ITTFA OFFERS CONSULTATION SERVICES

The International Tourism Trade Fairs Association (ITTFA) has launched a new consultation service for companies seeking advice on how to best represent themselves at travel trade fairs.

With competition getting fiercer by the month, it pays to review your exhibiting tactics from time to time and there is no doubt that getting a good return on investment at exhibitions is an art and needs plenty of groundwork beforehand.  ITTFA, whose members have been hosting travel trade events for decades, is well placed to offer advice on how best to achieve this.

Tom Nutley, Chairman of ITTFA has 30 years of experience in the travel trade exhibition industry and has a depth and breadth of knowledge second to none. Responsible for developing and setting up many of Reed’s top travel events, he also prioneered RTE’s Meridien Club, essentially the first dedicated buyers club for the exhibition industry.

Exclusively via ITTFA, Tom is now available for consultation sessions, to offer advice on how you can keep your event on track and set up for the future.  All companies exhibiting at an ITTFA event have access to this service and need only to get in touch via the website, www.ittfa.org for more details.

The service offers the opportunity to discuss the ins and outs of your business in relation to exhibiting with an industry expert, to look into new avenues, core values, target markets and the inside track on how to exhibit effectively.

ITTFA is dedicated to the continual development of the travel trade show industry, increasing participation and setting high standards worldwide.  Membership is  accessible to smaller and developing shows, as well as more established ones.  This underlines the primary goals of the Association as it strives to improve travel trade exhibition standards across all markets and help maximize the benefits and levels of professionalism for both visitors and exhibitors.

In the current, challenging times it is even more important that exhibition organisers work together to promote the benefits and opportunities they offer for all sectors of the travel industry.  By assisting exhibitors to get more out of their time at exhibitions will not only benefit all event organizers but boost the industry, underlining the value that such events play in the success of the global travel industry.

For more information on ITTFA, visit www.ittfa.org

ITTFA ADD SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS TO MEMBERSHIP FOR 2012

The Alpe-Adria Show also the official centre of the region

The Alps-Adriatic Working Community has officially confirmed the Alpe-Adria: Tourism and Leisure Show as the central tourism event of the Alps-Adriatic region, which includes 10 individual regions of Italy, Austria and Hungary, as well as Slovenia and Croatia in their entirety.

Thanks to this great success of the central fair event in the field of tourism and leisure, Ljubljana has turned into the tourist hub of the region and is thus becoming a highly visible business junction of the leading tourism actors of the region and wider areas. The Alps-Adriatic region is progressively gaining in popularity mostly due to the organised tours for tourists from remote countries, such as China, Japan, USA, etc. As emphasised by Wolfgang Platzer, PhD, the Secretary General of the Community, »we need a joint approach for the joint marketing of the whole region in interesting tourist markets around the world – after all, the Working Community stretches from Lombardy to Hungary, from Burgenland to the far south of Croatia.«

Let us remember: In January 2011 the Alpe-Adria: Tourism and Leisure Show made a successful thematic and geographic breakthrough in the region as the only Show presenting the tourist offer organised by destinations, from which the exhibitors originate, and by products of the exhibition programme. Within this offer, the visitors could identify themselves according to the 4 common types of tourists – from active, to laid-back holidaymakers, trip-makers and adventurers.

The next Alpe-Adria: Tourism and Leisure Show will take place between 26 and 29 January 2012 and will significantly upgrade this year’s concept of the Show with the following novelties:

• Expert meeting of tourist agencies of the Alps-Adriatic region

• Global Chef Challenge live in front of the visitors

• Expert meeting of FIJET travel journalists of the Alps-Adriatic region
• Expert meeting of tourist guides of the Alps-Adriatic region
• Numerous expert lectures as part of Travel Zoom and Focus.

The organisers are preparing many more professional events and also the possibility of a guided tour of the Show for the visitors.

Part of the Show will again be the Jakob prize, the prize for quality and excellence in tourism of the Alps-Adriatic region. The subject of the Jakob 2012 competition is: Innovative tourist products in the field of alternative forms of leisure and relaxation. An international expert jury with members from the areas of the Alps-Adriatic Working Community, presided over by Professor Janez Bogataj, PhD, will assess the projects that bring innovative tourist products in various areas of alternative forms of leisure and relaxation and thus contribute to the tourist offers of the cities and areas of the region. When assessing, the jury will follow the provisions and guidelines for sustainable and natural development. Various tourist programmes and themes providers from the mentioned field, i.e. alternative forms of leisure and relaxation, may apply for the Jakob 2012 prize.

The first Jakob prize was awarded for the project byHotel Triglav Bled – Chef Uroš Štefelin Culinary School in the field of gastronomy.Marcela Klofutar, Executive Director of Hotel Triglav Bled, explained the significance of the prize for their endeavours in rising awareness about eating and drinking culture and habits in Slovenia: »Within the framework of the Culinary School we organise cooking workshops for children, adults, companies, etc., as well as presentations of catering professions at elementary schools for parents and counsellors. Foreigners get to know our culture, nature, and customs through these cooking workshops and thus spread the good word about Slovenian culinary beyond our borders.

«The last Show in January 2011 presented 332 providers of tourist services and 20 nautical companies from the region. In addition to the tourist offer of the Alps-Adriatic region, the Show also presented more remote destinations, such as the countries of former Yugoslavia, Spain and Turkey. Approximately 16,000 visitors and 265 Slovenian and foreign press representatives attended the refreshed event.

ITTFA Launches New Website

Motivating Your Exhibition Stand Team – Exhibition Advice from ITTFA

As many of us know, working at an exhibition is hard work. It usually involves several long days of intense face to face interaction, being constantly on your feet and remaining polite and cheerful throughout. Staying motivated therefore can often be a real challenge, especially at the end of the day or at slow times during the show.

Having staff on the stand who are simply extra bodies, looking bored and not making the most of all opportunities is both a waste of time and money. Therefore, to maximize return on investment and capitalize on the time and effort put in on the stand, it is essential that stand personnel are fully prepared for their time at an exhibition.
This means the management team placing sufficient importance on pre-show staff preparation.

This preparation should cover personal motivation, creating a team spirit and communication skills as well as company and product knowledge.

The key element to motivation of exhibition stand staff is that they want to be there.
Often the location of the show is enough to create interest but frequently sales people do not like to be taken out of their normal routine and may see the time away as sales opportunities missed. This is in fact quite the opposite as new leads will be generated, new contacts made and new ideas gleaned from competitors so ensure they understand this.

Stand personnel should be outgoing, good communicators and ambassadors for the company so choose individuals who you think will cope with the constant interaction, who will remain calm and create the right impression.

Bring these individuals together in a series of pre show meetings and create a team with a mission. Set individual and team goals and provide incentives. Consider the strengths of each team member and how these will interact. Where you can, put staff together
whose skills will best compliment each other.

Let the team know what is expected of them, what the rationale is behind being at the exhibition and what objectives have been set. Provide any necessary training to allow them to do their job effectively.

Ensure that staff have all the background information they need to deal with all kinds of enquiries and if they don’t have the answers, make sure they know how to find them or how to deal successfully with the enquiry by taking details and following up. Product and corporate information as well as some competitor insight are essential.

Social evenings, after a long day at the show, are good for unwinding and for moral.
Local visits to places of interest also add diversity to the working day and pave the way for positive take home impressions.

Financial incentives are also an option if sales and goals are achieved. On a more basic level, providing staff with a pleasant environment outside the exhibition hall, good quality accommodation if away from home, ample budgets for provision of meals, telephone calls and other essentials, also makes for happier employees.

Familiarise staff with the market place. If overseas, then cover any idiosyncrasies of that particular market – ways to do business or things not to do that might cause unnecessary upset.

Positive support and involvement from top management, shown by attending the show, helping on the stand or taking part in training programmes and pre- and post-show activities, creates enthusiasm and underlines the importance of the project from a corporate perspective.

The more managers know their individual staff members, the more they are able to recognize what motivates them. Studies show that people are more motivated by personal recognition than by money. By acknowledging the power of recognition and appreciation and creating the right foundations, managers can create a more positive, productive and enjoyable environment whilst working an exhibition stand.

Akwaaba 2011 To Start 2 Days Earlier

This year’s AKWAABA, African Travel Market will be starting two days earlier than planned because the Lagos State Local Government elections have now been fixed for the 22nd October, 2011. The event will now start on the 19th October 2011 and finish on the 21st October. The change of date is in anticipation of a possible restriction in movement and taking into account the large number of foreigners expected at this year’s event, the organisers felt it was practical for all involved to move to the date two days earlier.

This comes as more countries and international firms register to participate. Zimbabwe, Chad and Namibia will be first timers at this year’s event along with the re-entry of representatives from USA. Leading Airlines and international hotel chains from all over Africa will be attending the only international fair in West Africa. Meanwhile, the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agents (NANTA) is partnering with the organizers of Akwaaba to make the event a success. NANTA is the biggest travel association in Nigeria and the umbrella body of travel agencies will be bringing its members to the event as both sellers and buyers according to the National publicity secretary of NANTA Mrs. Tinuke Nwakohu, ‘NANTA will participate in AKWAABA as the event provides a local opportunity for players in the Travel Trade to network and work together as Travel markets are the lifeblood of travel business globally and cannot be different in Nigeria’. Mr. Ikechi Uko representing the show organisers said “our event has partnership with global associations and now having a credible national group like NANTA completes the circle for us. We are excited to tap into their goodwill and expertise”.

Akwaaba; African Travel Market is the only international expo in West Africa listed by UNWTO, a partner event of ATA in the region and the only member of ITTFA in West Africa. AfTM seeks to make travelling a pleasurably seamless experience in Africa.

Travel trade associations team up to boost MENA region

Glamping – Camping at its best

Camping has never looked so good. More comforts than home, luxurious furnishings in beautiful surroundings with plenty to keep the children happy and a fridge to cool the wine. It definitely is time to take a new look at camping and many accommodation providers have done just that.

Glamping or upmarket camping is certainly experiencing a boom, becoming more wide spread and more varied. With everyone looking for value for money holidays, combined with staying closer to home and a better awareness of environmental issues encouraging us to get back to nature, camping has become a great solution that ticks all the boxes. It seems to fit the times we live in, highlighting the key elements of a successful holiday – scenic location, a bit of luxury, a bit of adventure but without being too cost prohibitive.

It is not surprising then that according to the Visit England UK Tourism Survey, between 2006 and 2009, the AB category participating in Camping and Caravanning holidays, grew from the smallest customer segment to the second largest. Camping has moved up in the fashion stakes.

In 2009, UK residents took 18m camping and caravanning trips, spending £2.5bn during their trips, according to the UKTS Visit England Tourism Survey. By contrast, they made 10m visits to Spain. In 2009, camping and caravanning trips by UK residents grew by 20%, ahead of overall domestic holiday growth of 17% (UKTS).

In the UK there are is a whole host of options under the heading Glamping – which seems to have moved up another level to encompass the likes of Iron Age Roundhouses in Cornwall, yurts, safari-style tents complete with oven and fridge, Ekopods, wigwams, tipis and authentic gypsy caravans. Celebrities have helped to make camping ‘cool’ as various A rated stars are spotted on camping holidays and designer brands are producing ranges of retro-chic glamping accessories to make things look like magazine shoots.

Holland is also seeing an upsurge in Glamping holidays which has been reflected in the offering at this year’s Vakantiebeurs Travel Fair, held in Utrecht. “We have definitely noticed an increase in exhibitors offering this type of product at Vakantiebeurs this year, it is becoming increasing popular as a holiday option in Holland – especially in the de Waddeneilanden region. Suncamp are one of the better known operators offering upmarket camping in Holland and are very active in the sector of luxury camping,” says Dagmar Ypenberg-Moonen, exhibition manager.

Although up market camping has been on the horizon for a while now in the UK market, this is not necessarily so in all European markets. Portugal, Spain and France have a good range of locations to offer but Northern Europe is not yet as active. Per Magnusson, Exhibition Manager for TUR in Sweden, says the trend is still very new in Sweden but he expects to see it grow in importance on the exhibitor listing in the near future.

If you want to find out more about what is on offer around the world, Goglamping.net is probably the leading source on luxury camping, where you can find details on a range of stunning holiday options in countries from Cambodia to Chile. The directory lists venues by location or type and gives a short description of each, listing key features along with prices and a direct website link. In Goa, a hybrid tent-house, known as a ‘touse’ can cost from Euro 450 per week and in contrast The Resort at Paws Up, Montana, USA offers the ultimate in glamping, luxurious tents complete with camp butler at $715 per night for two.

It may be taking a while to reach some countries but the time is ripe for glamorous camping and there is opportunity for hotel chains and accommodation providers to add an outdoor option to their portfolio. Countries such as those in the Middle East, where families enjoy nights under the stars in the cooler months, are perfect locations and destinations such as Dubai are already known for their upmarket hotels and luxury lifestyles. The Al Maha Rseort, which opened in 1999 was the first eco-tourism project to open in the Arabian Gulf but the time may now be right for hoteliers to take that next step and offer similar luxury under canvas.

Camping may not be for everyone but it is most definitely not the arduous, second rate holiday option that it once was. The opportunity to experience being at one with nature whilst still having all the comforts of a perfect hotel and in amazing surroundings, has to be high on the list of must have holidays.

TUR and Vakantiebeurs are members of ITTFA, International Tourism Trade Fairs Association, which represents key travel events around the world. For more information on ITTFA and all our members, please visit www.ittfa.org or email us on secretariat@ittfa.org

TUR 2011 – better than ever

The TUR team welcomes you to TUR 2011.
Standing from left to right:
Jane Ringensson and Marie Aggfelt.
Seated from left to right:
Marie Hultman, Mattias Andersson, Maria Törnquist,
Per Magnusson, Eva Bursell and Johanna Magnusson.

