A year of wonder and heartfelt thanks
2025 year in review and a look ahead to what's coming.
by Bernd Fritzges, CEO of MICE DESK
Dear partners, dear companions,
The year is drawing to a close. Time to pause. Take a deep breath. Look back and look ahead.
When I think back on the past twelve months, I feel one thing above all else: gratitude.
Grateful for a team that achieves extraordinary things
I get to work with people who impress me every day.
Our development team, led by CTO Tigran Manvelyan, has created something that I would have considered impossible three years ago. A platform that now supports 15 different system configurations. That orchestrates the entire group and convention sales process. That works. Every day, in real hotels. Thank you, Tigran, for your vision and perseverance.
Tobias Feickert, our CFO and COO, has steered a transformation this year that required courage. The transition from a hybrid service provider to a pure software company cannot be achieved without difficult decisions. Tobi made them with clarity and heart. Thank you for that.
Evelyn Ebner and Dennis Flesch, our onboarding team, ensure that every hotel gets off to the best possible start. What used to take weeks now runs smoothly and efficiently. Evy, your energy and eye for detail are infectious. Dennis, you are the perfect complement. Thank you both.
Silvana Lorenz and her operations team keep everything running smoothly. Every day. Even when things get hectic. Even when the pressure mounts. Silvana, you are the backbone of our customer service team. Thank you for your calmness and reliability.
And then there's Uwe Krohn. He only joined us in October, but it feels like he's always been here. Uwe brings with him almost 30 years of experience in the hotel industry and an eye for what really matters: genuine relationships, genuine results. I am really looking forward to what we will build together.
And to everyone I haven't mentioned by name here, from our sales team to the developers to every single person who ensures that MICE DESK works every day: you know who you are. Thank you for your dedication, your ideas, and your commitment. Without you, none of this would be possible.
Grateful for partners who trust us
In July, we launched Rocket 2.0 live for the first time in a hotel group. Today, just a few months later, over 180 hotels are in the rollout phase. When I read this number, I have to pause for a moment. 180 hotels that have placed their trust in us. That are willing to break new ground. That believe in us.
This trust cannot be taken for granted. I know how difficult it is to change established processes. How much persuasion is needed internally. How great the skepticism toward new technology can be.
It means all the more to me that you are joining us on this journey.
A look back: The long road to this moment
Three years ago, we embarked on an unusual path. We went directly to the hotels with around 50 group and convention sales managers. Not as external consultants, but as part of the teams. We experienced the fragmented system landscapes, the manual processes, the frustrations, but also the passion that exists in this industry.
This experience was our most important investment. It enabled us to build a product that really works. Not on paper, but in the reality of everyday hotel life.
Looking ahead: 2026—I can hardly wait
In the first half of the new year, we will be supplying Rocket to over 400 hotels. We will be rolling out the first major pilot customer for the next stage. We will continue to grow in Portugal, the Netherlands, and hopefully also in the US.
But the numbers aren't what drives me the most.
What drives me is the vision of what will be possible. A world in which convention sales no longer means spending hours copying data back and forth between systems. A world in which people once again have time for what really matters: building relationships, inspiring guests, making a difference.
We call this "insight generation," and it will change the way hotels manage their business.
See you at ITB and beyond
In March, we will be back at ITB Berlin, this time with a larger booth in Hall 7.1c and as a partner of the official ITB MICE Night. And with "The Answer – Only 42 Will Know," we will continue our exclusive format for hospitality executives in 2026.
But you don't have to wait until March. Get in touch in January—we look forward to talking to you.
Merry Christmas
But for now: take a deep breath. Spend time with the people who are important to us. Recharge our batteries for a year that is going to be a big one.
From me personally and from the entire MICE DESK team: Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year, and a 2026 full of energy, courage, and shared successes.
We can hardly wait. Can you?