The Association of Julian Alps at New Deal Europe Marketplace & Forum 2024 in London

© Elizabeta Skumavc

On 16 April 2024, the New Deal Europe Marketplace & Forum 2024 event took place at the London Convention Centre and was attended by 12 Slovenian companies under the auspices of the Slovenian Tourist Board. The event is a unique opportunity to present the tourism offer to tour operators and agencies from primarily English-speaking markets, the UK, Ireland, the USA and other distant markets. 

Forum focuses on tourism growth in the region

Hosted by the European Tourism Organisation - ETOA, the Forum part of the event focused on whether the tourism boom in South East Europe is good for the region and whether it can be sustained. The panel included industry experts including Melissa Tilling, CEO of Sustainable Journeys by Charitable Travel, Dritan Xhengo, Founder and CEO of Past & Present Journeys in Albania, and Rachel Read, Director of Insight at ETOA.

Julian Alps on the New Deal Europe Marketplace

Pre-arranged business meetings were held at the marketplace. In the frame of the Julian Alps Association, Sava Hotels Bled and Bled Tourist Board presented their offer and established important new business contacts. The representatives invited agencies and tour operators to the Slovenian Incoming Workshop - SIW 2024, which will take place from 14 to 16 May in Bled.

Among the participating operators, destinations from South-Eastern Europe were represented, including Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Moldova and Greece, in addition to Slovenia.   

© Elizabeta Skumavc

British tourists in Bled

In 2023, British tourists in Bled generated 99,748 overnight stays and 34,652 arrivals, representing a 9.2% share of total overnight stays. The UK market is therefore the 2nd largest market in terms of overnight stays and arrivals among all foreign markets in Bled.