The ambition is crystal clear. TUR is set for renewal, improvement and development to consolidate its position as Scandinavia’s most important venue for travel, tourism and meetings.
From 24-27 March it’s time to let the whole world into the Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre again.

“We hope that both visitors and exhibitors will notice some of the measures implemented for this year’s TUR,” says exhibition manager Per Magnusson.
These include a focus on the development of the personal meeting through Connect@TUR, where exhibitors can speed date around 50 buyers.
“The business meeting between sellers and buyers is extremely important for a trade fair and so we’ve focused a great deal on Connect@TUR. We’re going to evaluate this concept in the future and develop it further.”
TUR is also continuing its cooperation with Schyst Resande (Fair Travel), in which CSR issues are discussed with international speakers. And naturally the focus continues on the development of Meetings@TUR, which is now being implemented for the fourth time. The meetings industry has its own space in Hall H, where business, seminars and networking take place in tailored environments.
The travel search engine and community Reseguiden.se is the main sponsor of TUR2011. Per Magnusson considers that this partnership provides added value for everyone involved since their natural physical and virtual forums complement each other.
“With its ‘Best Place in the World’ campaign, Resguiden is bringing together a big consumer competition, all the trade fair offers and a number of activities on its stand. The goal is to contribute to increased interaction between visitors as well as with exhibitors,” says Per Magnusson.

TUR 2011 takes place from 24-27 March. For further information visit:
www.tur.se

Travel Fairs go from strength to strength in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

The presence and performance of travel trade shows are surely an indication of the importance of tourism and a clear sign that a country has developed the industry sufficiently to merit the interest of other regions and indeed the international tourism market. It is testimony to the huge importance of the industry that despite the global economic downturn, new shows are setting up and developing markets are seeing their events grow year on year.

Azerbaijan, in Eastern Europe, Kazakhstan in Central Asia and even Siberia in the heart of Russia, are all markets with travel shows that are going from strength to strength. ITTFA looks at its member shows in these areas and at how they are prospering.

AITF, run by the ITE Group and held in Baku, is Azerbaijan’s largest exhibition for the tourism industry with over 4000m2 of exhibition space.  The event celebrates its 10^th anniversary this year and has grown considerably since its launch, with an increase of 20% in space in last year.  AITF caters for both the tourism trade and consumers.  In 2010, 72% of visitors, over 7,600, were tourist industry professionals.

Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, Tourism is an important part of the economy of Azerbaijan and the country’s large abundance of natural and cultural attractions make it an attractive destination for visitors. Following the Nagorno-Karabakh War in the 1990’s, tourism was crippled in Azerbaijan and it is only in the last decade that the tourism industry has begun to recover. The country has since experienced a high rate of growth in the number of tourist visits and overnight stays and in recent years, has also become a popular destination for religious, spa, and health care tourism.

Azerbaijan’s outbound tourism industry is growing at an even more rapid rate than inbound tourism due to increases in disposable income caused by the country’s impressive growth rate.  Even with the global financial crisis, Azerbaijan’s economy is predicted to grow by 9%.

ITE also operate two shows in Kazakhstan, KITF and Astana Leisure. Kazakhstan is in fact the ninth largest country in the world, five times the size of France, and boasts a very diverse landscape of mountains, lakes, rivers and coastline along the Caspian Sea. One could say that they are competing shows but both have been running happily alongside each other for seven years now so there appears to be enough demand in the market for both.

KITF is the more established of the two and is the larger show, with 8000 m2 of space and 500 exhibitors. KITF, held in Almaty, runs its 11^th edition this April and is organized jointly with the Ministry of Tourism & Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan. According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry, outbound tourism increased by 23% in 2009 – generating a total of 3,687,000 Kazakh tourists.  Online bookings are also growing in Kazakhstan, particularly in its main cities of Almaty and Astana.  In fact, online transactions for air travel are forecasted to record double-digit annual growth to 2013.

Astana became the capital of Kazakhstan in 1997 and is the second largest city after Almaty. By offering a second travel event, Astana Leisure, companies now have an opportunity to promote themselves in both of the country’s two major cities, first in Spring and again in Autumn. Astana Leisure continues to grow year on year and last year covered 700m2 and attracted over 2700 visitors.

Maria Badakh is Head of Sales for the ITE Group and also current President for ITTFA. “All of these markets offer high spending tourists, so we have a lot of interest from many luxury destinations and properties around the world. I have noticed that in the past few years we have a considerable number of new exhibitors from exotic destinations such as South America, Asia, Africa. A very important factor is that many countries have cancelled visas for Russians and this has definitely improved the tourism flow”. There are currently 7 travel trade shows in the ITE portfolio, including the larger shows of MITT and UITT.

Moving North, TourSib focuses on the Siberian region of Russia – a vast area with a population of 24 million. Siberia is well known for its extreme weather conditions, so it is no wonder that its inhabitants are showing an increasing interest in travel abroad. For over 20 years, TourSib has served the travel and tourism industry in Siberia. Held in Novosibirsk, it offers almost 5000m2 of space with 240 exhibitors from 21 destinations. Initially it may seem like a hard sell destination for inbound but things look set to change. The area has been steadily growing in popularity among adventurous travellers over the past few years and in October last year Hilton opened the city of Novosibirsk’s first internationally-branded hotel and it seems that other international hotel chains, Intercontinental, Accor and Swissotel, have properties in the pipeline too.

Another sign of Novosibirsk’s growing appeal to visitors, is nearby Tolmachevo Airport, which inaugurated its second runway in September. It is expecting passenger traffic to reach 2.2 million by the end of the year with an increase of between 10 and 15 percent annually thereafter.

Maria Badakh tells us that Turkey is a key destination for the whole region, as is Dubai in the UAE. There is clearly potential in all these markets and the shows, three of which are held next month, would definitely be worth a visit. You might be surprised at just how much potential there is in this vast and diverse region.

Tom Nutley has been chairman of ITTFA since he helped to establish the original association in 1992. “Growth markets are an integral part of the future development and success of travel exhibitions. Encouraging new and improved relationships in the international tourism trade fair industry is a key objective for the association which will further enable all of our members to obtain maximum benefit from opportunities worldwide”.

ITTFA is dedicated to the continual development of the travel trade show industry, increasing participation and setting high standards across Europe and worldwide. Striving to reinforce the travel trade environment as the best place to do business, where suppliers can meet buyers from all over the world, face to face, under one roof.

For more information on ITTFA and all our members, please visit www.ittfa.org or email us on secretariat@ittfa.org

Refreshed Show concluded with promising results

At the end of January, the 1st renewed fair Alpe–Adria: Tourism and Leisure closed its doors. The Show, based on 30 years of tradition, has this year made a breakthrough with the new name Alpe–Adria: Tourism and Leisure Show and the motto Just Relax! Alpe–Adria is here for you. It introduced the Alps–Adriatic region as the new destination starting point with Ljubljana at its centre. At the same time, it also presented a new challenge for the organizers and the exhibitors with the tourist offer tailor-made for the visitor. During the 4 days from 27 to 30 January, the Show hosted 332 providers of tourist services and 20 nautical companies from the region and also from remote destinations, such as the countries of former Yugoslavia, Spain and Turkey. The refreshed event was attended by approximately 16,000 visitors.

The need for regional connections was emphasised also by Wolfgang Platzer, PhD, Secretary General of the Alps-Adriatic Working Community, who stated at the opening ceremony on the first day of the Show: “… I believe it is time to take a step further: a common approach is required for joint marketing of the entire region – the Working Community stretches from Lombardia to Hungary, from Burgenland to the far south of Croatia – on interesting tourist markets across the world. Slovenia and Croatia have already set a good example and I hope that the marketing experts from other parts of the region will join them for the benefit of all of us. We should not perceive each other only as competition. Our common Alps-Adriatic region has so much to offer,” concluded Platzer.

The event also introduces a new Jakob prize for quality and excellence in tourism. A special international jury, presided over by Janez Bogataj, PhD, selected the winner – this year for achievements in the field of gastronomy: Hotel Triglav with Cooking School of Chef Uroš Štefelin. The Hotel is striving towards a long-term goal of raising the level of eating and drinking culture. Cooking workshops for various target groups are available within the framework of the School, of which the most desired and most successful are those for children between 4 and 12 years of age. The participants get to know local ingredients, dishes, pick vegetables from the garden, compose and prepare healthy, tasty and balanced meals as well as set the table. One of the key tasks of the School is the presentation of contemporary catering professions and an improvement in their reputations.

The theme of the competition for the Jakob prize in the coming year will be Innovative tourist programmes in the area of alternative forms of rest and relaxation.

The 2012 Alpe–Adria: Tourism and Leisure Show will take place at Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre (26 –29 January 2012).

TUR – a trade fair that is changing

The doors open on TUR 2011 on 24 March, but preparations are already well underway. This year the TUR travel and tourism fair is also in the midst of an exciting process of change.

In the run-up to this year’s fair, TUR analysed feedback from previous exhibitors and trade visitors to the fair. The results will form the basis for a long-term process of change that began in December.
“We arranged a half-day conference with 15 participants, including exhibitors, led by exhibition guru Mikael Jansson from Nordiska Undersökningsgruppen. On the basis of the information that emerged from that we set up an internal working group at TUR,” says Per Magnusson, Exhibition Manager.

A vision of what TUR should become in 2015 is gradually being worked out.
“As a result we have started a process of change that aims to meet the wishes of exhibitors and visitors. We had already taken several steps over the last few years but had not communicated them clearly enough.”

Earlier initiatives include Meetings@TUR and a concept to sell inexpensive travel online in conjunction with the fair. In preparation for the 2011 fair TUR is committed to attracting new buyers to the fair by means of VIP invitations.

TUR 2011 takes place on 24–27 March. You can learn all about the fair and the ongoing process of change at www.tur.se

ITTFA Launches Incubator Programme

ITTFA, the International Tourism Trade Fairs Association, has launched an innovative programme to support and develop new travel trade shows around the globe.

ITTFA is dedicated to the continual development of the travel trade show industry, increasing participation and setting high standards across Europe and worldwide. Changes to entry requirements and the annual fee structure over the past few years have meant that membership is more accessible to smaller and developing shows, as well as established ones. However, the Association has now gone one step futher and introduced ITTFA Incubator which offers new shows an opportunity to benefit from the backing of the association and the experience and expertise of its members for minimum outlay.

This underlines one of the primary goals of the Association as it strives to reinforce the travel trade environment as the best place to do business, where suppliers can meet buyers from all over the world, face to face, under one roof. To encourage the growth of new shows, particularly in emerging markets will strengthen the industry at grass roots level and provide new opportunities for all. ITTFA hopes to help set good standards from the outset, offering advice and support with models of good practice from its own members.

Tom Nutley has been chairman of ITTFA since he helped to establish the original association in 1992. “Growth markets are an integral part of the future development and success of travel exhibitions and I am delighted that we now have an opportunity to assist new shows by providing them with a voice and an arena to promote their event, supported by tried and trusted organizational methods. As many travel enterprises struggle to maintain their markets, it is even more important to have the support and backing of other industry colleagues.

Even long standing shows in traditional markets are re-thinking there operational methods and one key benefit of ITTFA is that members can swop advice and ideas, discuss methods that are already up and running in other markets. Encouraging new and improved relationships in the international tourism trade fair industry is a key objective for the association which will further enable all of our members to obtain maximum benefit from opportunities worldwide”.

Akwaaba; African Travel Market, currently a member of ITTFA, and now in its 6th year and is the only international Travel Fair in West Africa, an area with a population of 270 million people and 15 countries. Over the last few years Aftm has become the most important travel marketing platform in the region drawing attendance from over 20 countries and is now a major fixture in the events calendar for Africa, listed by UNWTO as the only travel event in West Africa.

Mr Ikechi Uko, CEO of the organising company had this to say about the benefits of ITTFA. “Membership offers us an opportunity to network, learn and operate amongst shows of the highest standards. It offers us the opportunity to provide our audience with the combined experience of our peers in the association thus bringing to the shores of West Africa global best practices in the exhibition business. Membership of this well respected group will further position AfTM as an international event that takes place in Africa, integrating the African Travel practitioners into the global community.”

For more information on ITTFA Incubator and all our members, please visit www.ittfa.org or email us on secretariat@ittfa.org

2011 Poised to be a good year for Voluntourism.

As London readies itself for a royal wedding and an influx of tourists eager to absorb all the pomp and ceremony on April 29^th we can look forward to a good start to tourism in England for 2011. British tourists going abroad will be looking for value for money holidays in general, as will most nationalities as we continue to cope with financial hardships.

In Europe Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, together with the Finnish city of Turku assume the mantle of European Capitals of Culture and both cities have packed programmes of events to attract the tourist. Further afield, New York looks at the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and New Zealand gears up for the Rugby World Cup.

But behind the glitz and promotion of mainstream tourism lie the niche markets and less usual holiday options, one of which is Voluntourism, a word we will hear more of as the sector goes from strength to strength.

Voluntourism is defined as travelling abroad and taking part in any volunteer project whilst receiving no compensation and recently, these ‘bite-sized’ volunteer holidays have grown in popularity. There are many types of volunteer vacations ranging from cleaning up local wildlife areas which require little or no skill to providing highly skilled medical aid in a disaster struck zone. Although participants on these holidays come from a variety of backgrounds, they all share a desire to do something good whilst experiencing new places and cultures.

Travel exhibitions play a pivotal role in nurturing and developing these niche markets and are the ideal place to showcase new ideas, test the waters and obtain key contacts. ITTFA member TUR, the leading Scandinavian trade fair for travel, tourism and meetings, has noticed a definite increased interest in Volunteer travel. “We have recently started up a brand new collaboration with a Swedish company called Amzungo, a travel agency specializing in Volunteer travel, providing a range of options and opportunities for travellers to make a contribution to the local market,” comments Per Magnusson, TUR Exhibition Manager.

