GERMANY, Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Poland have come together for the first time to jointly promote central Europe as a tourist destination.
The UK tourist offices of each country have formed a forum – the Central European Countries Travel Association – to boost leisure, business and conference business.
The project is being spearheaded by Oxford-based G&TConsultants, which has already established major golf and sporting events in the region.
Partner Terry Coates said:”These countries realised that by working together, they would have a better chance of promoting themselves. They had held talks before but nothing had actually been done.
“There is already a lot of cross-border traffic between these countries and their infrastructure, in terms of rail travel and air travel, is now very good.”
Coates said CECTAhoped other central European countries like Croatia and Slovakia will join the initiative at a later date.
“We have already spoken to British Airways and LOT Polish Airlines and they are very interested in joining. We would welcome any other sectors of the industry, like hotel groups,” he said.
Short-term plans include holding regular seminars, educationals, roadshows and working together at trade exhibitions such as World Travel Market.
In the longer term, CECTAhopes to become a profit-making body by charging subscriptions to members and establishing an Internet site which would generate money through advertising.
Coates said the group would be run along similar lines to the Pacific Asia Travel Association.
At first, CECTA will operate just in the UK market but G&Thopes it will eventually become an international initiative.
n For more details call 01844 338332.