Two days, two stages, one message: Hospitality thrives on authentic experiences.
On June 29 and 30, 2026, HOSPITALITY X showcased both sides of its DNA at the ESB Brand Festival in Düsseldorf—as a host and as a driving force for the future of the city hotel industry.
As the official pre-event for the Brand Festival, The Zipper opened its community space on the 13th floor and its rooftop terrace to about 80 guests from the branding and agency worlds.
Finger food, a DJ set, a 360-degree view of the city—and, at the same time, a public viewing of a World Cup round of 16 match on the terrace. A get-together instead of run-of-the-mill networking.
Under the theme “People. Brand. Emotion,” the festival brought together over 400 CMOs, brand decision-makers, and agencies at Düsseldorf’s Rheinterrasse on June 30—including brands such as Volkswagen, Meta, Ferrero, and Bugatti.
In the “Cities & Tourism” forum, co-founder Tobias Sebastian Oberdieck and hotel manager Franziska Pfaff delivered a presentation titled “New Hospitality – How the City Hotel Industry Must Reinvent Itself!”—covering new travel motivations, growing competition, and digitalization that’s been thought through to its logical conclusion.
The networking event proved that the Zipper works as an event venue with a “wow” factor—the ESB Network gave it an all-around positive review.
OSPITALITY X sets the agenda for how the urban hotel industry must reinvent itself—in front of the country’s brand decision-makers.
The more digital the world becomes, the more valuable real-life experiences become. Smart processes behind the scenes, more room for genuine hospitality up front—that’s exactly what HOSPITALITY X stands for.
