New Deal Europe hails success of ‘biggest-ever’ forum

More than 150 suppliers and buyers connect at London event

The co-founder of New Deal Europe (NDE) has hailed the success of the marketing body’s “biggest-ever” annual marketplace and forum.

Tine Murn told Travel Weekly he was “proud and honoured” to welcome more than 150 buyers and suppliers to the event at Congress House in London, which saw representatives from Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova and Greece connect with operators and agents from the UK and Ireland.

Attendees held a series of one-to-one meetings at the event, held on March 28, and watched a panel session asking: “Is the New Deal Europe region the next big thing, and if so, are we ready?”

Murn said: “This is the biggest-ever live event for us. In 2021, we held the event virtually and that had a very high attendance, but with 150 buyers and suppliers present this is by far the largest in-person marketplace we’ve had.

“The tourism industry is all about chemistry and making connections and although everyone can do meetings from home, and can often actually have more meetings than they can in person, there is no substitute for those human relationships that happen when you meet face-to-face.

“I feel very honoured and proud to have connected such a wide palette of buyers and suppliers and it is great to see such a huge turnout.

“It’s so important to hold this event because we need to give all these countries which may have struggled in the last two years the opportunity to build relationships and grow together.”