Through Amzungo, TUR will sponsor a free Volunteer travel package worth approx 1000 Euro for one person. Amzungo attracts a new kind of visitor to the fair and TUR can promote their sponsorship as a part of their corporate social responsibility policy. TUR has also joined forced with Green Bag Tag providing exhibitors with the opportunity to make a climate donation towards reducing their CO2 impact whilst participating at TUR. CSR is becoming a big part of exhibition organizers repertoire and sets a good example in the field of responsible tourism.

As visitors and exhibitors alike look even more carefully at their choices, it is the events which can offer both the mainstream and the niche travel products, those who are looking to the future, that will stay strong and prosper in this tough economic climate. It is now up to organizers to offer a full catalogue of products and features by broadening their horizons and staying a step ahead. Travel exhibitions should be at the forefront of new products and markets and leading trade event such as TUR help show the way.

The volunteer tourism sector really started to develop in the 1990’s when the travel industry developed niche products and firms started up to provide volunteer vacations to people who had no previous experience with a cause and to cater to the increasing number of young people taking gap years. Some of the earliest organizations to offer such trips included Earthwatch, Habitat for Humanity, and Global Citizens Network. However, the idea of combining voluntary service with travel is not a new concept. In fact, it can be traced back for many thousands of years in various cultures and religious orders throughout the world. Missionaries, healers, medical practitioners, sailors, explorers, and countless others have rendered service in conjunction with their travels.

Voluntourism now caters to people of all ages, offering a way to learn about the people and places being visited on a deeper more meaningful level, which can also lead to establishing long-lasting connections. Often participants will learn a new skill and, if the overall experience is positive, continue to support the area or project once back home. It can be a way to give back to a community, to work towards a cause you believe in, or simply to find a way to make a positive impact through your travels. As demand grows, more and more non-profit organizations, agencies and tour operators will expand the opportunities on offer to those looking for a different type of vacation experience.

Unforgettable Destinations at the 2011 Fair

VIP invitations to attract the right buyers to TUR

TUR will be sending VIP invitations to selected buyers for the 2011fair. The activity, a first-timer for TUR, is designed to attract new buyers and match them with the right exhibitors.

“We’re going all out to make new buyers aware of TUR and get them to come to TUR 2011. Right now we’re busy identifying the right people to invite,” says Per Magnusson, Exhibition Manager.

Invitations will be sent to three categories of Scandinavian buyers: those interested in the Swedish travel and tourism sector, those interested in the Swedish meetings sector, and those interested in foreign travel and tourism.

The VIP invitees will have access to a specially built VIP lounge.  They will also receive guest invitations to the TUR Welcome Reception and the TUR Party.

Akwaaba sponsors search for 7 wonders of Nigeria

ITTFA ELECTS NEW COMMITTEE FOR 2011

The International Tourism Trade Fairs Association (ITTFA) recently held its Annual General Meeting at The Travel Club in London where it elected its new executive committee to lead the Association through the coming year.

Tom Nutley, Chairman and founder of ITTFA, comments “All appointments were aimed at strengthening the central administration of ITTFA and providing a firm base for the continued growth of the association across cultural and international boundaries. We look forward to a successful year with fresh enthusiasm to fully support our members, new members and the industry in general.”

ITTFA is dedicated to the continual development of the travel trade show industry, increasing participation and setting high standards worldwide. Recent changes to entry requirements and the annual fee structure mean that membership is more accessible to smaller and developing shows, as well as more established ones. This underlines the primary goals of the Association as it strives to improve travel trade exhibition standards across all markets and help maximize the benefits and levels of professionalism for both visitors and exhibitors.

Committee members begin their term of office this month, being officially sworn in at the AGM in London. They will remain in their respective roles until the next election in a year’s time.

Maria Badakh, Head of Sales ITE Group, was elected as president of ITTFA, following her year as Vice President. Nutley commented on the appointments, “We are confident that Maria’s experience and enthusiasm will prove to be a great support to the Association and help steer it through another successful year. Her specific expertise in working with shows in developing Eastern European markets will be of particular importance as we look at increasing our support for organisers starting up new shows.”

Ms Badakh commented on the role; “I am delighted to take on this prestigious role and look forward to a successful year ahead. We hope to continue to broaden our membership base, particularly in the area of support and guidance for new and upcoming shows in less established markets and I personally look forward to welcoming members from all corners of the tourism exhibition world. The internationalisation of ITTFA is of value to all our members as we take on new challenges and create more opportunities to share ITTFA’s vision and knowledge with a larger audience.”

Zeljka Tomljenovic, ITE Group Travel Division Events & Sales Manager, was elected Vice President and will also take on the role of treasurer.  She commented, “As organizer of one of ITTFA’s largest events – MITT (Moscow), ITE has long been a supporter of ITTFA and is aware of the important role that the Association plays in supporting trade events such as ours. This is particularly relevant in the current financial climate when collective support can reap benefits on many fronts.”

Antonio Dell’Aquilano of TTG Italia Events, who has led the association previously as President, will take up the post of Industry Consultant and Spela Bratun, Project Manager Alpe-Adria, Tourism & Leisure Fair, will help support the association via the role of Sponsorship Officer.

Chairman of ITTFA, Tom Nutley, said that the association had come a long way in the past decade, recognising the huge changes in the travel exhibition industry brought about by the growth in emerging markets, technology and the recognition of the value of the industry in general. He added that in the current, challenging times it is even more important that exhibition organisers work together to promote the benefits and opportunities they offer for all sectors of the travel industry.

JAKOB – the new prize of Alpe–Adria: Tourism and Leisure Show,

the prize for quality and excellence of tourism in the Alps-Adriatic region

Is the name of the prestigious prize for excellence in tourism in the Alps-Adriatic region a surprise, perhaps even a doubt or a question why? I believe that such thoughts are unnecessary! Jakob is the allegory of the »first« tourist, a tourist traveller, i.e. a tourist desired by today’s Europe in its endeavours for natural and sustainable development of this important economic sector and social movement, which began in the second half of the 18^th century, but has a considerably older pre-history. It is particularly this dimension of the tourist cultural heritage, specifically symbolised by Jakob, with which we wish to mark also the most wide-reaching, innovative, creative and other endeavours in tourism of the Alps-Adriatic region.

Prof. Janez Bogataj, President of the International Expert Jury for Jakob prize

These days, the Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre has began calling upon the tourism actors in the Alps-Adriatic region to apply for the Jakob prize, i.e. the prize for quality and excellence in tourism. Each year, the International Expert Jury will, in accordance with the written criteria, seek out the best – the one who contributes an important piece into the mosaic of tourist achievements of the Alps-Adriatic region; each year, in a specified area of tourist endeavours and activity. Consequently, applicants will be able to apply for the Jakob prize, which will be awarded for different themes and programmes – a new theme each year, particularly a theme that is already being successfully carried out in a certain field. The theme of the Jakob prize for 2011 is

Innovative incorporation of local and regional gastronomy in the tourist offer.

The received applications for the prize will be assessed by an International Expert Jury, consisting of: Prof. Janez Bogataj, PhD, as its chairman, Joško Sirk, innkeeper and recipient of a Michelin star from Italy, Lojze Wieser, publisher and culinary expert from Austria, and the representative from Croatia, Denis Ivošević. The Jury will assess the projects of various applicants, which innovatively incorporate local and/or regional gastronomy in the tourist offer of places and areas of the Alps-Adriatic region.

Organisers of tourist events, developers of special, gastronomy-based tourist programmes (from inns, restaurants, hotels, and agritourism farms, to companies and agencies and, of course, educational institutions) may all apply.

The International Expert Jury will assess the following:

- comprehensive design and innovation (originality) of themes and projects involving local and/or

regional gastronomy in the tourist offer;

- connection of themes or projects with the efforts for a natural and sustainable tourism development;

- responsiveness and success (in terms of subject, economy, education, etc.) of subjects or projects.

Jakob is on his way to his new mission in the Alps-Adriatic region! Do not miss the deadline for applications, which is 7 January 2011.

There will be only one Jakob prize-recipient each year and in addition to the prize, they will receive:

• optional presentation of the project in the Oddih magazine, supplement of Dnevnik newspaper (1 page);
• unequipped exhibition space of 20 sqm for the presentation of the prize-winning project;
• description of the project at Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre website for a period of 1 year (average visit of 30,000 clicks/month) and in the magazine of the Slovenian Tourist Board entitled Turizem.

More information and the Application Form are available at: www.alpeadria-tourismshow.com

Conferencing and Events During UITT 2011

23-25 March 2011, Kiev, Ukraine

UITT is Ukraine’s leading travel and tourism exhibition.  Last year saw a significant increase in visitors as consumer interest in overseas travel grows – figures were up 9% compared with 2009, totalling over 17,000 visitors. The event also hosted 648 exhibitors and 51 destinations.

Remember, now is the ideal time to book, giving you ample time to plan your participation, make travel arrangements, etc.

Latest Confirmed Exhibitors

UITT has always welcomed a broad range of companies from all over the world.  This year, there will be companies from Bulgaria, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Rep, Dominican Rep, Egypt, Greece, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Slovak Rep, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand and Tunisia.

Also, for the first time, Portugal, US and UK will be represented at the show, through Lendatravel, American Best Getaways and BSI.

More About Ukraine

Ukraine’s tourism industry is expected to develop substantially once the country returns to growth. According to Mykola Azarov, Ukraine’s Prime Minister, the economy will grow by 5% this year and between 5% and 10% in 2011. With this in mind, many international companies and destinations are investing now for the future.

Events During UITT

Every year, a number of events take place during UITT. This year, they included:

An international conference entitled ‘Spa in Ukraine ‘11′, organised jointly with the Ukrainian Spa Association.

The 5th edition of the international business forum ‘Small Hotels & Apartments of Ukraine’, organised with the Association of Small Hotels & Apartments of Ukraine.

The 5th edition of the MICE Ukraine international conference entitled ‘Business Tourism — Ukraine’, which gives delegates an insight into the industry, its audience, trends and prospects. It also gives participants a valuable opportunity to network with their peers.

Official Support

UITT is officially supported by:

• Ministry of Culture & Tourism of Ukraine
• Kyiv City State Administration
• UNWTO
• PATA
• ITTFA
• CECTA

It is also an ‘UFI Approved’ event (UFI is the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry).

A Word from Exhibitors

“The figures for January and February from Ukraine to Egypt are very positive. If this continues, I think we will reach 2008’s figures, exceeding half a million tourists from Ukraine.”
Ismail A. Hamid Amer, Egyptian Tourist Attache in Moscow

“Yesterday, I got around 200 business cards from different tourism agencies not only from Kiev but from many other cities of Ukraine – that’s very important for us. I’m sure it’s not the last time that we are here and we’re already planning to come back next year.”
Maxim Shandarov, Tourism & Marketing Manager, Mauritius Tourism

“For us, UITT is a kind of tradition – a very important event that we put in our marketing plan.  We were very, very pleased with the visitors – many useful contacts.”
Oksana Kilicci, General Manager, Alitalia

“Interest in European countries is huge.  We are expecting an influx of tourists to our country for the summer season.  At the exhibition, we can meet with partners with whom we already work, present our new products to them and find new Ukrainian partners here that will send tourists to us next season.”
Elena Gerber, Head Manager, Open Up Switzerland

ITTFA Welcomes Per Magnusson, Recently Appointed Exhibition Manager at TUR

TUR, Scandinavia’s leading travel trade event welcomed a new Exhibition Manager earlier in the year, when the show’s long standing manager, Johan F Lundberg, moved on to new horizons.

Per Magnusson, originally a business lawyer, joined TUR in January 2008, following six years at the Swedish Fair and Congress Centre in Gothenburg where he worked as a project manager. He is married with two children and enjoys the dynamic and fascinating nature of the travel business which is what lured him to Svenska Massen in the first place

“I think that every one of us would like to travel much more in the future. As incomes increase and more money is available, people are looking for new experiences. This is one thing that travel can provide! The challenge facing us now is the environment and the fast growth of the developing countries and how this will affect us in the longer term.”

Of his new role, Per tells us that what he enjoys most about the role is the opportunity to collaborate with different kinds of companies and organizations, to invent new ways of improving the fair for either the trade visitor, the exhibitors or the public. “Since I started we have develop 10-15 new things for TUR, for example we have opened up a unique site where we place special fair offers, with great prices, from the exhibitors and the public can view them on the internet but they can only buy them at the fair. We have developed an interactive area on the exhibition floor where people with specialist knowledge about a destination can wear a badge encouraging people to ask questions about this particular place or theme. We have also started up 2 new Facebook groups, each with a specific focus, developing new business and creating a win-win situation.”

In terms of the future, Per intends to further develop TUR, to solidify its position as the most important tourism fair in the Nordic region and to develop more tools for exhibitors and visitors to assist them in creating even more business.

As TUR Is a member of ITTFA, International Tourism Trade Fairs Association, Per will continue the show’s long standing relationship and participation with the Association, which he hopes to build on. “I hope to learn a lot from all the members and to hear about their challenges and opportunities in their own markets. “ We at ITTFA look forward to working with Per and continuing our strong relationship with TUR.

ITTFA is dedicated to the continual development of the travel trade show industry, increasing participation and setting high standards worldwide. For details on all our members visit us at www.ittfa.org

WORLD CUP CZAR DANNY JORDAAN,WORLD BANK,3 FOREIGN MINISTERS OTHERS FOR AKWAABA TRAVEL FAIR

The Growing Importance of Food Tourism – Industry Comment from ITTFA

Food has always been a component of tourism but it is only recently that it has been truly recognized for the significant part it plays in the overall experience of a destination. Today’s tourist is better informed, more cultured, well travelled and looking for new experiences. Food offers a gateway into other cultures, through taste, through food preparation and the whole eating environment. Food and drink provide lasting memories that define a holiday or travel experience.

