TUR, Scandinavia’s leading travel trade event welcomed a new Exhibition Manager earlier in the year, when the show’s long standing manager, Johan F Lundberg, moved on to new horizons.
Per Magnusson, originally a business lawyer, joined TUR in January 2008, following six years at the Swedish Fair and Congress Centre in Gothenburg where he worked as a project manager. He is married with two children and enjoys the dynamic and fascinating nature of the travel business which is what lured him to Svenska Massen in the first place
“I think that every one of us would like to travel much more in the future. As incomes increase and more money is available, people are looking for new experiences. This is one thing that travel can provide! The challenge facing us now is the environment and the fast growth of the developing countries and how this will affect us in the longer term.”
Of his new role, Per tells us that what he enjoys most about the role is the opportunity to collaborate with different kinds of companies and organizations, to invent new ways of improving the fair for either the trade visitor, the exhibitors or the public. “Since I started we have develop 10-15 new things for TUR, for example we have opened up a unique site where we place special fair offers, with great prices, from the exhibitors and the public can view them on the internet but they can only buy them at the fair. We have developed an interactive area on the exhibition floor where people with specialist knowledge about a destination can wear a badge encouraging people to ask questions about this particular place or theme. We have also started up 2 new Facebook groups, each with a specific focus, developing new business and creating a win-win situation.”
In terms of the future, Per intends to further develop TUR, to solidify its position as the most important tourism fair in the Nordic region and to develop more tools for exhibitors and visitors to assist them in creating even more business.
As TUR Is a member of ITTFA, International Tourism Trade Fairs Association, Per will continue the show’s long standing relationship and participation with the Association, which he hopes to build on. “I hope to learn a lot from all the members and to hear about their challenges and opportunities in their own markets. “ We at ITTFA look forward to working with Per and continuing our strong relationship with TUR.
ITTFA is dedicated to the continual development of the travel trade show industry, increasing participation and setting high standards worldwide. For details on all our members visit us at www.ittfa.org
