitness First is also established there and can be used by the guests of the hotel. In addition, the students were able to take a look at a banqueting hall on the ground floor, which can be booked for various occasions

Afterwards the tour continued in the Hotel Restaurant, from which one has a wonderful view into the park. Ms Backhaus then took the students to the kitchen, where they were given a brief insight into the work and procedures in a hotel kitchen

The tour continued on the second floor, where the students were allowed to view a standard double room. These rooms are available as both double and single rooms, although double rooms are often booked for single occupancy as the Hilton Frankfurt City Centre is often used by business travellers. Rooms with connecting doors can also be booked at the Hilton Frankfurt City Centre. All rooms are furnished in a modern style. The prices of the rooms vary daily, whereby occupancy of the hotel plays an important role. The highlight of the tour was a suite on the top floor, which the students were allowed to visit. At the end the students together with Mrs. Backhaus were able to take a souvenir photo in the lobby

The visit to the Hilton Frankfurt City Centre was an interesting and eventful experience for all participants and for this the students would like to thank the Hilton Frankfurt City Centre and especially Mrs. Backhaus

Text: Tanja Brieger

On Thursday, July 7th, 2016, the 4. semester of the dual study programme Tourism Management includes two excursions. As part of the lecture "Logistics and Purchasing Management", we first went to Gelnhausen to Veritas AG, a supplier of system solutions for the automotive industry, before visiting Amazon in Bad Hersfeld in the afternoon

The globally positioned Veritas AG, headquartered in Gelnhausen, has plants at several locations worldwide and employs a total of more than 4,500 people. The company primarily produces products and performance systems for automobile manufacturers. The partners supplied included the BMW Group, Daimler, Fiat, General Motors, Peugeot Citroen, Renault/Nissan and the Volkswagen Group. All products are manufactured individually for each customer and developed together with them to meet their specific requirements

At the Gelnhausen site, the company mainly produces hoses and pressure lines for liquid gas. During the guided tour, students were given an insight into the processing of rubber and the manufacture of hoses, of which approximately 16 million meters are produced at the Gelnhausen site in one year, which corresponds to a length from Frankfurt am Main to the Himalayas and back again. By explaining the role of suppliers in the value chain using concrete examples, the students were able to gain some interesting insights into the production  and organization of suppliers

Afterwards the students were invited to the company canteen of Veritas and had some refreshments there. They went on to Bad Hersfeld, where the Amazon site was visited. On site, the students were first equipped with warning vests and prepared for the upcoming tour with an image film. At the Bad Hersfeld site, 97% of Amazon's clothing and footwear is mainly stored and sent to customers from here

During the guided tour, the students were able to visit various areas of the company: The guided tour started at the goods receiving department, where the deliveries arrive by truck and then run over conveyor belts to the employees, who then check them by a "6-page check" and scan them for inclusion in the warehouse management system. These are then sorted into the shelves of the huge warehouses. Since this part of the tour through the warehouses was held by an employee who normally works as a "picker", i.e. searches the goods for the orders from the warehouse together, the students were able to learn first-hand about the process and tasks involved in shipping an order

Text  Sarah Menzebach

From June, 13th to 17th, 2016 the study excursion of the 6th semester students of Tourism Management to London took place.

As part of the "Business Travel, Event and MICE Management" module, the participants organized the excursion themselves and were full of anticipation when the journey with Prof. Dr. Wegener from Frankfurt Airport to London Heathrow began on Monday morning, June, 13th.

After arriving at the hotel near Tower Hill in the afternoon we visited the "Tower of London" fortress, which once served the British royals as a residence, mint and prison. In the evening there was a ride in the London Eye on the program, so that the arrival day was rounded off with a wonderful view over the city

On Tuesday the students had the chance to get to know the University of West London: In addition to a guided tour through the ultra-modern facilities of the St. Mary's Road Campus, lectures provided a wealth of information on the Master's programs offered there 

In the evening, the group could get to know the capital of the kingdom on foot on an exciting Jack the Ripper walking tour, before the tour continued on Wednesday in the sunshine on the bike. After the active day, the students took part in a pub crawl and enjoyed the evening together. Thursday was free, so that e.g. the Camden Market or Madame Tussauds could be visited 

