Invitations go out to Irish Travel Trade for first live NEW DEAL EUROPE event
#TRAVELTRADETOGETHER
New Deal Europe, the largest travel platform dedicated to the Balkans and South East Europe, is inviting the Irish travel trade to their first ever live event to be held in London on 4th April. New Deal Europe Marketplace and Forum has taken place in a virtual format over the last two years, and attracted 200 buyers and 148 Balkan suppliers to its last event in 2021. Delegates came from 38 countries and over 3,000 appointments were arranged in one day.
The London marketplace in April will be the biggest ever live event in Balkan inbound tourism, and will feature national and regional tourism boards, hotels, attractions, ferry operators and DMCs from twelve Balkan countries. In addition to honeypot destinations such as Greece, Croatia and Slovenia, lesser known destinations such as North Macedona, Serbia and Moldova will also be showcased.
Robert Dee (New Deal Europe Co-founder) said, “We are really excited to be able to hold a live event after having to hold previous events under lockdown conditions. We have had great success so far, with 97% of the Balkan suppliers saying that they thought the standard of buyers was high or very high, unprecedented in my experience of organising events. I think there is a real desire on the part of tour operators to offer more in the region, and with several direct flights from Dublin, we are optimistic that the region will see a growth in Irish tourism in the coming years, and that Ireland will be well represented at the London event”.
‘Tine Murn (New Deal Europe Co-Founder) commented, “Covid has made people re-evaluate what they want from a holiday and the Balkans ticks a lot of boxes. It offers history, gastronomy, culture, a range of activities, and has a sense of the undiscovered and exotic, yet it is right on our doorstep. There is a real focus on sustainable and responsible tourism in the region, and the opportunity to escape the crowds and go off the beaten track, which many people are drawn to right now. We look forward to welcoming many Irish operators and agents to our first live event, where they can make new partnerships and discover all that the region can offer in a series of destination presentations”.
