focusing on Prague, but will also strongly be promoting rural tourism.
“We need to get visitors out of Prague into regions such as East Bohemia, which is excellent for hiking, and Moravia, where people can explore the extensive underground cave system.”
Poland’s promotion will centre on Cracow.
The country’s former capital will be the theme of the Polish stand, which will feature aspects of the city’s impressive medieval Cloth Hall.
Tourism development manager Ewa Binkin said:”We see Krakow’s status as European City of Culture as introducing people to Poland next year. The city’s festival of culture will be going on all through the year.”
In Warsaw, the PNTO hopes to build on the success of this year’s Chopin Year promotion – the city has been celebrating the 150th anniversary of the composer’s death with a year of tours and concerts.
Hungary’s promotion will concentrate on the country’s own millennium – it commemorates the coronation of King Stephen I, founder of the Hungarian church, by the Pope in 1000.
Like Poland, Hungary expects to receive 250,000 UK visitors this year, a 12% increase. It aims to double that figure within four years by encouraging people to see the country beyond Budapest.
Hungarian National Tourist Office’s UK director Gabor Tarr said:”We will be investing more in the infrastructure outside Budapest and focusing on niche markets such as wine tourism and rural village tourism.”
Meanwhile, Croatia will be encouraging operators to feature its capital Zagreb for city breaks, while hoping for an upturn in fortunes after a tourism year wrecked by events in Kosovo.
Croatian National Tourist Board deputy director Nikola Racic said: “The trade is now clear that Croatia is ready for business and that safety is no longer an issue.”
Neighbouring Slovenia will use WTM to release details of a nationwide series of agent roadshows in the UK; the country plans to take up to 300 agents on educational visits in 2000.
n The Polish National Tourist Office is to repeat its doughnut lottery for visitors to the Poland stand. One doughnut will contain the prize of a weekend in Poland.
n Ten places on a week’s New Year educational to Romania are up for grabs on the Discovery Trail. Agents must answer questions on Romania to qualify for the draw.
n Croatian football stars Davor Suker, now with Arsenal, and Igor Stimac, who plays for West Ham, will be signing autographs on the Croatia stand on Tuesday November 16 between 3pm and 4pm.
n Wine buffs should head for the Slovenia stand where Jilly Goulden of the BBC’s Food and Drink programme is scheduled to conduct a wine tasting at 2pm on Tuesday November 16.
n Visitors to the Austria stand will be invited upstairs for coffee. The whole of the stand’s second floor will be decked out in the style of a traditional Vienna coffee house.
n Hungarian wine will be dispensed at a Monday afternoon cocktail party on the Hungary stand, where visitors can raise a glass with new deputy state secretary for tourism Dr Peter Kraft.
n The Czech Tourist Authority will be offering a taster of the country’s herbal aperitif Becherovka, along with its famed Pilsner beer, at its stand on Czech Day – Tuesday.
n Eastern Europe wholesaler Asla will use the show to promote Russian river cruises between Moscow and St Petersburg. Packages range from 11 to 14 nights and include a programme of excursions, lectures and Russian lessons. The season runs from May to September. Asla will be based at the Ukrainian stand.
PRAGUE and Cracow, both designated European City of Culture for 2000, will be the focus of promotions on the expanded Czech Republic and Poland stands at this year’s World Travel Market.
The Czech Tourist Authority will run its own stand for the first time, with a dozen exhibitors. There will be a separate stand for other Czech companies and Prague will have a stand of its own.
CTA’s head of UK operations Dagmar Gillespie said:”It adds up to much more space for the Czech Republic. We’ll be focusing on Prague, but will also strongly be promoting rural tourism.
“We need to get visitors out of Prague into regions such as East Bohemia, which is excellent for hiking, and Moravia, where people can explore the extensive underground cave system.”
Poland’s promotion will centre on Cracow.
The country’s former capital will be the theme of the Polish stand, which will feature aspects of the city’s impressive medieval Cloth Hall.
Tourism development manager Ewa Binkin said:”We see Krakow’s status as European City of Culture as introducing people to Poland next year. The city’s festival of culture will be going on all through the year.”
In Warsaw, the PNTO hopes to build on the success of this year’s Chopin Year promotion – the city has been celebrating the 150th anniversary of the composer’s death with a year of tours and concerts.
Hungary’s promotion will concentrate on the country’s own millennium – it commemorates the coronation of King Stephen I, founder of the Hungarian church, by the Pope in 1000.
Like Poland, Hungary expects to receive 250,000 UK visitors this year, a 12% increase. It aims to double that figure within four years by encouraging people to see the country beyond Budapest.
Hungarian National Tourist Office’s UK director Gabor Tarr said:”We will be investing more in the infrastructure outside Budapest and focusing on niche markets such as wine tourism and rural village tourism.”
Meanwhile, Croatia will be encouraging operators to feature its capital Zagreb for city breaks, while hoping for an upturn in fortunes after a tourism year wrecked by events in Kosovo.
Croatian National Tourist Board deputy director Nikola Racic said: “The trade is now clear that Croatia is ready for business and that safety is no longer an issue.”
Neighbouring Slovenia will use WTM to release details of a nationwide series of agent roadshows in the UK; the country plans to take up to 300 agents on educational visits in 2000.