City Fair: business opportunities with a real destination focus

ETOA & ECM launch City Fair The European Tour Operators Association (ETOA) and European Cities Marketing (ECM) are joining forces with the launch of City Fair on 20th June 2011 in London. Over 100 participants have already registered for this new workshop. Putting tour operators and cities face to face, this event follows the tried and trusted formula in which cities take tables and meet operators in pre-arranged appointments.

The first City Fair was held on 20th June 2011. The workshop is a one day event of pre-scheduled appointments dedicated to the lucrative and growing sector of city tourism organised by ETOA and ECM. Following the success of this inaugural City Fair, ETOA and ECM have decided to continue the activity in 2012.The 2012 City Fair will be held in again in London on 25^th June 2012 and it is already possible to register (registrations on) www.cityfair.travel

This year’s full-day workshop saw over 80 city tourist boards from 23 European countries, along with their partners, meeting with operators following ETOA’s long-established system of pre-arranged appointments. A broad mix of destinations attended and the event offered a unique opportunity for buyers to source product and also gain new ideas.

"City Fair provided a fresh approach to promoting European destinations to the operators, with a healthy mix of tourist boards and other key suppliers”, said Paul Wagner, Purchasing Director at Travel Plaza Europe. “This was extremely useful for the product teams to discuss business opportunities with a real destination focus. It was a really valuable day."

City tourist boards showcased many new accommodation options, attractions and initiatives. Larger cities took several tables for all their partners; 14 in the case of Paris.

“We and our partners found the fair very exciting and useful. It was well-organised and well-conceived, offering a wide range of opportunities to network and do business”, said Eugenio Raez of Paris Ile-de-France Tourist Board.

Meanwhile, emerging destinations were able to promote new ideas to a broad range of long and short-haul operators. “It was a great appointment system and very efficient format”, said Susanne Hoeller of Graz Tourismus.

Practical information:

What is City Fair?

City Fair is a one day event of pre-scheduled appointments dedicated to the lucrative and growing sector of city tourism organised by ETOA and ECM.

It combines ETOA’s long track record in running highly-targeted workshops with ECM’s expertise in city marketing. ETOA’s tour operator members alone represent a combined buying power of over €5 billion, while ECM has a membership of more than 100 cities.

This is a unique opportunity for European city tourist boards and their suppliers to meet, network and conduct business with tour operators and city product developers from all over the world.

Registrations: www.cityfair.travel
The first 150 paying delegates get a discount of £300.

For more information please contact ETOA:

Exhibitor enquiries – Sonia Wilson – swilson@etoa.org
Buyer enquiries – Nick Greenfield – ngreenfield@etoa.org
ECM (European Cities Marketing)– Flavie Baudot – flavie@europeancitiesmarketing.com