Food is of course a physical necessity, we all eat, but it embodies cultural identity and individuality, giving the tourist an insight into a new experience, the exotic, the unusual and a deeper insight into the place they are visiting. Food tourism could be commercial or domestic, festive or ordinary, involving restaurants, festivals, cookbooks, speciality food stores, food events, cookery classes, films, brochures, food and wine tours and other similar ways of physically experiencing the product. But there is also the tangible aspects of food and drink that provide a knowledge base into the religion, traditions, customs and history of other places.

One could say that food tourism has shaped such traditional gastro destinations as France or Italy, whereas in emerging destinations such as Vietnam or Oman, food plays an important role in the attraction of tourists and the overall experience. Destinations now realize that there is great potential for food tourism to offer a sustainable tourism product, the wine routes of South Africa and California are testimony to this and newer markets would do well to ensure that the food options on offer are as appealing as possible and shown in their best light. Part of the joy of travel is the enjoyment of trying out unaccustomed cuisines, but not just the eating but the finding it, for example truffles and the producing of it, parmesan cheese and wine.

Travel exhibitions now provide ideal platforms for food tourism, be that as part of a country or region exhibit or as a stand alone attraction such a specific food event or location. For example Cheddar in Somerset, England is visited for its cheese production and Reims in France for its champagne production. As well as this many exhibitors incorporate traditional food into their stand exhibits adding interest and appeal to the tourism offering.

Exhibition organizers can also use food tourism as a focal point of a show, linking all the different elements via food and drink or by using food as an added attraction to the show. ITTFA member TIP Alpe-Adria has a connecting theme throughout their 2011 exhibition based on cookery which will highlight the different types of food across the Alpe-Adria region. Food and drink will be the main connecting theme with Friday 28 January dedicated to the culinary arts in general. All exhibitors will be encouraged to prepare their exhibition programme for that day based on the cuisine of the region. The organizers have also introduced a new prize for 2011, the Jakob prize, which will be awarded to the best culinary offering.

Antonio Dell’Aquilano, current President for ITTFA is the Exhibition & Event Manager for TTG Italia who hold their B2B event, TTG Incontri, this month in Rimini. “There is without doubt an increase in the promotion of food and drink tourism at our event. We have lots of exhibitors offering eco-gastronomic experiences and we have pro-actively invited buyers dealing with the same product to stimulate business and growth in this area. In addition, for TTG Incontri – TTI 2010, we have organized a series of ‘happy hours’ at the end of the business appointment sessions showcasing typical food and drink products, offered by the various Italian regions. This initiative has been very well welcomed by the Regional marketing boards who recognize the importance of food and drink as a key element in the holidays experiences.”

Tasting tourism is therefore what it is all about and ensuring that this is covered and promoted as part of the marketing initiative for all tourism destinations. There is plenty of growth in this area at travel trade exhibitions and with recession still biting, this area of tourism is a great draw for visitors.

ITTFA is dedicated to the continual development of the travel trade show industry, increasing participation and setting high standards worldwide. For details on all our members visit us at www.ittfa.org

From Slovenia with Love – Industry Comment from ITTFA

It would seem that if you haven’t visited Slovenia at least once, you are missing out on something. Last year almost 3 million people experienced what this small, but beautiful country in the heart of Europe has to offer, causing it to jump 9 places to position 35 in the Travel and Tourism Competitive Index. This is according to the latest research by the World Economic Forum.*

Tourism is without doubt becoming one of the most important sectors of the Slovenian economy. Since Slovenia gained its independance in 1991, the past 4 years have been the most successful in terms of Slovenian tourism and in 2009 the industry accounted for 12.3% of GDP. The data from the Bank of Slovenia at the end of June this year indicates a 0.5 percentage point higher income from foreign tourists compared with last year.

The number of foreign arrivals has doubled over the past decade, from 884 thousand in 1991 to over 1.6 million in 2009. Last week the Slovenian Statistis Office issued the latest data (provisional) stating that compared to July 2009, in July this year the number of tourist arrivals increased by 5%. Over 367,000 tourist arrivals were registered in tourist accommodations, the number of arrivals of foreign tourists increasing by 10%. In the first seven months of the year the number of tourist arrivals increased by 4% and the number of overnight stays by 1% compared to the same period last year, the number of overnight stays of foreign tourists increasing by 3%. The share of tourists from Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Austria, Czech Republic and Belgium were the highest in July with tourist arrivals highest in mountain resorts (30% of all tourist arrivals) and overnight stays highest in seaside resorts (31% of all overnight stays).

ITTFA member, Alpe-Adria Tourism & Leisure show has clearly played an important role in the development of the Slovenian tourism industry and has recently changed its name to better reflect the importance of whole region and its importance and diversity within the tourism industry. Now aiming to provide a truly regional offering.

“The geostrategic position of Slovenia in the Alps-Adriatic region was an important influence on the preparation of the Tourism and Leisure Show. The show, which takes place annually at the end of January at the Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre, with its aim to project a greater visibility for its exhibitors, segmented both by individual products and by what visitors hope to find, is expanding over the Alps-Adriatic region with the goal of becoming its central tourist event.” states Spela Bratun, Project Manager for the show.

The organizers of the event will strive to equally represent all tourist destinations within the region; thus, on the one side facilitating greater recognition of exhibitors via various marketing tools, and on the other, offering visitors actual possibilities for spending their holidays and leisure time. The patronage of the Alpe-Adria Tourism and Leisure Show has already been accepted by the City Municipality of Ljubljana and the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Slovenia and is supported by key figures from the Slovenian tourism industry.

Darja Radic, MSc, Minister of the Economy of Slovenia, comments on the show .“The Ministry of Economy supports stronger integration and cooperation of already traditional connected countries in the Alps-Adriatic region. Slovenia lies in the heart of Europe, where the Alps meet the Mediterranean and the Pannonian Plain meets the Karst. This small green country is home to sincere, hospitable people of great diligence and is in a great starting point to become a host of the largest tourist event in the region.”

The region is home to 26 million inhabitants, who continually seek new ideas of how to spend their free time. With its proximity, accessibility and attractive offers, Slovenia is undoubtedly an interesting choice. At the same time, this type of concept offers the Slovenian guests a wide range of opportunities for shorter trips across neighbouring borders.

“Tourism is an important factor in all members of the Alps-Adriatic Working Community. The renaming of this fair as Alpe–Adria Tourism and Leisure Show therefore is an important step for a common promotion of the whole area. By this the participating Alps-Adriatic members will be represented stronger in existing markets and gain access to new markets.”  Mag. Dr. Wolfgang Platzer, Secretary General of the Alps-Adriatic Working Community.

In addition to the regional expansion, the show is also expanding in terms of content and for the first time presents its products from the visitors’ viewpoint. The layout and themes of the Show will thus correspond to various tourist “tribes” or target groups, to include traveller, holiday, excursion and active sectors.

The wide support of Slovenian tourism ensures that the event will become more than just an exhibition space. The accompanying programme will, with the support and participation of educational institutions, contribute to the continual upgrading of knowledge of those working in the tourist industry. At the same time, it will assist in the important function of guiding young people into tourism, which is of key importance for the development of the industry.

In addition to the above, the organisers are planning a number of programmes, which will considerably enliven the show from presentations of innovative ideas in tourism to attractive social events and programmes. The event will be lively, entertaining, particularly informative and also educational. The main connecting theme throughout the exhibition, its accompanying programmes and awards, given for special achievements in the field of tourism, will this year be based on cookery. The Jakob prize, a new international prize for the event, will be awarded by the organiser, the Ljubljana exhibition and Convention Centre, for tourist quality and excellence.

Alpe Adria will be held in Ljubljana 27 to 30 January 2011.

ITTFA is dedicated to the continual development of the travel trade show industry, increasing participation and setting high standards worldwide. For details on all our members visit us at www.ittfa.org

ITTFA Welcomes Akwaaba, African Travel Market

ITTFA, the International Tourism Trade Fairs Association, welcomes a new member this month, Akwaaba, African Travel Market based in Lagos, Nigeria.

ITTFA is dedicated to the continual development of the travel trade show industry, increasing participation and setting high standards across Europe and worldwide. Recent changes to entry requirements and the annual fee structure mean that membership is more accessible to smaller and developing shows, as well as more established ones. This underlines one of the primary goals of the Association as it strives to improve travel trade exhibition standards across all markets and help maximize the benefits for both visitors and exhibitors.

Akwaaba; African Travel Market is the only international Travel Fair in West Africa, a population of 270 million people with 15 countries, numerous airports and the largest number of travellers in Africa. The event takes place on 23-25^th October in Lagos, Nigeria, running its 6^th edition and held at the end of October each year. Over the last 5 years Aftm has become the most important travel marketing platform in the region drawing attendance from over 20 countries, including 12 foreign Airlines and leading African hotel chains. It is open to all as it is “where Africa meets the world”. Akwaaba has been designated by the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) as the official travel exhibition in Nigeria.

The success of AfTM attracted the presence of the former President of the Gambia Sir Dawda Jawara, the former Secretary General of the British Commonwealth Sir Emeka Anyaoku and the former Vice president of Nigeria, Sir Alex Ekwueme as guests among over 10,000 visitors that attended the event last year. It has become a major fixture in the events calendar for Africa, listed by UNWTO as the only travel event in West Africa. Africa Travel Association (ATA), based in New York, has also signed Akwaaba as its partner event in Africa.

“The organizers of Akwaaba are delighted to belong to the well respected and influential group of global exhibitions represented by ITTFA,” comments Mr Ikechi Uko, CEO of the organising company. “This membership offers us an opportunity to network, learn and operate amongst shows of the highest standards. It offers us the opportunity to provide our audience with the combined experience of our peers in the association thus bringing to the shores of West Africa global best practices in the exhibition business. Membership of this elite group will further position AfTM as an international event that takes place in Africa, integrating the African Travel practitioners into the global community.”

Tom Nutley, Chairman of Reed Travel Exhibitions, has been chairman of ITTFA since he helped to establish the original association in 1992. “Growth markets are an integral part of the future development and success of travel exhibitions and I am delighted that we have this opportunity to build stronger relationships with West Africa. These new growth markets are balanced by the traditional, strong European markets in which we have some excellent tourism trade shows. Encouraging new and improved relationships in the international tourism trade fair industry is a key objective for the association which will further enable all of our members to maximise the tremendous opportunities worldwide”.

Director of the Secretariat, Wendy Walker, comments on the appointment, “We are pleased to welcome Akwaaba to the association. Forging stronger relationships with shows in markets such as Africa is a key objective for the association and will further enable all of our members to maximise the tremendous opportunities worldwide”.

For more information on ITTFA and all our members, please visit, www.ittfa.org

THE TOURISM AND LEISURE SHOW IS BECOMING A REGIONAL EVENT

»When the small ones join together, they become large,« was the guiding thought of the organisers of the largest tourist event in Slovenia, the Tourism and Leisure Show, as they were searching for new directions of development. The geostrategic position of Slovenia in the Alpe-Adria region was an important influence on the preparation of the Tourism and Leisure Show. The connecting thread running throughout the Show this year will be cookery. A new international prize Jakob will also mark the event.

The Tourism and Leisure Show, which takes place annually at the end of January at the Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre, with its ambition for greater visibility of its offer, segmented by individual products and the expectations of the visitors, is expanding over the Alpe-Adria region with the goal of becoming its central tourist event.

The organizer of the updated event, the Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre, will, together with its partners, strive to equally represent at the Show all tourist destinations within the region; thus, on the one side facilitating greater recognition of exhibitors via various marketing tools, and on the other, offering visitors actual possibilities for spending their holidays and leisure time. The patronage of the Alpe-Adria: Tourism and Leisure has already been accepted by the City Municipality of Ljubljana, with its Mayor, Zoran Janković, as the host of the above mentioned meeting, and the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Slovenia. The key actors of Slovenian tourism, who will also participate in the newly founded expert committee of the Show, have also expressed support.

The event will become more interesting for visitors only with suitable programme and destination expansion of the Show concept. By attracting a larger number of visitors from the entire Alpe-Adria region, the offer of exhibitors will also be received with greater interest. The region is home to 26 million inhabitants, who continually seek new ideas of how to spend their free time. With its proximity, accessibility and attractive offers, Slovenia is undoubtedly an interesting choice. At the same time, this type of concept offers to the Slovenian guests a wide range of opportunities for shorter trips across the border.

In addition to the regional expansion, the Show is also expanding in terms of content and for the first time presents the offer from the viewpoint of the visitors. The layout and themes of the Show will thus correspond to various tourist “tribes” (target groups):

• All representatives of the “traveller tribe” will find at the Show presentations of interesting destinations, where they may travel on their next trip – offer of travelling holidays from different agencies and information required by the travellers.

• The representatives of the “holiday tribe” will be informed about the offer of spas, holiday resorts and offers from agencies. The selection of spots where they will be spreading their beach towel next, will thus be simpler.

• The representatives of the “excursion tribe” will find a whole range of ideas for when and where to travel, either in their immediate vicinity or to more remote destinations. They will also be informed about the integral offer of destinations and current events, festivals, etc.

• The representatives of the “active tribe” will find at the Show a rich selection of offers of sports tourism, from cycling paths, winter sport centres, hiking routes, water sports to adventure sports.

The promotional role of participation at the Show will be joined by the sales role, since the visitors will be able to book their holidays at the Show or arrange for a meeting. Thus, the Show will become more than just an exhibition, it will become the direct sales window for the exhibitors.

