Alexandra Bergerhausen in conversation with Susanne Illerhaus about the future of the MICE industry
For over 25 years, Susanne Illerhaus has been creating memorable experiences through ILLERHAUS Marketing. The focus is not on traditional networkingnetworking events, but genuine connections between people in the MICE industry. In this interview, she discusses why extraordinary locations often spark the best conversations, why personal interaction is more important today than ever before, and why trust, emotions, and genuine closeness will be more crucial in the future than mere business contacts.
Susanne, for over 25 years, you’ve been bringing people in the MICE industry together through ILLERHAUS Marketing. What personally drives you to keep developing new networking formats even today?
To this day, one thing in particular inspires me: bringing people together. For me, it’s less about the format itself and more about the connections that result from it.
It often starts with a special place. When I discover a location that moves me emotionally, a “movie” immediately starts playing in my head: What kind of people might gather there? What conversations might arise? What kind of atmosphere would that require? That’s exactly how our formats take shape—completely organically.
Your events often take place in unusual locations—on ships, mountain peaks, or islands. Why is it that the best conversations and connections often happen in such unique settings?
Because special places have a way of moving us. In inspiring places, we naturally open up more, think more freely, and find it easier to let go of our daily routines. That’s exactly where the best ideas and conversations often take shape.
For me, an event is always a combination of the setting, the timing, the atmosphere, and the people there. It’s all interconnected. And it’s often in extraordinary places that the kind of energy emerges that makes genuine connections possible.
The MICE Industry Meetup in Karlsruhe deliberately focuses on “less small talk, more substance.” Why does the industry need formats that facilitate genuine dialogue rather than mere business card exchanges now more than ever?
Because our world is becoming increasingly digital and technological. That is precisely why real conversations and personal encounters are becoming increasingly important.
Ultimately, we humans still make decisions based on our feelings. Whether a partnership develops often depends not only on facts, but also on whether there’s a good connection. Simply exchanging business cards just isn’t enough anymore.
Time has become precious. That is why we want to spend it with people we value, trust, and with whom we can have meaningful conversations.
At MS Karlsruhe, the focus is clearly on personal interaction. What makes a networking conversation truly valuable to you—and how can you tell that an initial contact has the potential to develop into something more?
For me, a good conversation starts with truly listening. It’s not about trying to make a sale right away, but about understanding: What does the other person want? What are the goals behind an event? And above all—what feeling do you want the participants to take home with them afterward?
Today, it’s no longer just about amenities or square footage. It’s about creating experiences that truly inspire people. When openness, trust, and genuine interest are evident, a connection often forms right from the first conversation—one that can grow into something much more later on.
You keep emphasizing how important trust, face-to-face interactions, and genuine connections are in the events industry. Has the importance of in-person networking changed again in recent years?
Definitely. Especially since 2020, many people have become even more acutely aware of just how important face-to-face interactions really are.
Especially in companies with remote work arrangements, there is a need for formats that bring teams back together and foster connection. People want to be seen, to interact with one another, and to share experiences together.
And that is exactly why trust is essential—in people, in relationships, and also in the partners who design such formats.
The subsequent familiarization trip to Karlsruhe and the surrounding region gives event planners the opportunity to experience destinations firsthand. How important is this “on-site experience” when it comes to making concrete decisions about events later on?
For me, that feeling is actually crucial. With a Fam Trip , we experience a destination with all our senses: the atmosphere, the hospitality, the food, and the energy of a place.
Ultimately, all of these factors influence the decision for or against a venue. When event professionals are impressed by a venue, they automatically form a mental picture of what their own events might look like there in the future.
No presentation can replace this emotional experience.
Last year, ILLERHAUS Marketing celebrated a double anniversary: “25 Years of ILLERHAUS Marketing & 20 Years of the MICE Industry Gathering.” Looking back on this time, what are you particularly proud of?
I am especially proud of the path I have taken—with everything that goes along with it.
I grew up as a hotel kid on the Moselle. It was always bustling there: guests, staff, events, conversations. We wanted for nothing in material terms. At the same time, life at the hotel was marked by hard work. What I often missed as a child, however, was time, closeness, and the feeling of truly being seen.
Today I realize that this is exactly what gave rise to my deep longing for genuine connection. Bringing people together, facilitating encounters, and showing others appreciation has therefore become much more than just a job to me.
I started my own business at age 30—in an industry where sales and marketing were nowhere near as important back then as they are today. Of course, there were ups and downs along the way. One of the most formative periods for me was the COVID-19 pandemic. That time felt like a trauma because I was suddenly gripped by the fear of losing everything I had built up over decades.
Looking back, however, it was precisely this phase that helped me grow. Thanks to my later training in personal development and transformation, I now see things very differently. I’ve come to realize just how much our early experiences shape us and how closely some fears are intertwined.
That’s why I’m especially proud not only of the company, but also of having kept moving forward—together with the people who have walked this path with me. My team has been contributing an incredible amount of heart, loyalty, and passion for years. My husband has been by my side through all the ups and downs for 15 years. And my long-standing network has also played a crucial role in helping us overcome even the most difficult times together. For that, I feel nothing but deep gratitude today.
If you were to look ahead to the future today, what trends, preferences, or changes do you think will shape networking events in the MICE industry in the coming years?
Technology, AI, and smart matchmaking systems will undoubtedly continue to transform and enhance networking events. At the same time, however, I believe that the desire for genuine human connections will grow even stronger.
I’ve been thinking more and more about how we can do more than just inform people at events—how we can truly touch their hearts. In my view, values like warmth, appreciation, integrity, and connection are becoming increasingly important.
The faster and noisier our world becomes, the greater the need for places where people can truly relax. That is precisely where I see a major opportunity for the events industry.
Today, companies can achieve much more through meetings, conferences, and events than simply conveying information. When they succeed in connecting with employees on an emotional level, a genuine bond with the company is formed—and this often leads to greater motivation, a stronger sense of identification, and long-term loyalty. People want to feel that they are not just expected to perform their duties, but that there is a genuine interest in them as individuals. This is exactly what should be reflected in events.
These topics have been a major focus of mine for several years now. That is why I have pursued further training in the areas of transformation, personal development, and hypnosis. Ultimately, all of these topics revolve around awareness, personal responsibility, and one’s own creative power.
And I find the idea beautiful that every person already carries happiness within them—and that through our attitudes and our interactions with one another, we are able to pass that very same happiness on to others.