Terminological evolution of business tourism: a structural and semantic analysis of English and German terms

The article explores the structural and semantic features of terminological units related to business tourism in Germany, within the framework of a comparative analysis of English- and German-language terms used in the MICE industry (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions). The focus is on the linguistic dynamics of terminology during the period 2020–2025, marked by global transformations such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the full-scale war in Ukraine, which resulted in the active adoption of digital models of business interaction. The study analyzes 150 English and German terms, identifies typical structural models used in term formation (compound nouns, acronyms, loanwords), and determines their semantic characteristics (polysemy, synonymy, internationalisms). The article examines attempts at terminology standardization, its integration into educational programs for tourism students, and proposes a micro-classification of business tourism terms along with priority lexical models. Germany’s position as a leading country in business tourism destination in Europe is analyzed, along with geographic differentiation using selected federal states as examples: Bavaria, Hesse, Hamburg, and Baden-Württemberg. The article also discusses administrative and organizational mechanisms of tourism governance. It highlights the role of key industry organizations, including the Federal Association of the Tourism Industry (BTW), the German Travel Association (DRV), the German National Tourist Board (DZT), and the German Tourism Association (DTV).The methodological basis of the research includes systems analysis, comparative linguistics, and terminological system analysis. The article proposes a micro-classification of business tourism terms, identifies priority lexical models, and analyzes current linguistic trends shaping the terminological landscape of German tourism discourse. The results may be useful for both academic and applied linguistics research, professional training, lexicography development, and professional communication in the tourism sector.