DLD Video

Benjamin Habbel (Limestone Capital), Sophie Galvagnon (Selar), Maxime Friess (Emerald Stay) and Björn Welter (Offgrid Mindful Cabins) on stage at the DLD Munich Conference 2024. Behind them, on a video screen, an orca whale swims through the blue ocean.

Mindful Tourism

DLD Munich 2024

January 12, 2024

Overtourism raises many questions about sustainability, nature and culture. This DLD24 panel discussion brings together a diverse group of entrepreneurs who aim to make tourism more meaningful and mindful again.

Watch the video to hear from Sophie Galvagnon, founder of the carbon-zero cruise company Selar, who explains how her custom-designed vessel is entirely powered by nature.

Björn Welter (Off Grid) and Benjamin Habbel (Ethos Hotels) explore the desire of travelers to reconnect with nature and a present a vision for the travel industry of the future.

Maxime Friess (Emerald Stay) discusses the challenges of balancing sustainability with lavish experiences in tourism.

You’ll also hear about consumer demand shifting towards sustainable operations, preserving local cultures and enabling digital detox through isolated yet luxurious experiences.

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Speakers

Sophie Galvagnon

Selar

Sophie Galvagnon is a maritime explorer and entrepreneur, renowned as the youngest captain decorated with the French Maritime Merit. As CEO of Selar, a next generation cruising company, she is leading the way to decarbonate the industry.

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Björn Welter

Offgrid Mindful Cabins

Björn Welter is the Founder and CEO of Offgrid Mindful Cabins, a unique hospitality company. Previously he spent the past decade shaping the brands and products of five unicorns in the food, tech and consumer industries, including Virgin Atlantic, Pret A Manger and HelloFresh.

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Benjamin Habbel

Limestone Capital

Benjamin Habbel is Chief Business Officer at Tether, where he leads organizational growth, finance, investments, and portfolio expansion. Previously, he co-founded and served as CEO of Limestone Capital. Habbel started his career at Google in Mountain View, working on global product rollouts for Android, Maps and Search.

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Maxime Friess

Emerald Stay

Maxime Friess is the CEO and Co-founder of Emerald Stay, one of Europe’s fastest growing groups in the hospitality industry. Friess grew up in a hospitality family in the Swiss Alps and then worked in investment banking and commodities trading before founding his first business at age 30.

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