The wide support of actors of Slovenian tourism ensures that the Show will become more than just an exhibition space. The accompanying programme will, with the support and participation of educational institutions, contribute to continual upgrading of knowledge of those working in the tourist industry. At the same time, it shall adapt the important function of guiding young people into tourism, which is of key importance for the development of the branch.

In addition to the above, the organisers are planning a number of programmes, which will considerably enliven the Show, from presentations of innovative ideas in tourism to attractive social events and programmes. The event will be lively, entertaining, particularly informative and also educational.

The central connecting role among the exhibition, the accompanying programmes and the prizes, which shall be awarded for special achievements in the field of tourism, will this time be held by cookery. The Jakob prize, a new international prize of the event, awarded by the organiser, the Ljubljana exhibition and Convention Centre, for tourist quality and excellence, is a new addition to the other prizes. The name of the prize originates from one of the oldest forms of tourism, the so-called pilgrimage, a cultural form known by almost all religions. The entire European space (and also a number of other continents) connects pilgrimages with the image of St. Jacob, who has become an allegory of not only the pilgrim but also of the tourist in general.

The conditions for this year’s exhibition are published at the official webpage of the Show www.alpeadria-tip.si.

All of you looking for your opportunity in tourism, take advantage of the sales/promotional role of the Show and build upon your visibility in the wider region. All of you seeking ideas of where to travel in your free time, how to fill your free hours and where to spend your holidays, follow the up-to-date information on the event and in the last week of January 2011 walk through the Alpe-Adria region at its central event Alpe–Adria: Tourism and Leisure at the Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre.

Slovenia ‘Host Country Europe’ at Vakantiebeurs 2011

At the Vakantiebeurs 2011 Slovenia will be presenting itself as ‘Host Country Europe’. The Netherlands is an important market for this Central European country. Fitting in with the exhibition theme of ‘Unforgettable Destinations’ Slovenia will use the upcoming event to highlight all its known and once-visited-never-forgotten tourist trump cards. Slovenia is making a major effort for the coming Vakantiebeurs, which offers the opportunity to present countless new destinations to visitors to this event. In addition, the country is also putting options for a range of active holidays, that have so far been less publicised, in the spotlight. The public days of the Vakantiebeurs are Wednesday 12 January through to Sunday 16 January 2011.

Slovenia, which is situated at the southern edge of the Alps, below Austria, borders on Italy in the west, Croatia in the east and the Adriatic Sea in the south. Bart Strijker, Project Manager for the Vakantiebeurs, feels it is justified that the choice for a Host Country in Europe fell on Slovenia.

Undiscovered

Bart says: “Despite its wonderful geographical situation the country has remained undiscovered by large groups of holidaymakers. At the Vakantiebeurs expert local Slovenian exhibitors will be changing that by giving first-hand information about the varied known and unknown attractions in this densely forested, mountainous country, including a lot of new campsites and historical cities such as the capital Ljubljana. Visitors to the Vakantiebeurs can look forward to a very special presentation.”

Favourite

Dimitrij Piciga, general manager of the Slovenian tourist board in Ljubljana: ”Slovenia has always been a favourite of thousands of Dutch tourists. The country is half the size of the Netherlands but its population is only two million. This means a lot of nature, mountains, hills and more than half of the country is forested. A large population of bears live side by side with humans in the south of the country. At first glance Slovenia looks a bit like Austria’s Tyrol or Carinthia and when looking more closely it resembles Northern Italy and sometimes even parts of Hungary. But any way you look at it, Slovenia is always cheaper. Prices are 19% below the EU average.”

Spa and wellness

”Slovenia is one of those rare countries in Europe where you can still drink water from springs and rivers without fear of stomach problems. And where else can you wake up in a peaceful forest glade and enjoy a concert by Paul van Dyke or a reggae festival that same evening …

Slovenia is no longer just a camping destination for the Dutch. Of all the foreign markets, the greatest increase in numbers of Dutch holiday makers is seen in the Slovenian spa and wellness centres. Ans even the biggest Heineken fans will take a break and enjoy a Slovenian wine …”

Has Recession affected the cost of exhibiting – Industry Comment from ITTFA

With the recession biting hard and companies from all industries making cut backs, we look at how this has affected exhibition organizers and what they can do to keep momentum for their events.

There is no doubt that in recession marketing budgets get tightened and companies avoid activity that is perceived as extravagant or unnecessary.  Standing at exhibitions falls into this category, although the benefits of continuing to uphold a strong public image are even more important in hard times and exhibitions should still be high on the agenda.  Recession has therefore forced businesses to look closely at the cost of exhibiting and the rationale behind it.

Under these circumstances, venues and organizers need to analyse their markets even more carefully, look at what they are offering and what is being provided by their supply chain in order to better understand how they can adapt to fit client needs in such challenging times.  Focusing on these needs and aiming to be as flexible as possible will mean they can give better support to clients and add value.  It is these elements that exhibitors will take into account when choosing if,and where, to exhibit.

Exhibitors, particularly in the travel industry, have a vast choice when it comes to selecting an event to exhibit at.  The opening up of the global marketplace presents opportunities in most countries of the world and companies have to do their homework thoroughly, even in the best of economic times.  So when finances are tight, it may be the smaller, lesser known events that suffer.

ITTFA member Maria Badakh, Event and Sales Director Travel Division, ITE, comments on their travel events. “Our biggest event, MITT (Moscow International Travel & Tourism Show) didn`t suffer at all this year, and we didn`t introduce discounts, as the space was sold out. But it is fair to say that in the past two years, when the budgets have been limited, companies have focused on the main events in each market – for example they stayed at MITT in Russia but cancelled other events.”

Many events have however felt the need to make changes in pricing structure and offerings in order to remain competitive and to retain key exhibitors.

Increasing profit is one of the biggest worries for organisers.  With a reduced demand and high competition, many companies have opted to keep price increases to a minimum and indeed to keep last years’ rates or even reduce costs.  Value for money is perhaps the most important priority for exhibitors at the moment and organisers who can run an efficient operation, recognise the financial constraints on their clients and thus aim to maintain affordable packages, will continue to do well.

Long term ITTFA member TTG Incontri, held in Rimini, Italy, has for example, frozen its rates for 2010.  “We understand that the global crisis doesn’t bypass tourism companies, so, although we are continuing to invest in TTG Incontri 2010, we have kept the same rates as 2009 as well as offering some extras,“ explains Antonio Dell’Aquilano, Exhibition and Event Manger and current President of ITTFA.

“One of the added benefits we offer our exhibitors is a complete exhibiting package which includes exhibiting space, hotel and meal vouchers.  On the one hand the prices we offer are competitive, as we negotiate thousands of bedrooms with hotels in Rimini, our rates are better than the ones obtained by most of our exhibitors, booking on an individual basis. On the other hand, offering such packages, we save our exhibitors time; they don’t have to worry about booking hotels as we do the job for them.  “

Event venues can also play a vital part by looking at how their offerings can be more cost effective for organisers. The NEC venue recently decided to introduce a two-tier pricing structure for use of electricity at the facility, offering a new tariff with2.5 per cent discount for event organisers who choose to use the fully Plug and Play system, using their own cables and isolators.  This method can offer reduced installation times, cost savings and added safety benefits.  The cost savings can then be passed on to the exhibitors.

Other venues are helping exhibitors with costs by keeping expenses to a minimum.  For example The Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) has chosen to freeze its electrical mains tariff for the second year running, absorbing the increasing cost of energy rather than passing this on to event organisers.  BIC has also introduced green initiatives such as switching off the heating and hot water system over the summer to make the venues more energy-efficient and therefore save the facility money.

Eco-friendly practices may possibly be the way to go for the events industry as show costs can be reduced by introducing sustainable stands and again these savings passed on to the exhibitor.

Recession has indeed meant that both organizers and exhibitors have to look long and hard at the costs of exhibiting and relating this to value for money.  A combination of meeting exhibitor needs in the most efficient manner along with offering an easy, client-friendly and well run package will sustain savvy organizers through these difficult times.

ITTFA is dedicated to the continual development of the travel trade show industry, increasing participation and setting high standards worldwide.  For details on all our members visit us at www.ittfa.org

MITT Organiser’s Decision to Meet the Expectations of the Market

ITE Group Plc, organiser of Russia’s largest travel event, MITT, has announced its decision to withdraw from organising the autumn travel exhibition, Otdykh / Leisure 2010, previously held in partnership with MSI Fairs & Exhibitions at Expocentre in September.

In response to the market, the decision was made to cancel duplicate, seasonal, travel events.  It was welcomed by all the major market players, the largest tour operators, trade associations, national tourism boards and travel agents.

The organiser believes that the decision will have a positive effect on the development of Russia’s travel market, allowing travel companies and state organisations to optimise their promotional budgets and enabling trade visitors to learn about new offers during a larger, more comprehensive event.

The decision also means that ITE will be able to focus all its efforts, experience and resources on its flagship travel event, MITT, which is one of the top five travel exhibitions in the world.

According to Alexander Shtalenkov, General Director of ITE LLC, “It was a logical step to meet the demands of the market, which have become clear over the past few years. We have listened to the industry and are pleased to come forward with the initiative to cancel the duplicate events. I am convinced that restoring the status quo and offering just one significant travel event per season will be welcomed by the market players and will allow them to present their tourism product effectively at one event”.

MITT 2011 will take place on 16-19 March at Expocentre.  MITT is the largest travel and tourism exhibition in Russia showcasing over 3,000 companies from 120 countries and regions. In 2010, the event registered an attendance of 79,500.

ITTFA Launches Targeted Database for Travel Trade Industry

London based ITTFA, International Tourism Trade Fairs Association, has recently launched a new e-marketing opportunity aimed at the travel industry.  The Association has put together an extensive and significant list of relevant travel industry contacts which are now available to the industry on a select and send basis.

“Through our members and our cumulative industry knowledge, we have a host of industry contacts that we are now making available to the industry for targeted use,” comments Tom Nutley, ITTFA Chairman.  “By introducing this new scheme we hope to be able to provide an invaluable resource for the industry at competitive rates.  The facility will also underline the importance of trade events, at ITTFA we believe that travel trade fairs provide the backbone to the industry, acting as a place in which we can all meet and exchange knowledge and ideas.  This new opportunity will provide an extension to the traditional interchange channels and a new route for disseminating ideas and industry news.”

Those wishing to use the database can send initial enquiries via the ITTFA website, stating key criteria and this will be followed up with a proposal by return email.  A prepared message template is ready for use but there is a custom made facility available also.  The data will all remain strictly confidential whilst providing a communication link to contacts that might otherwise be difficult to access.

In today’s busy and competitive environment, trade associations offer members a secure and comfortable environment in which they can gain knowledge and exchange ideas.  Instead of going it alone, the power and voice of a group gets faster results and carries more weight.

Antonio Dell’Aquilano, President of ITTFA says “ITTFA provides a platform from which travel trade shows can market both their collective and individual strengths. Doors to new markets are opened and shared and business gets done quicker. ITTFA offers us the opportunity to improve relations with our colleagues, and to learn more about their shows and markets.  We hope that this new initiative will help pass on some of these benefits.”

For more information on ITTFA and the database, visit www.ittfa.org

TTG INCONTRI, AN INTERNATIONAL QUALITY TRADE FAIR

Alongside the numerous confirmations by foreign tourism Boards, new exhibitors are approaching the stage, among which Discover America.

Quality certification has recently been obtained by TTG Italia, the company organising the exhibition.

April 2010 - TTG Incontri, the main international tourism trade fair, scheduled for October 22-24, 2010 in Rimini (Italy), broadens its horizon and focuses on the quality of services. Already numerous are the foreign tourist Boards that have confirmed their participation, regarding their presence as strategic in order to promote their products in the Italian market and acknowledging the high quality of the services provided.  Proof of it be the recent assignment of the 9001 certification brand to TTG Italia, the company organising TTG Incontri: an important acknowledgement of the quality of corporate management systems in the fields of planning, organisation of fairs and events, publishing and services, conferring further authoritativeness to the company and to the trade fair itself, point of reference for the international tourism market.

Thus, TTG Incontri is further expanding, and has reached overseas: this year Discover America will take part in the exhibition with a whole pavilion dedicated to the American offer.

Among this year’s new features is the participation of Frankfurt Tourist and congress Board and of Hamburg Tourismus, both for the first time at TTG Incontri. The number of foreign Tourism Boards that have already confirmed their presence is also increasing, among them: Aruba Tourism Authority, Baden Wurttenberg Tourismus, Bahamas Tourist Office, Bavaria Tourism, Cyprus National Tourist board, German National Tourist board, Hong Kong Tourism board, India, Israel Government Tourist Office,  Malta Tourist board, Mexico, Norwegian Tourist board, New Caledonia Tourism, Québec, Dominican Republic Tourist board, Serbia tourist board, Seychelles Tourism Board, Slovenian Tourist Board, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Tirol Marketing service, Tunisian National Tourism Office, Tourism Ireland.

To visit the exhibition website and keep updated on its latest news, go to: www.ttgincontri.it

Travel industry turns out in force for this year’s MITT exhibition

Russia’s largest travel event records a 17% increase in trade visitors

Greek Tourism Looks Ahead with the help of Philoxenia

Greece is undoubtedly one of the worlds’ top tourism destinations, being ranked consistently in the top 15 tourist destinations with over 15 million tourists visiting each year, this figure reached 17.5 million in 2008.

But 2009 was not an easy year for Greek tourism and present signs indicate that it could be another tough year , with early summer bookings currently down between 5-10%  and concern over the social stability of the country.

Tourism is a key sector in the Greek economy and accounts for around 20% of GDP and as such has a major effect on the overall state of the country.   According to a prediction by the Institute for Touristic Research and Forecasts (ITEP), the number of tourists in Greek resorts will increase in 2010 by 2-3 percent, but at the same time the income generated from these inbound tourists will continue to decrease, following the trend that began in 2008.

