The 1970s
The 1970s are the decade of tourism. By 1973, every second German travels once a year. The railroads react and connect German cities with the Intercity system. The 1970s also saw the breakthrough of the package tour, a convenient way for guests to book everything from a single source. People go to travel agencies to make their bookings. Of course, the 100 or so hotels that joined together in the Ringhotels cooperation in 1973 also wanted to profit from the tourism boom.
In 1973, Ringhotels publishes the first travel planner listing all Ringhotels. In 1974, the Ringhotels present themselves for the first time at the world's largest tourism trade fair, the ITB. In 1975, the first offers are made for travel groups. The typical Ringhotels guest travels individually by car and the typical brochure wall showing all Ringhotels is introduced. The arrangement "Champagne Dreams" becomes an absolute hit. The Ringhotels take a firm place in the German hotel industry.
At the beginning of the 1970s, a gastronomic revolution spilled over from France into Germany: nouvelle cuisine. What was new about it was that, in comparison to classic cuisine, great value was placed on freshness, seasonality and regionality. Instead of heavy sauces, chefs rely on jus (French juice) and demi-glace (heavily boiled-down broth). A normal dinner has three courses, a festive menu five to seven. In the Ringhotels, the chefs combine the new with the good old; after all, they have learned from professional chefs to prepare the classic dishes with perfect craftsmanship.
