European Travel Agents Meet in Slovenia

The European Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (ECTAA) will meet in the European Green Capital 2016, Ljubljana, Slovenia, on Wednesday, May 25, for its semi-annual meeting.

The event will bring together 70 CEOs and presidents of travel agents and travel agents’ associations to discuss industry and EU policy developments impacting on the travel trade.

This is the first time in its 55 years existence that ECTAA meets in Slovenia and is an opportunity for the 70-strong delegation to get to know the country, with sightseeing tours scheduled to the Old Town of Ljubljana and its castle, the Postojna cave, the Bled Alpine lake area and the medieval town of Piran.

Slovenia was chosen as the venue for ECTAA’s semi-annual meeting as part of the “Preferred Destination” agreement signed with the Slovenian Tourist Board in May 2015 to help raise awareness and promote Slovenia through the network of travel agents and tour operators across Europe.

“We are glad that the renowned European Travel Agents’ and Tour Operators’ Association selected our country for such an important meeting as it is General Assembly meeting”, said Director of the Slovenian Tourist Board, Maja Pak.

ECTAA regroups the national associations of travel agents and tour operators of 31 European countries as well as three neighbouring Mediterranean countries, and represents some 70.000 enterprises.

“We are also excited about the title of the Preferred Destination of the Year 2016, which contributes to the positioning of Slovenia as a visible European tourist destination also among tourism business professionals.”

On his part, ECTAA’s president, Lars Thykier, said that the association expects the agreement to serve as a bridgehead for expanding awareness of Slovenia among the travel agents community.

ECTAA pledges to help increase inbound tourism through participation in different promotion and marketing campaigns, targeting in particular specific source markets in Europe. Among other, ECTAA is promoting the upcoming 19th Slovenian Incoming Workshop 2016 scheduled from 9-11 June 2016 in Terme Čatež.

ECTAA’s semi-annual meeting will run until Saturday, May 28.