Tourism to Greece is concentrated during the summer months due to its promotion as a ‘sun, sea, and sand’ product. With increasing competition from neighboring countries like Turkey and Croatia, which are out of the euro-zone and able to offer lower prices, Greece has some tough elements to contend with.

ITTFA member Philoxenia continues to play a significant role in bolstering and promoting the Greek product, both to its local markets and internationally. Philoxenia is the top meeting place for entrepreneurs in the tourism sector across the broader region of Southeastern Mediterranean, offering a forum where international experiences are exchanged in a creative manner. Its 25 years of successful history in the field of tourism exhibitions, with HELEXPO guaranteeing its consistent progress in the future, Philoxenia 2010 will again provide an event that where participants can expand their business and find ways to support their enterprises during this difficult year for tourism.

The tourism industry has proven to be a very resilient economic activity in the past and last minute bookings along with a set of measures taken by the Greek government in support of tourism may help improve the situation and mitigate the negative effects of the current crisis. There is also hope on the horizon with the growth in new markets and an expected increase in visitors from Eastern Europe and the Balkans.

A major strong point of Philoxenia is the role it has played acting as a stimulus for the developments of the Balkan market and the importance that modern tourism enterprises have in these developments”, says Project Manager for Philoxenia, Chrissa Krassa. “Helexpo has promoted Philoxenia to key Balkan companies and state tourism organizations in a variety of ways and the geopolitical position of Thessaloniki, is an asset in attracting business from these new markets”.
Looking ahead, numerous tourism infrastructure projects have changed Greece’s tourism profile and Greece is creating new products to attract tourists. Its main target is to re-build its high season but also to work harder at becoming a year round destination.

PHILOXENIA 2010, will be held from 18 to 21 of November, in Thessaloniki, Greece. See www.philoxenia.travel for more information.

ITTFA is dedicated to the continual development of the travel trade show industry, increasing participation and setting high standards worldwide. For details on all ITTFA members please visit  www.ittfa.org

Ukraine’s International Travel & Tourism Exhibition records its largest ever attendance

UITT, Ukraine’s largest travel event, took place on 24-26 March in the Kiev’s IEC. Attendance of the event

The Importance of Sports Tourism – Industry Comment from ITTFA

With a year ahead full of important sporting events, we look at how sports tourism has grown in importance from niche market to multi-billion dollar business.

MITT, the 17th Moscow International Travel & Tourism exhibition, opens on 17th March in Expocentre, in the heart of Moscow

MITT is Russia’s number one exhibition for the travel industry and one of the top five travel exhibitions in the world.  It comes as Russia has been confirmed as one of the top ten countries for big-spending tourists – currently, Russian tourists spend $25 billion on their holidays each year.

Every year, MITT showcases over 150 countries and regions and features approximately 3,000 companies.  This year’s partner destination is Greece.  According to the Greek National Tourism Organisation, “The partnership will complement Greece’s promotional activities in one of its key priority outbound markets.  Russia contributes almost 260,000 tourists to Greece every year and continues to produce healthy growth figures.  Statistics demonstrate that Russian tourists prefer luxury accommodation, especially during the summer season, and that they also travel to Greece on business.”  Approximately 75 Greek companies will be represented at the show, on a stand of 1,600 m².

Many destinations are demonstrating the importance of the Russian market to their tourism industry by significantly increasing the size of their stands.  These include China, Israel, Japan, Ethiopia, Seychelles, Costa Rica, Tunisia and South Africa.  Dubai, MITT’s partner destination in 2009, continues to have a major presence at the exhibition, with a stand of 350 m².  Also, Kenya makes a welcome return to the exhibition this year following huge demand from tour operators in the region.

Other displays that are bound to capture visitors’ attention include Holland’s flower festival, Albania’s Adriatic resorts, South Africa’s football World Cup promotions, Zambia’s Victoria Falls and Reunion’s attractions.  The second day of the exhibition will be dedicated to the Dominican Republic and Spain.

This year, for the first time, a section of the event will be dedicated to medical tourism, a rapidly growing sector of the Russian travel industry.  Exhibitors include: Medical Center Rogaska (Slovenia), Center Of Beijing Tibet Hospital (China), Medical Center Chaim Sheba (Israel), Jordan Private Hospital Association (Jordan), Vilnius Heart Surgery Centre (Lithuania), Medical Travel GmbH, University Medical Centre Freiburg, DeutschMedic GmbH, Medcurator Ltd., Medclassic (Germany), Genolier Swiss Medical Network (Switzerland), Premiamed Management GmbH (Austria), and Lissod Modern Cancer Care Hospital (Ukraine).

The medical tourism sector will be complemented by the first Medical Tourism Congress, co-organised by treatment-abroad.ru, which takes place on the second day of the exhibition.  Influential and knowledgeable speakers at the Congress will discuss the outlook and trends in the health services sector.  Speakers include representatives of clinics from Germany, Israel, Spain, Switzerland and Turkey.

On 17 March, a conference on ‘Tourism in Russia: Opportunities for Development’ will take place.  Speakers include: Marina Drutman, Deputy Minister of Industry, and representatives of the UNWTO, Strategy Partners, Bauman Innovation, Administration of Veliky Novgorod, Concretica, Tralliance Corporation and Ugra Service Holding.

Another conference, entitled, ‘Information Technologies in Tourism: Challenges and Prospects for the Development of Electronic Limited-Issue Forms’ will take place on 18 March.  Leading experts from Amadeus, Info-port, Nota Bena, PPP UDP, Bronni.ru, Megatech, SAMO-Soft, etc. will share their experiences in this dynamic sector.

MITT traditionally welcomes over 80,000 visitors.  Event Director, Maria Badakh, comments “Despite the crisis, Russians have not stopped travelling and interest in attracting larger numbers of these lucrative travellers has not diminished.  MITT has a very high proportion of regular exhibitors, but this year, we are pleased to introduce a number of new companies, such as Riu Hotels & Resorts, and destinations, including Netherlands, Albania, Réunion and Zambia. This year’s partner country, Greece, is organising a number of events that are bound to inspire our visitors.”

Ukraine International Travel & Tourism Event opens soon, with new destinations: Abu Dhabi, Mauritius, Réunion and South Africa

UITT, Ukraine’s largest exhibition for the travel industry, opens on 24 March in the IEC in Kiev.  The event has become a regular meeting place for the industry and an opportunity for destinations to showcase the best their country has to offer to an increasing number of Ukrainian travellers, as well as tour operators and travel agents.

This year, UITT introduces four new destinations, Abu Dhabi, Mauritius, Réunion and South Africa.  In addition, Morocco will participate for the first time as the winner of UITT’s ‘wild card’ initiative.  Egypt, Israel and Czech Republic have all increased their stands at UITT, whilst other confirmed destinations include: Dubai, Bulgaria, Greece, Croatia, Spain, France, Cyprus, Slovakia, China, Jordan, Lebanon, Malta, Thailand, Malaysia, Spain, Czech Republic, Cuba, Slovenia, Tunisia, Dominican Republic, Maldives, Seychelles, UK, India, Georgia, Hungary and Tanzania.

Europe continues to have a strong presence at the show, investing in the future and demonstrating their confidence in the Ukrainian market.  According to Event Director, Maria Badakh, “Ukraine has struggled through the global crisis but confidence in the long-term growth of the tourism market is strong, particularly amongst European destinations, who have retained the same size stands as in previous years.  We are also pleased to welcome Hungary back to UITT.  One factor that is boosting European participation in the event, is the cancellation of visa requirements for European travellers staying for less than 180 days.  In addition, the country’s own tourism industry is seeing a healthy upturn due to plans for the country’s hosting of the Euro 2012 football tournament.”

Every year, a number of events take place during UITT.  This year, they include:

• An international conference entitled ‘Spa in Ukraine ‘10’, organised jointly with the Ukrainian Spa Association on 24 March.
• The 4th edition of the international business forum ‘Small Hotels & Apartments of Ukraine’, organised with the Association of Small Hotels & Apartments of Ukraine on 25 March.
• The 5th edition of the MICE Ukraine international conference entitled ‘Business Tourism – Ukraine’, which will give delegates an insight into the industry, its audience, trends and prospects.  It will also give participants a valuable opportunity to network with their peers.
• A section of the show will be dedicated to the growing market for medical tourism.

IFT Belgrade promotes rural tourism in Serbia

IFT Belgrade runs this month for the 32nd year, held at the Belgrade Exhibition Halls from 24th to 28th February. The event will cover 32,600m2 across 4 halls indicating an increase on last year when the show covered 28,00m2. In 2009 it attracted 830 exhibitors from38 countries and 52,516 visitors and organisers expect an even better showthis year.

17th MITT will take place on 17-20 March 2010 in Expocentre, in the heart of Moscow. This year’s partner country is Greece.

MITT, the 17th Moscow International Travel & Tourism exhibition, is Russia’s number one exhibition for the travel industry and one of the top five travel exhibitions in the world.  It comes just as some experts in the Russian tourism industry report predicted growth of 10-12% in 2010, as Russia’s economy begins to recover from the crisis and air travel costs remain low.

MITT caters for the trade and consumer travel market, with the first two days of the exhibition open exclusively to trade visitors.

Many destinations are demonstrating the importance of the Russian market to their tourism industry by significantly increasing the size of their stands.  These include China, Israel, Japan, Ethiopia, Seychelles, Costa Rica, Tunisia and South Africa.  Dubai, MITT’s partner destination in 2009, continues to have a major presence at the exhibition, with a stand of 350 m².  Also, Kenya makes a welcome return to the exhibition this year following huge demand from tour operators in the region.

Quote from Event Director, Maria Badakh, “Despite the crisis, Russians have not stopped travelling and interest in attracting larger numbers of these lucrative travellers has not diminished.  MITT has a very high proportion of regular exhibitors, but this year, we are pleased to introduce a number of new companies, such as Riu Hotels & Resorts, and destinations, including Netherlands, Albania and Réunion. This year’s partner country, Greece, is organising a number of events that are bound to inspire our visitors.”

Official sponsors of MITT 2010 are: Atlantisline, Pegas Touristik, Pac Group, Gartour and Danko.
MITT’s official partners are: UNWTO, PATA, ITTFA, CECTA, ATA, World Travel Awards and Skyteam.

Greece – this year’s Partner Destination

Greece is a long-standing exhibitor at MITT, and its Tourist Development Minister, attended the event in 2009.   According to the Greek National Tourism Organisation, “The partnership will complement Greece’s promotional activities in one of its key priority outbound markets.  Russia contributes almost 260,000 tourists to Greece every year and continues to produce healthy growth figures.  Statistics demonstrate that Russian tourists prefer luxury accommodation, especially during the summer season, and that they also travel to Greece on business.”  Approximately 75 Greek companies will be represented at the show, on a stand of 1,600 m².

Dominican Republic Day

The second day of the exhibition will be dedicated to the Dominican Republic, celebrating the opening of a new office in Moscow.  The group has a stand of 208 m².  According to Galina Lysenko, the Dominican Republic’s representative in Russia, “Whilst there is a serious decline of tourists from France, Germany, Spain and Italy, statistics show an increase of 25.2% (49,752 people) in the number of Russian tourists visiting the Dominican Republic.  From 27 December 2009 to 12 January 2010, approximately 4,800 Russians travelled to the country on direct flights alone.  In total, over 7,000 Russian tourists holidayed in the Dominican Republic during this period.”

MITT’s Wild Card – Vancouver Tourism

This year, the ‘Wild Card’ was won by Vancouver Tourism – this will be the first time that Canada has participated in the exhibition.  MITT will form part of Vancouver Tourism’s wide promotional campaign inspired by its hosting of the Olympics in February.  According to Kevan Ridgeway, President of the Vancouver Coast and Mountains Tourism Board, “The passing of the Winter Olympics torch from Canada to Russia this year will highlight a unique and exciting opportunity; a chance to introduce the virtually unlimited tourism opportunities of Western Canada to Russian travel industry professionals.”

New Medical Tourism Exhibition & Congress – Pavilion 2, Hall 3

Following increased levels of interest in medical tourism amongst Russian travellers, MITT is launching its first Medical Tourism Exhibition and Congress.  Participants include medical suppliers, tour operators and travel agents, clinic representative and practising doctors, national tourism offices, Russian regional tourism administrations, health resorts and spas, insurance companies, hoteliers, airlines, consultants and marketing offices.  The Congress will include the following topics:

• Medical and health tourism as a profitable business
• The effect of the economic crisis on medical and health tourism
• Increasing the profitability of tourism companies through medical and health tourism
• Foreign medical tours
• Medical tourism in Russia
• The role of the travel agent in medical tourism
• Increasing the competitiveness of companies – new ways of attracting clients
• Insurance and supplementary services

Technology Conference – Pavilion 1

The technology conference will feature technology for the travel and tourism industry, including new solutions for online bookings and marketing.

New registration system

This year, visitors will have direct access to the exhibition from the metro.

Information and quotes from this year’s exhibitors:

American Best Getaways Inc. has participated in MITT since 2006.  The company has over 16 years working with the Russian market, offering tours to USA and Canada, FIT groups, incentive programmes, VIP travel and budget group tours to California and national parks.  According to Natalie Azarov, President of American Best Getaways Inc., “The Russian market is very important to us and we are working every day to develop relationships with new companies.”

Gray Line Peru has been participating in MITT since 2005.  This year, the company will be offering new price and tour packages for this year, as well as fixed departures for the Russian-speaking market, new trekking opportunities in the Andes and a number of hotels that opened in Peru during 2009.
According to Alena Bokhan, Sales Director of Gray Line Peru, “It is important for us to maintain our annual presence at this event so that our present and potential partners see us as a key player on the Peruvian incoming tourist market. The Russian market is one of the fastest growing and has a great potential. Russians are known to be big spenders.”

