One of the five best visited Belgrade Fair events – the International Tourism Fair, will take place on February 24 – 28. This 32nd overview of the local and worldwide tourist potentials will gather 850 exhibitors, who will feature their offer at 13.5 thousand square meters.

This year’s Partner Country is Slovenia. The event takes five days – a day longer than the previous ones, and the participants are many local and international tourist organizations, agencies, hotels, tour operators, rest houses, summer resorts, spas, insurance companies and trade institutions. They will feature most diverse destinations, having also announced the 10 – 20% discounts for the arrangements paid during the Tourism Fair.

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Regional Development Mladjan Dinkic will officially open the 32nd International Tourism Fair on 24 February at 11.00 at the Gallery of the Belgrade Fair, Hall 4.

At 10.30 in Hall 4, decisions will be handed over to six representatives of tourist agencies, selected in a public call for business cooperation with tourist agencies in the People's Republic of China.

At this year's fair, which will last five days, 850 exhibitors participating from 41 countries will take part, including tourist organisations from Spain and the United States.

This year's Tourism Fair will include a wine fair for the first time.

The Tourism Fair opening hours on February 24, 25 and 28 are from 10.00 a. m. to 6.00 p. m, whereas on February 26 and 27, the Fair will be open from 10.00 a .m. to 7.00 p. m.

The single ticket price is RSD.300.00, those for the group visits cost RSD.200.00, and the car parking shall be paid RSD.100.00 per one hour.

Here are the statements of the attendees of a very well visited press conference, at which the 32nd International Tourism Fair was announced.

Nikola Andrić, Project Manager:

- We have prepared many innovations and interesting events at the Tourism Fair, but I shall point out just some of them. Within the International Tourism Fair, the 1st Wine Fair will take place, as well, under participation of the exhibitors from the whole former Yugoslavia. Slovenia – the Partner Country, having an extremely good position at the Serbian market, will also have a fantastic participation in the Fair itself. We increased the number of the participating countries for five, there are 41 of them now, and as regarding the new serious travel destinations, I would point out Spain and the USA. Our objective is to reach the magic number of 50 countries, when we shall become a large trade fair also formally, to the contrary to our present status – the leading regional fair. Important information for the media and the business visitors is that we reserved the first Tourism Fair day, February 24, just for them. The tourist product should be promoted, since people, countries and regions connect through them also in many other jobs and fields.

Jadranka Šturm Kocijan, Embassy of Slovenia:

- We live in the time of a good political climate and good bilateral relations of Serbia and Slovenia and the Tourism Fair is just another significant and positive event connecting the two countries. We expect much also from the visa liberalization, since people from Serbia are always welcome – as tourists, friends, partners and it is the same also vice versa – we love Belgrade, Novi Sad, Guča, Niš.
- The Tourism Fair is also an opportunity for an exchange of experiences, for agreements upon possible cooperation. Slovenia may transfer to Serbia some positive measures and offer it cooperation as an EU member. If we create a good project together, we may obtain resources from the European funds.
- How much all guests from Serbia are welcome to us we shall show also by fast visa approving for the citizens not having the biometric passports, so they still need the visas.

Dimitrije Piciga, Slovenia Tourist Board:

- We intend to use the five days from February 24 to 28 well, since tourism is very important and may initiate cooperation in other economic branches, as well. Within tourism, we already do excellent business also at the Governmental level, within the Ministries, but it is the same thing with tourist organizations, agencies, associations, as well. The vicinity is very important, since we started from Slovenia even in this snow this morning and already at noon we are participating in the press conference at Belgrade Fair and it is also very important that the airplane traffic Ljubljana – Belgrade has been established three times daily and next summer, the regular line Belgrade – Portorož will be there, as well.
- The statistics also show the last year’s cooperation of our two countries was good, since we noted that the guests from Serbia had 10 percent more nights. This is not neglectable, since the year 2009 was a crisis one and such results are encouraging. Our ski grounds are famous, but our natural treatment centers are increasingly popular, as well.
- We have prepared all events at the Tourism Fair together, from the opening, through the experts’ events, to the Slovenian Evening. We shall unite your brandy and our wine, the specialties of both countries and it has to be good.

Erne Varnju, Assistant in the Autonomous Province Government, in charge for tourism:

- ‘Mister Danube’ and everything coming with it is the greatest investment potential in the Southeast Europe. This is, among others, the reason that this river is the most important topic of the 32nd International Tourism Fair in Belgrade and we have put great efforts to present it in the best way, to point out whatever may be enjoyed at the Danube – the wine tours, banks, nature, catering facilities, various events. Even in the Serbian tourism development strategy it says that Vojvodina is ‘an area rich with water and the Pannonian joy’.

Gordana Plamenac, Tourist Organization of Serbia:

- That culture and tourism are important channels of political marketing, it is proved by the cooperation between Serbia and Slovenia. We are the right example of a good cooperation practice in the region and the selection of Slovenia for the Partner Country is a confirmation of the efforts in the previous period.
- The Danube is a resource we have not adequately used yet, in spite of the fact that it is our great advantage. The next period must be marked by its aggressive promotion, based upon the differences, specific characteristics and everything connected by this river.
- This year, Serbia will especially promote ‘rest in the move and nature’, i.e. as much biking, hiking, mountaineering and rafting as possible.