New Deal Europe has announced its annual travel trade marketplace will be held at London’s Kia Oval on February 23.
It is the only global tourism event focused on 12 destinations of southeastern Europe, ranging from Slovenia in the north to Greece in the south.
Organisers said the event has “outgrown” its previous east London venue, Plexal, thanks to “amazing support” from the travel trade and the fact that national tourism organisations across the region are sponsoring more delegates.
Held in partnership with Travel Weekly‘s parent, Jacobs Media Group, it features pre-arranged B2B meetings, destination presentations, a panel discussion with key industry figures and a networking reception.
Tine Murn, event co-founder, said: “Our region is currently the fastest growing tourism destination on the planet.
“More and more tourists are starting to explore the region’s stunning landscapes, taste the unrivalled gastronomy, and feel the welcome of the people.
“We are also seeing more coverage in the travel pages of national newspapers, so it’s no surprise that tour operators and airlines are seeing unparalleled growth to all destinations.
“If there are operators who want to know why the region is doing so well and are looking for ways to include it in their programmes, then the New Deal Europe Marketplace is definitely the place for them to be.”
Robert Dee, fellow co-founder, added: “This will be our first live marketplace since all Covid restrictions were lifted, so we are aiming for record attendance.
“Our biggest challenge remains the delays in the UK visa system, so we are encouraging all suppliers in the seven destinations affected to apply at least 12 weeks before the event in order to be certain that they have the visa in time.”
The event is free for buyers to attend and can be booked via the New Deal Europe website.
New Deal Europe has partners from 12 countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia.
Picture of Sveti Stefan, Montenegro, provided by the National Tourism Organisation of Montenegro.
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