Chrismar Hotels is participating in MITT for the first time this year following a recommendation.  According to Nicholas Findlay, representative of Chrismar Hotels, “We already have a regular flow of Russian tourists, so we are looking to strengthen our relations with Russian tour operators. This next year is very exciting for Southern African countries, as the World Cup is being held in South Africa, so we expect an increase in the number of tourists visiting this region.”

Turisme de Catalunya has participated in MITT since 1995, following the opening of their Moscow office in 1993.  This year, twelve tourism products will be promoted on Catalonia’s stand:  accessible, active, cultural, sports, gastronomy, golf, beach/family, nature, nautical, business, winter sports, rural, health and urban.   They will also be announcing the opening of a new airport in Lleida.  According to Kristina Ionitskaia, Deputy Director of the organisation, “The Russian market is growing and the prospects are good whilst there are solutions to visa barriers for the outgoing tourism.”

The Tourism Authority of Thailand has participated in MITT every year since 1995.  This year, The Tourism Authority of Thailand will be celebrating its 50th anniversary by organising a series of events and festivals on their stand.  They will also be highlighting a number of new leisure destinations: Ko Chang, North-Eastern Thailand, beaches of Rayong and Phang-Nga provinces, and special programmes for medical tourism, including spas and sports (golf, yachting, trekking, cycling, etc).  According to Gennady Tomilin, Marketing Officer in the Moscow Office, “MITT is Russia’s number 1 travel exhibition. Participation in MITT complies with TAT’s strategic plan on maintaining the leisure market [...]. Thailand has become the most popular tourist destination for Russian tourists in South East Asia with more than 300,000 Russian visitors per year. We hope that during the next three years the number of Russians visiting Thailand will increase to half a million.”

Switzerland Tourism has been participating in MITT since 1996.  According to Jonas Ettlin, Managing Director for the Russian Federation of Switzerland Tourism, “At first, it was a very useful platform. It was good to know what is going on in the market, to find new contacts, to be present as a destination and to introduce Swiss partners to the Russian ones. Nowadays it’s an image event. Russia is in the top 10 countries for overnights in Switzerland. Russians spent quite a lot of money on holiday and stay in the best hotels.”  The Swiss stand will feature 11 Swiss and Russian tour operators, 5 hotel chains and hotels, 8 destinations and 1 institute.  This year, they will be presenting summer holidays, such as hiking, swimming in lakes, biking, inline skating, etc.

The Lithuanian State Department of Tourism will be taking part alongside the Lithuanian Tourist Information Centre for the 7th time this year.  They will be presenting wellness and spa tourism in four resorts, Palanga, Neringa, Druskininkai and Birštonas.  Lithuania is currently preparing to host the European Basketball Championship in 2011.  According to Ieva Lukšėnaitė, Senior Specialist of the Marketing Division, “Russia is one of the main priority markets for Lithuania and MITT is one of the biggest International travel fairs in Europe. We expect growth in the number of tourists from Russia.”

Universal Marketing will be promoting Italian tourism for the Calabria region for the second time at MITT.  According to Monica Tomei, a company representative, “We had positive results from the last edition and we hope that the Russian market will have a good potential for our country, developing even further in the future.”

The Russian Service Bureau, Moscow will be participating for the fourth time this year.  The Bureau will be presenting its 2010/2011 tariffs, packages to USA and new incentive programmes.  They will also be promoting the launch of their new website.  According to Kristina Mikhalieva, “We expect to see a general increase in this market travelling to the US. We feel we are in a strong position with regard to serving Russian clients, as one of the oldest and more experienced receptive tour operators, specialising in this market for 18 years. Our strongest point is the luxury segment and we were the first to offer this. At the same time, we are in a strong position with regard to group travel to USA. Since 1996, we have been successfully promoting group packages with regular monthly departures to major US cities. From 2005 to 2009, the amount of passengers travelling on those services went up by 75%. Within the last two years, we have also seen a 47% increase in MICE groups.”

Le Méridien Ra Beach Hotel & Spa has exhibited twice at MITT.  According to Anna Llorens, Marketing & Communications Manager at the hotel, “MITT is one more showcase that we go to and the Russian market is very interesting for us.”

Bayern-Osteuropa OHG offers diagnostics and treatment in clinics throughout Germany and Europe.  They are exhibiting at MITT for the first time and aim to acquire more clients in Russia.  According to Tatjana Rotar, “We are interested in expanding our service in all Russian-speaking countries and consider MITT to be a good opportunity to present our offer to all potential clients. We are working with a large number of clinics, suggesting new methods of diagnostics and medical treatment in oncology, surgery, rehabilitation, etc. Many of them will be represented at the exhibition and in our catalogue.”

Barceló Royal Beach is participating in MITT for the first time.  According to Vlado Indzhov, “Russia is a significant market for Barceló Royal Beach.  We will be presenting our hotel services.”

Roza Vetrov LLC has exhibited at MITT for over ten years.  The company will be presenting all its destinations, including domestic tourism (Russia, Ukraine and Belarus) and foreign tourism (Italy, France, Indonesia, Thailand, Israel, Czech Republic, Greece, USA, Australia/New Zealand, Latin America and Africa), as well as bus tours, driving tours, yachts, motor tours and the World Cup 2010. According to Anna Filenko, Chief of the FIT Department, “MITT is the most popular and most useful tourism exhibition in Moscow, and it is the oldest. Most agencies from all regions of Russia come to MITT. The Russian market is always developing in spite of the difficult economic situation in the world.”

Yatra Exotic Routes has been exhibiting at MITT for the past two years.  This year, the company will be focussing on promoting beach holidays, cultural tours, spa and wellness tourism and Ayurveda centric tours.   According to Manan Mahajan, Assistant Vice President of the company, MITT “gives us an opportunity to make new business associations with a market that has always been very important to India.  The Russian market continues to show a huge potential. The level of business has been fairly good in spite of the recession period and we see it growing over the next few years. Our position remains firm, with business increasing especially after our continued sales initiatives in 2009 & 2010. Business looks extremely positive.”

Macau Tourism is exhibiting for the second time.  According to Teresa Melo Mercelino, “We exhibit at this fair because Russia is an emerging market for Asia. The fact that Russian visitors do not need a visa to enter Hong Kong and that Macau is just 60km away makes it easy to combine both regions as a destination package. At this stage, we’re just tapping the market and our participation at this fair helps us to analyse visitors’ interest in our tourist product and find out more about the needs of the Russian market.”

Travco LLP has exhibited at MITT for six years.  According to Beau Manby, Regional Sales Manager for Travco LLP, “We feel MITT is still the best show in Russia offering the best value for money and the most opportunities. We find the market stable, our position well founded and the future exciting!”

Abatera Group is another new exhibitor at MITT.  They are a destination management company, offering tailor-made packages, including shopping trips, desert safaris, hot air ballooning, spa and beach holidays.  A large percentage of their business comes from Russia.  According to Terry Dehdashty, the Group’s Marketing Manager, “The Russian market is vital to our business strategy. With the economic crises behind us and the efforts of the Dubai government and the tourism department, we are confident that the number of tourists coming to Dubai over the next few years will substantially increase, thus allowing Abatera Tourism to increase its share of business. We are increasing our market share in the CIS countries as well as in India and Germany.”

Luxury Weddings & Travels Consultant is participating for the second time in MITT, promoting new launches for the summer collection, including new luxury villas in Sardinia, Forte dei Marmi and lake Como, and new concierge services.  According to Loredana Pettinati, Business Development Director, “We decided to participate in MITT as we know that it is the most important exhibition in Russia for the travel market.   We think that [the Russian market] is going to be increasingly important for our business, both for villa rental and special events and weddings.”

The Ethiopian Ministry of Culture and Tourism has participated in MITT alongside Ethiopian tour operators since 2008.  This year, they will have a larger stand than previously and will be holding a seminar for Russian tour operators and agencies.  There will also be an Ethiopian coffee ceremony during the exhibition.  They hope that their participation in MITT, combined with the establishment of a new Ethiopian Tour Club, will increase the number of Russian tourists to Ethiopia.  According to Amha Hailegeorgis, Third Secretary of the Ethiopian Embassy, “We have discovered that it is ended the best exhibition to promote our tourism destinations in the Russian Federation. Our tour operators are able to meet their counterparts in the exhibition and sign contracts. In 2008, only 6 tour operators participated. In 2009, there were 7 and now we expect even more tour operators from Ethiopia.”

ENIT (the Italian State Tourist Board) has been a permanent exhibitor at MITT since 1997.  The organisation is keen to promote Italy’s image and its overall tourism product.  According to Elena Gabdulvalieva, “There is a growing interest towards Italy as a country of art, culture, gastronomic traditions, music, fashion and of all-year-round tourism.  It is an attractive destination not only for tourists but also for people interested in deepening their knowledge on many aspects of human life.  We believe that the Russian travel market will stabilise in 2010 and will be fully revived in 2011 after the negative effects of the global financial crisis.”

16th UITT will take place on 24-26 of March in the IEC, Kiev.

Show Profile

UITT is Ukraine’s largest exhibition for the travel industry.  The event has become a regular meeting place for the industry and an opportunity for destinations to showcase the best their country has to offer to an increasing number of Ukrainian travellers, as well as tour operators and travel agents.

This year, UITT introduces three new destinations, Abu Dhabi, Réunion and South Africa.  In addition, Morocco will participate for the first time as the winner of UITT’s ‘wild card’ initiative.  Egypt, Israel and Czech Republic have all increased their stands at UITT, whilst other confirmed destinations include: Dubai, Bulgaria, Greece, Croatia, Spain, France, Cyprus, Slovakia, China, Jordan, Lebanon, Malta, Thailand, Malaysia, Spain, Czech Republic, Cuba, Slovenia, Tunisia, Dominican Republic, Maldives, Seychelles, UK, India, Georgia, Hungary, Mauritius and Tanzania.

Europe continues to have a strong presence at the show, investing in the future and demonstrating their confidence in the Ukrainian market.  According to Event Director, Maria Badakh, “Ukraine has struggled through the global crisis but confidence in the long-term growth of the tourism market is strong, particularly amongst European destinations, who have retained the same size stands as in previous years.  We are also pleased to welcome Hungary back to UITT.  One factor that is boosting European participation in the event, is the cancellation of visa requirements for European travellers staying for less than 180 days.  In addition, the country’s own tourism industry is seeing a healthy upturn due to plans for the country’s hosting of the Euro 2012 football tournament.”

UITT is officially supported by the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Family Affairs, Youth Policy, Sport and Tourism; the State Service for Tourism and Resorts of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Ukraine; and the Kiev City Administration.  UITT is also a member of the International Tourism Trade Fairs Association (ITTFA), the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), the Central European Countries Travel Association (CECTA) and the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA.  The exhibition also has ‘UFI Approved’ status (UFI is the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry).

Official media sponsors of UITT 2010 are: International Tourism Magazine, Voyage Publishing Company and Caribbean News Digital.

UITT takes place alongside Hotel & Restaurant Expo Ukraine, CleanExpo Ukraine and Brand4Rent.  This gives exhibitors an opportunity to attract a wider audience whilst also benefiting from a targeted promotional campaign.

Highlights of the 2010 event

An international conference entitled ‘Spa in Ukraine ‘10’, organised jointly with the Ukrainian Spa Association on 24 March.

The 4th edition of the international business forum ‘Small Hotels & Apartments of Ukraine’, organised with the Association of Small Hotels & Apartments of Ukraine on 25 March.

The 5th edition of the MICE Ukraine international conference entitled ‘Business Tourism – Ukraine’, which will give delegates an insight into the industry, its audience, trends and prospects.  It will also give participants a valuable opportunity to network with their peers.

A section of the show will be dedicated to the growing market for medical tourism.

Open Up Kiev has been on the market in Ukraine for five years.  AT UITT 2010, they will be promoting Switzerland, China, Germany, France and Italy to the Ukrainian market.  According to Kirill Andreev, “We choose UITT because it is one of the main meetings for the tourism industry in Ukraine. The market in Ukraine is very important for our company.”

7° South Ltd. has taken part in UITT since 2006.  The company will be promoting a wide range of tailor-made services, including hotels in the Seychelles, transfers, excursions, nature trails, yachting, fishing, diving, golf, weddings, etc.  According to Genevieve, “We are a pioneer in the development of the Eastern European market to Seychelles. We diverted our marketing strategy to Ukraine and its neighbouring countries because we saw the potential (to escape the cold winters) and, to date, it has proved very productive for us, more so because our competitors had already monopolised Central and Western Europe “

Kuoni Travel Ltd. is exhibiting for the fourth time at UITT.  The company has a sales office in Moscow, which is responsible for sales throughout Russia and Ukraine.  This year, they will be promoting a wide range of destination and event management services.  According to Julia Lyubchenko, Senior Sales Manager, “This is an opportunity for us to meet existing and potential clients, to see what is happening in the market, to get acquainted with new trends and changes and to feel the atmosphere in the local travel industry.  We consider the Ukrainian travel market as having great prospects and growing.  We have been doing good business with Ukrainian  travel agents in terms of providing a professional DMC service for their corporate clients as well as serving individual travellers through our online reservation system all over the world. We are going to extend our business relations and support our agents as much as we can.”

The Tourism Authority of Thailand has exhibited at UITT since 1997 This year, The Tourism Authority of Thailand will be celebrating its 50th anniversary by organising a series of events and festivals on their stand.  They will also be highlighting a number of new leisure destinations: Ko Chang, North-Eastern Thailand, beaches of Rayong and Phang-Nga provinces, and special programmes for medical tourism, including spas and sports (golf, yachting, trekking, cycling, etc).  According to Gennady Tomilin, Marketing Officer in the Moscow Office, “UITT is Ukraine’s Number 1 travel exhibition and participating in UITT complies with TAT’s strategic plan for maintaining the leisure market in Ukraine.  TAT plans to increase advertising and promotional activity on the Ukrainian travel market, supporting local tour operators in promoting Thailand as the main tourist whole-year destination in South East Asia. We also plan to print a series of brochures in the Ukrainian language and organise workshops in several cities of Ukraine to promote the new destinations in Thailand.”