As a highlight of the last day, the students were allowed to visit the German Tourist Office in London after the check-out from the hotel. They learned a lot about British incoming tourism and the GNTB's social media measures in dialogue with Klaus Lohmann, head of the UK mission abroad. Afterwards the time could be used to review the excursion and to work out a case study in two groups: The students were supposed to develop an incentive trip for German start-up companies - there was definitely enough input for this during the 5-day excursion! On Friday afternoon, the students and Ms Wegener travelled back to Frankfurt. The sunny days spent together in London will all be remembered as a successful completion of their studies

Text: Lisa Marie Three-Prince
 

After the 4th semester students of Tourism Management degree programme were invited to listen to a guest lecture on "Revenue Management at the Steigenberger Airport Hotel Frankfurt" during their module “Hospitality Management” last semester, they were in this semester invited to get to know the hotel on site. On 17.05.2016 the students had the opportunity to take a look behind the scenes of the hotel business at the Steigenberger Airport Hotel Frankfurt  

The students were welcomed in the lobby by Mrs. Held, Sales Manager, and Mrs. Scholz, Assistant Director of Convention Sales, before the guided tour of the restaurant area began with the breakfast restaurant "Five Continents", which can be expanded according to demand. Afterwards, the exclusive evening restaurant "Faces" and the traditional restaurant "Unterschweinstiege" were visited, which is located in a historic forester's lodge directly next to the hotel. With its rustic ambience, which has been preserved over time, it offers the perfect setting for the regional specialities  and seasonal dishes served there. Due to its special atmosphere, the restaurant is also a popular excursion destination at the airport and, when the weather is fine, offers a large outdoor area where even a small Christmas market is set up in winter

After the inspection of the restaurants we went on to the 7th floor. The students were allowed to visit two types of rooms in the business category. These rooms are available as double as well as single rooms, but the double rooms are often also booked for single occupancy, as business travellers often stay overnight in the hotel. The business rooms are available in two different designs, one as tasteful "Classic" rooms and the other as modern "Urban" style rooms with a semi-open bathroom. In addition to the business rooms, the students were able to visit a room of the "Executive" category in the exclusive "Executive Tower", which offers a beautiful view of the city forest and the Frankfurt skyline. The Executive Tower also has a separate entrance which can only be accessed by authorized guests. From there, there is also quick access to the spa area, which, however, could not be visited by the students due to the ongoing operation

The prices for the rooms are recalculated daily depending on the occupancy rate and forecast. The students had already become acquainted with the theory behind this practice and the factors which had to be taken into account for optimum capacity utilization in view of the set expectations during the guest lecture on "Revenue Management" in the last semester. The insight into the practice in this context was therefore particularly interesting. For example, the Steigenberger Airport Hotel Frankfurt has a total of 570 rooms, so that precise capacity control is necessary. The airline partners are also an important customer group to consider, as they always need some rooms for their crew members due to the location at the airport.

After the viewing of the rooms, the tour of the conference rooms was on the agenda. Due to its location, the Steigenberger Airport Hotel Frankfurt is an important conference centre and has over 40 conference rooms, making it one of the few hotels in that area that can accommodate such a quantity of conference guests. In order to be able to react individually to the customer's requirements, some of the conference rooms are separated by flexible walls in order to be able to vary the room size if necessary. Events can be held for up to 1000 people, but there are also small rooms for only 6-10 people

All conference rooms are equipped with state-of-the-art technology and have screens that can be moved into the ceiling when not in use. In addition, not only equipment and seating are adapted to the individual wishes of the customers: The team of the Convention Sales as a personal contact always endeavour to meet all the extraordinary wishes of the guests.

After the guided tour, a buffet with hot and cold drinks as well as various snacks was prepared for the students as a surprise. Apart from Ms. Held, a contact person from the personnel department was also available to answer questions about career opportunities at the Steigenberger Hotel Group. In addition to many further information about the hotel, the students also learned a lot about the personal careers of the two interview partners, which was very interesting.

Finally, the students would like to thank Ms. Sensen for making the excursion possible. Many thanks also to Ms. Held, Ms. Scholz and Ms. Weis for the great guided tour and the delicious buffet as well as for the very informative and eventful day at the Steigenberger Airport Hotel Frankfurt!

