Never before has TUR had a clearer business profile as the TUR 2007 will feature various initiatives aimed at developing the Swedish tourism industry. This year, TUR is more international than ever – with…
Never before has TUR had a clearer business profile as the TUR 2007 will feature various initiatives aimed at developing the Swedish tourism industry. This year, TUR is more international than ever – with 100 exhibiting countries.
Last year’s TUR was one of the most successful ever, with no less than 54,200 registered visits. TUR 2007, to be held at the Swedish Exhibition Centre in Goteborg on 22–25 March, looks set to be at least as successful.
This year, TUR has attracted 1,245 direct exhibitors representing 2,000 companies in a net area of 15,600 square metres. Exactly 100 countries are represented, which equals TUR’s standing record (the same number of countries participated in 2000).
Strengthened business profile
The Swedish travel and tourism industry is enjoying record sales figures – but most experts believe the potential is even greater, and that the industry has vast undeveloped business possibilities. Various initiatives will be taken at TUR 2007 to facilitate business contacts and create favourable growth conditions.
“This year’s initiatives at the TRIP Capital Market Day, the Tourist Parliament and the Business Travel & Meetings Industry Day are some examples,” says Johan F Lundberg, TUR Exhibition Manager.
“Another is the further development of our online meeting booking system. Last year, 2,500 meetings were arranged over the web, and a further 1,500 meetings were arranged via Meeting Forum at the start of the fair.”
This year, the web service will be supplemented with Smart Relations, a digital tool that exhibitors can use to invite customers and distribute their company newsletters.
New countries – exhibitors
Seven new countries are participating in TUR. One of them, Australia, may surprise a few people. Individual Australian companies have exhibited at TUR before, but this year the Australian Tourist Board is participating for the first time. Other new countries include Georgia, Montenegro, Nicaragua, Panama, Uzbekistan and Belarus.
The biggest exhibiting countries, besides Sweden, are Denmark, Germany, Italy, Greece, Spain and the United Kingdom.
The Swedish area on the second floor, Best of Sweden, represents the whole of Sweden and is bigger than ever this year. The biggest exhibitor of all is the West Swedish Tourism Council, followed by Stockholm, Halland, Skane and the Kingdom of Crystal. Other major Swedish exhibitors include the Swedish Aviation Society, SAS, SJ and Toyota Rent-a-Car.
Strong Greek participation
Greece is focusing strongly on the Nordic market this year, and will be one of TUR’s partners in 2007. Many exhibitors from various parts of Greece – including Rhodes, Crete, the Ionian Islands and Kalamata – a new tourist resort on the Peloponnese peninsula.
“We want to highlight all the opportunities Greece has to offer,” says Angela Varela, director of tourism at the Greek Tourist Board in Stockholm.
One aim is to boost business tourism: incentive travel, congresses and conferences.
“We have conference facilities with excellent infrastructure in Saloniki, in Athens and on several islands, where you can hold your conference and combine your trip with a few days’ holiday,” says Angela.
“Greece is a small country that is easy to travel round and offers different landscapes and experiences wherever you go.”
Although more than a million Scandinavians – over half of them Swedes – visit Greece every year, certain parts of Greece are still virtually undiscovered by tourists.
“Northern Greece offers fabulous nature experiences, with rich opportunities for outdoor activities such as bird watching, climbing and mountain biking,” says Angela.
Sun, bathing and recreation are still many people’s main reasons for visiting Greece. But there are also many cultural attractions for tourists, which are increasing by the year.
“The whole of Greece is a living museum with a myriad of archaeological sites,” stresses Angela.
This year is particularly eventful from a cultural perspective. 2007 has been declared the Year of Maria Callas to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the legendary soprano’s death. Anniversary celebrations, honorary performances and local festivals will abound throughout the year.
Capital Market Day
On the opening day of TUR 2007, 21 March, a selection of investment prospects in the Swedish tourism industry will be presented to Swedish and foreign investors.
This will take place on the TRIP Capital Market Day, which will become an annual fixture at TUR. TRIP (Travel Industry in Progress) is an initiative by the Swedish Travel and Tourist Industry Federation (RTS) aimed at developing the Swedish travel and tourism industry.
On the opening day, some ten of the industry`s leading brands will hold a workshop together with investors, financing institutions and real estate companies. Four attractive investment prospects will be presented.