Dhow and Jeep Tours, Zanzibar, Tanzania is taking part for the first time in UITT, offering safaris in the national parks in the Tanzania Northern Circuit, climbing programmes for Kilimanjaro and Meru, combined group tours including climbings+safari+beach vacations.  They will also be promoting beach vacations in Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia, as well as excursions and transfers.  According to Mayya Lobova, Sales and Marketing Manager, “Recently, we have noticed a big demand for touristic services in Eastern Africa from Ukraine, so we have decided to apply for UITT in order to establish new connections in this prospective market.  At present, we are focused on the expansion of our services and promotion of Tanzania and Zanzibar as a great holiday destinations.”

Lets Go Maldives Pvt Ltd is taking part in UITT for the fourth time, representing over 70 Maldivian resorts.  The company is well known for its luxury and exclusive resorts but also offers family and budget resorts.  A number of new resorts will be introduced to the Ukrainian market, including Alila Villas Hadahaa Maldives, Centara Grand Island Resort and SPA, Robinson Club, and Shangri-la’s Villingili Resort and SPA.  According to Maria Svistunova, Sales Executive for the company, “We believe it is important for us to exhibit at UITT, because the Ukraine market is one of our strongest markets and we’d like to promote ourselves further and find future partners.  Maldives is becoming more and more popular amongst Ukrainian, Russian and CIS upper and middle class customers. In the first part of 2010, the market is again developing step by step – [we] believe that the situation in market is stabilising.”

Egypt has been participating in UITT since the show was first launched.  The country hopes to attract more tourists from Ukraine by offering a wider variety of transportation, accommodation and service.  This year, Egypt will be presenting its new brand image, highlighting the personal experience Egypt can offer.  According to Ismail A. Hamid, Egyptian Tourist Attache-Moscow, “UITT is one of the most important professional occasions in the Ukrainian market. The exhibition is well organised and popular, attracting more visitors every year. Over the last three years, the Ukrainian market has grown rapidly thanks to the efforts of our partners – the main tour operators in Ukraine. That growth has taken Ukraine to the no. 8 position in terms of the top tourist markets to Egypt in 2008.

Tourism Malaysia plans to introduce Malaysia to the Ukrainian tourism market and network with industry players and authorities.  According to Ammar Abd. Ghapar, “We are positioning Malaysia as a ‘value for money’ destination. Highlights will be its modern city, shopping paradise and beaches.  Ukraine is one of the most important markets in CIS. There was a positive growth last year compared to the previous year [...]. We are optimistic about the market’s development and will introduce more products and work with more airlines for better accessibility in the future.”

Ile de la Réunion Tourisme is taking part in UITT for the first time this year.  According to Stephane Bonneau, Délégué Commercial Europe, “Ukrainian tour operators are more and more interested in selling Reunion Island.  We will be presenting general information about the Island: accommodation, activities, food, population, professional contacts…  We receive a lot of demand from Ukrainian tour operators and we look forward to discovering the importance of this market for our destination.”

The Dominican Republic Tourism Board (the office for Russia and Ukraine) has been participating in UITT since 2005.  According to Alexandra Streltsova, Director Assistant of the Tourism Board of the Dominican Republic, “This market is still very young and our destination is positioned as a beach destination as yet but we hope in future to develop different niches: cultural tourism, diving, golf, extreme sports, luxury tourism, ecotourism [...].  In Ukraine, the Dominican Republic is in the top ten of travel destinations.  We do hope that in spite of the economic crisis, this market will be growing and developing. We, as the representatives of the Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism, will give any possible support to the market and its players.”

Discover the world at EMITT!

11-14 February 2010 – Tüyap – Beylikdüzü

Adding Value Makes the Difference – Industry Comment from ITTFA

Time and research have shown that exhibitions are undoubtedly an important part of the sales and marketing mix, however they do involve a considerable investment and it is therefore imperative for exhibitors to make the right choices.  This decision has never been more important as we struggle through a period of recession and money has to be spent wisely.  With so many exhibitions to choose from, event organisers have to work hard to ensure that they are among the chosen ones.

TUR, leading Scandinavian travel trade fair held in Gothenburg each year also looks to going that extra mile and getting closer to its exhibitors.  Johan F Lundberg, Exhibition Manager of TUR gives us an insight into why TUR is so successful.

Tourism and Leisure Show – TIP (21 – 24 January 2010, Ljubljana, Slovenia)

Response to “Picture Slovenia” exceeded all expectations

Local experts, guest countries, South African Village, covered campsite, themed routes, theatres

Attractive new introductions at 2010 Vakantiebeurs Anniversary

In 2010 Vakantiebeurs will be celebrating its 40th anniversary in style with 1600 participants from more than 160 countries and special anniversary activities. To give substance to the year’s exhibition theme ‘Meet the Locals’ the exhibitors are flying in thousands of local experts especially for this event, to provide visitors with first-hand information about popular holiday destinations. With special presentations from the two guest countries, Indonesia and Portugal, and the South Africa Village, and also on account of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, Vakantiebeurs 2010 offers some interesting ‘firsts’. Three Ministers have confirmed that they will be attending the official opening of Vakantiebeurs 2010 on the trade day, Tuesday 12 January: Dutch Minister G. Verburg, Culture and Tourism Minister of Indonesia H.E. Jero Wacik and South African Minister of Tourism M. van Schalkwyk. By her presence Minister Verburg will draw attention to the varied recreational opportunities offered by the Netherlands. Minister Wacik represents ‘Guest Country Distant Destinations Indonesia’ and Minister Van Schalkwyk represents the ‘South Africa Village’. The trade day is for travel professionals and the press only. Last year Vakantiebeurs 2009 attracted 20,000 professionals and 115,000 consumers.

Interest in sustainable initiatives continues to increase in the Dutch travel world as well. On the morning of Wednesday 13 January travel sector organisation ANVR, Travel Foundation Nederland and Vakantiebeurs are organising a special meeting on ‘Sustainable tourist entrepreneurship in practice’. The theme of the programme will be current and future travel sector initiatives for the promotion of sustainable tourism. The objective is to motivate the sector to join these initiatives and provide an understanding of why sustainable tourism is worth getting involved in.
Hints & tips

Project Manager Bart Strijker: “For any holidaymaker this event is the start of a successful holiday. Meanwhile, they will meet people from destinations around the world, and who better than local experts from the actual holiday countries to provide first-hand advice and interesting hints and tips. This makes the coming Vakantiebeurs very special and an unforgettable experience”, explains Bart Strijker.

Gezond op reis

‘Gezond op Reis’ (Healthy travelling) will once again be the main sponsor of Vakantiebeurs 2010. With around 500,000 visitors per year this information campaign, which draws attention to the websites www.GezondOpReis.nl and www.LCR.nl, has become an integral part of the information provision to travellers. Gezondopreis.nl wants travellers to be even more aware of the risks they are exposed to when travelling. Every year some 1.5 million Dutch travel to destinations far and wide for holidays or work. Vakantiebeurs has also entered into a partnership with Zoover.nl for MyZoover, the social networking site of Zoover.nl. This partnership fits in well with the objective of generating leads for its customers throughout the year.

Covered camp site

Vakantiebeurs 2010 is an exciting event, a fascinating exhibition experience, with food, drinks, a great atmosphere and culture. New features this year are an expansive covered campsite taking up an entire hall, and the themed ‘Family & Fun’ course, with a select range of products for families with young children; all these are initiatives which, together with other tried-and-tested activities, will guarantee the success of the world’s largest consumer travel event. During the fair South Africa will draw consumer attention with the ‘South Africa Village’. This lively pavilion, in which around 40 exhibitors are taking part, will focus on the most stunning South African destinations, will be showing football demonstrations and will entertain visitors with local music and dance. Statistics show that camping is also becoming increasingly popular among holidaymakers. Last year 2.7 million Dutch chose a camping destination abroad; this year that number is around 2.8 million. A good reason for the organisers to fit out a complete hall as a covered campsite. Holidaymakers who want to immerse themselves in sun, sea and sand should not miss the Caribbean Village in hall 1, an exuberant village with dance, music and presentations for the pleasure-loving tourist.
Themed presentations

The European Travel Theatre will show interesting themed presentations about European holiday destinations. The World at your Feet Plaza focuses completely on global destinations. The theatre is designed in a style that exudes ‘40 years of Vakantiebeurs’. The lively World Market offers Fair Trade products from around the world and the many stalls will provide information about charities and volunteer work. The best Kids Holiday Provider will also be chosen during Vakantiebeurs 2010. The public days of Vakantiebeurs 2010 are Wednesday 13 January – Sunday 17 January from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday 15 January.

ITF SLOVAKIATOUR – one of the most prestigious events of its kind in Europe

The 16th International Travel Fair ITF Slovakiatour along with specialised exhibitions Wellness and Fitness, Hunting and Leisure and Camera Slovakia will take place in Incheba Expo Bratislava in January 21st – 24th 2010. The largest Slovak tourism fair ranks among the most prestigious events of its kind in Europe. The world financial crisis brings a new dimension to all the industries, and the tourism industry and its promotion is no exception. Therefore the main focus of the fair in the upcoming year will be on quality.

Tourism is very sensitive to any changes in the economic situation. The choice for many people of the place and length of their vacation was greatly affected by the economic depression this year and travel agencies had expressively cut back their capacities even before the summer season, which has always been the most interesting part of year for tourists. In 2010 travel agencies will come to the fair with their entire portofolio and the visitors will be able to choose from all the destinations they were used to. Moreover, the individual stalls of foreign exhibitors will be presented there – adjacent countries, Mediterranean countries and exotic destinations like Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Indonesia and Japan as well. We are very pleased with presentations from all the Slovak regions which will be even qualitatively better than in previous years, with five Czech regions having individual expositions being an attraction for visitors. The partner region will be the Košice municipality.

The 16th International Travel Fair will bring very interesting additional programmes both for professionals and the general public, including the international conference on destination management in practice that will introduce the first project from this field in Slovakia – How to highlight the city and region on the European map. The Croatian workshop will be another attractive event mainly dedicated to travel agencies.

Travel, shown via beautiful films and pictures, will be once again brought to the fair by Camera Slovakia – the travelling films festival. Wide, extensive hunting grounds and a large variety of game not only create the ideal conditions for hunting but also attract many followers of this hobby both from Slovakia and foreign countries. Hunting and Leisure fair is dedicated exactly to these devotees.

Wellness and Fitness fair, which first year took place in January 2009, supplemented the content of the other two fairs and added to the overall offering of the event. The individual fair has its aims clearly defined – to present all the news in trends and equipment in healthy lifestyle to visitors, hoteliers, wellness and fitness centre owners, aquaparks, spa and baths.

ITTFA ELECTS NEW COMMITTEE FOR 2010

The International Tourism Trade Fairs Association (ITTFA) recently elected a new executive committee to lead the Association through the coming year.

Tom Nutley, Chairman and founder of ITTFA, comments “All appointments were aimed at strengthening the central administration of ITTFA and providing a firm base for the continued growth of the association across cultural and international boundaries. This year we are delighted to welcome Officers from Italy and the Netherlands, bringing with them fresh ideas and knowledge from their own markets as well as industry expertise.”
ITTFA is dedicated to the continual development of the travel trade show industry, increasing participation and setting high standards worldwide. Recent changes to entry requirements and the annual fee structure mean that membership is more accessible to smaller and developing shows, as well as more established ones. This underlines the primary goals of the Association as it strives to improve travel trade exhibition standards across all markets and help maximize the benefits and levels of professionalism for both visitors and exhibitors.

Committee members begin their term of office this month, being officially sworn in at the AGM in London. They will remain in their respective roles until the next election in a year’s time.

Antonio Dell’ Aquilano, Exhibition & Event Manager of TTG Italia Spa, was elected as president of ITTFA. Nutley commented on the appointments, “We are confident that Antonio’s experience and enthusiasm within both the travel and tourism and exhibition industries will bring new perspective to the association and steer it through another successful year. We look forward to working more closely with him on both new and current projects.”
Mr Dell’ Aquilano commented on the role; “I am delighted to take on this prestigious role and look forward to a successful year ahead. We hope to continue to broaden our membership base, particularly in the area of support and guidance for new and upcoming shows in less established markets and I personally look forward to welcoming members from all corners of the tourism exhibition world. The internationalisation of ITTFA is of value to all our members as we take on new challenges and create more opportunities to share ITTFA’s vision and knowledge with a larger audience.”
Maria Badakh, Event and Sales Director, ITE Group Travel Division, was elected Vice President. She commented, “As organizer of one of ITTFA’s largest events – MITT (Moscow), we have always been conscious of the important role that the Association plays in supporting events like ours. I am looking forward to my new role and I hope that I can contribute to the development of the Association.”

Johan F Lundberg, Exhibition Manager of TUR, who has led the association previously as President, will take up the post of Treasurer. Meanwhile, Zeljka Tomljenovic, Events and Sales Manager ITE Travel Exhibitions, will continue to support the association via a new role of Industry Liaison.
The Association are also pleased to welcome on board Bart Strijker of Vakantiebeurs, who will be taking up the role of Database Officer.

Chairman of ITTFA, Tom Nutley, said that the association had come a long way in the past decade, recognising the huge changes in the travel exhibition industry brought about by the growth in emerging markets, technology and the recognition of the value of the industry in general. He added that in the current, challenging times it is even more important that exhibition organisers work together to promote the benefits and opportunities they offer for all sectors of the travel industry.