Text: Sarah Menzebach

On 3 May, the fourth semester of the study programme Tourism Management together with the study programme Air Traffic Management undertook an excursion to the medium-sized branded goods company delta pronatura within the framework of the module "Logistics and Purchasing Management", under whose umbrella products of the brands Dr. Beckmann, Bullrich Salz, Blistex, Bi-Oil and BlanX White Shock are produced and/or marketed. Although the tour took place in a company of a different industry, the tourism students received some interesting and helpful information about the logistical requirements of a production plant

At the beginning of the excursion, the participants were divided into two groups of approx. 16 people each, which created a personal atmosphere during the guided tour that provided a good and practical insight into the company. First, the company and its history were presented in a theoretical part. It was particularly interesting that most students were at least partly familiar with the brands that the company manufactures and sells, but did not necessarily associate the products with delta pronatura

At the Egelsbach location, where mainly the production of liquid products takes place, the company employs approx. 190 people. In addition, this location also serves as a central warehouse, which made it particularly interesting with regard to the lecture content in the field of logistics management. In addition to the Egelsbach location, the company also has several international locations abroad, and its products are currently sold in 78 countries 

After the students had learned a lot about the company, the guided tour through the company began. First, the layout of the premises was shown on a map, before the actual management began in the production area, where the liquid products of the various brands are manufactured. In this area the automatic filling and packaging machines were explained. In addition to the technical production processes, the students also learned that the entire logistics in the company is controlled via the SAP program, through which it is possible to see directly how high the stock level is and which products or product components are stored where. This facilitates the work processes in the company enormously and helps to exclude possible errors

In order to explain the practical logistical processes to the students in more detail, the excursion continued after the inspection of the packaging facilities to the interim storage facility, where product and packaging components such as the containers, stickers or cartons are stored. Finally, the students looked at the warehouse, which had already been explained to us in detail in advance due to its special design. In this case it is an automated satellite racking system in which the products are stored in various storage channels and rail-guided rack conveyors automatically store and retrieve the products as ordered via the system 

All in all, it was a very interesting and instructive day on which the students were able to get to know some of the logistical requirements in a production company in practice. The entire study program would like to thank delta pronatura for the guided tour and the opportunity to gain an interesting insight into the daily business and to experience the lecture contents in practice!

Text: Sarah Menzebach

As part of our project in the module Tourism Management - Introduction and Destination Management, we, students of the first semester in the dual study programme Tourism Management at the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, were able to organize an excursion to the International Tourism Exchange (ITB) in Berlin in 2016. With over 10,000 exhibitors and around 200,000 visitors annually, the ITB is the largest tourism trade fair in the world. The organisation of a suitable means of transport, comfortable accommodation and an informative programme at the ITB were part of the project. We also presented our results in the form of presentations and project work in the run-up to the excursion

In March 2016 it was time for us to put our project into practice! On Tuesday, 08.03., around noon, we 18 young tour operators took the ICE from Frankfurt to Berlin. There we moved into our hostel, which was located in the middle of the Kreuzberger Kiez and which, as chance would have it, was right next to Berlin's most famous kebab stand

On Wednesday we went to the ITB full of energy. In small groups we were allowed to interview  various responsible persons from the tourism industry. These included airlines, tour operators, destinations and hotel chains. We also discussed controversial topics such as the impact of terrorist attacks and the refugee crisis on individual destinations as well as the important issue of sustainability. This gave us a good insight into professional practice and its challenges

In addition to numerous technical discussions, there was also enough time for the independent exploration of the ITB. Some students attended exciting lectures or panel discussions, others informed themselves about Master's programmes and the start of their professional lives. Of course, there was a lot to discover, taste and try at the fair: typical dishes, relaxing massages and countless information materials brought us closer to the various destinations and tourist service providers. So we ended the fair days with sore feet, many impressions and interesting new insights

As students in the field of tourism, we were of course especially interested in the destination Berlin. So of course the sightseeing did not come too short. On Thursday evening we visited the magnificent Friedrichstadtpalast and watched the show "The WYLD". Shortly before we headed home on Friday, we took part in a hop-on-hop-off bus tour, during which we visited the most important landmarks of Berlin

So after  three eventful and impressive days in Berlin we returned to Frankfurt and can say that the ITB is worth a visit!

Text: Maren Butcher