On the following two days, Thursday and Friday, TRIP will organise several mini seminars with names such as “Online marketing”, “Risk capital and subsidies”, “Finance and law” and ”The whole journey – a globally unique online travel planner becomes reality” (R23 and R26).
Besides RTS and TUR, Almega, Google, ISA (Invest in Sweden Agency), SAS, Ohrlings PricewaterhouseCoopers and Nutek are partners in this initiative.
Tourist Parliament
The Tourist Parliament, to be held for the very first time at TUR this year, will focus on future issues and corporate conditions. A special section will be dedicated to China.
China has become an increasingly popular travel destination – but now we need to attract Chinese tourists to Sweden. How can this be done?
“It’s largely about increasing understanding of modern Chinese people’s mentality and attitudes,” says Rikard Bergsten, MD, Svensk Turism.
China has 1.3 billion inhabitants. Nine out of ten Chinese can`t afford to travel to Europe. But that leaves the remaining 10 percent – 130 million people, more than the entire German market.
Participants include China experts Johan Bjorksten, MD, EastWei Relations, and Elby Kwok Drewsen, MD, Lotus Travel/Scandinavian Perspectives, who will offer insights into how business is done in China and what Chinese tourists want.
Other participants: Tina Nordstrom, celebrity chef, Joran Hagglund, Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Industry, Employment and Communication, Nils Carlsson, Svensk Turism, Thomas Bruhl , VisitSweden, Martin Creydt, Rezidor Hotel Group and Torsten Jansson, MD, New Wave/Kingdom of Crystal.
The Tourist Parliament is organised by Svensk Turism, VisitSweden and the Ministry of Industry, Employment and Communication.
Meetings Industry Day
The meetings industry is tourism’s fastest-growing segment. All events, meetings and congresses belong to this segment, which is spotlighted at TUR 2007 with a special Meetings Industry Day on Friday 23 March.
“We want to raise awareness about the meetings industry`s enormous potential,” says Roger Kellerman, joint organiser of the initiative at TUR.
“The Swedish meetings industry has seen dramatic growth in the past year – particularly the congress segment, where the money is,” he continues.
The day is divided into two parts: one featuring a “summit” and the other focusing on conferences. The part dedicated to conferences targets conference and meeting bookers, and offers practical tips and advice on topics such as how to design meetings, online booking, efficiency and safety. The organisers are Comwell Konferens & Spa, Avisita Travel AB and Informus AB.
Four international heavyweights will participate in the summit: David Hornby, Director of Visit London and a key figure in bringing the 2012 Olympics to London – a city that generates an annual turnover of SEK 50 billion in events and meetings.
Patrick Delaney, MD, Ovation, Dublin. The unchallenged master of global networks and the uncrowned king behind Ireland`s sensational success in incentive/corporate events.
Pascal Raggenbass, MD, Event Security, who from his base in Switzerland creates safe venues for all kinds of events and meetings worldwide.
Jurriaen Sleijster, Executive Vice President of MCI, the world`s dominant congress company, with offices in 14 countries and headquarters in Geneva.
The newly established award Scandinavian Meeting Planner of the Year will be presented after the summit. Skandinaviska Comwell konferens- and spahotell and Meetings International magazine are behind the award, which is worth SEK 50,000.
The Trend Report on the Swedish Meetings Industry 2006 – the first real report on the meetings industry – will be presented on the same occasion. The report was prepared by Roger Kellerman of Meetings International, and will be presented annually at TUR.
“It`s based on international trend reports, statistics from Nutek and SCB and data from the automotive, pharmaceuticals, IT and banking and finance industries – the sectors that drive the trends in meetings,” he explains.
Business Travel Day
This year`s Business Travel Day (Friday 23 March) has as its main title A good business trip – a combination of cost effectiveness and environmental consciousness.
Insights will be offered from three different business sectors: Jan Forsberg, Group CEO, Swedish State Railways (SJ), will discuss the theme Trains – for people-friendly business travel. Egil Riisnes, Group CEO, VIA Travel, poses the question, Are travel agencies environmentally conscious? Dag Lundin, environmental manager, TeliaSonera AB Networks, raises a related question: Environmental targets and travel destinations – are they compatible?
Claes Orwallius, SBTA, will lead a discussion with the participants.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
