At the end of January, the 1st renewed fair Alpe–Adria: Tourism and Leisure closed its doors. The Show, based on 30 years of tradition, has this year made a breakthrough with the new name Alpe–Adria: Tourism and Leisure Show and the motto Just Relax! Alpe–Adria is here for you. It introduced the Alps–Adriatic region as the new destination starting point with Ljubljana at its centre. At the same time, it also presented a new challenge for the organizers and the exhibitors with the tourist offer tailor-made for the visitor. During the 4 days from 27 to 30 January, the Show hosted 332 providers of tourist services and 20 nautical companies from the region and also from remote destinations, such as the countries of former Yugoslavia, Spain and Turkey. The refreshed event was attended by approximately 16,000 visitors.
The need for regional connections was emphasised also by Wolfgang Platzer, PhD, Secretary General of the Alps-Adriatic Working Community, who stated at the opening ceremony on the first day of the Show: “… I believe it is time to take a step further: a common approach is required for joint marketing of the entire region – the Working Community stretches from Lombardia to Hungary, from Burgenland to the far south of Croatia – on interesting tourist markets across the world. Slovenia and Croatia have already set a good example and I hope that the marketing experts from other parts of the region will join them for the benefit of all of us. We should not perceive each other only as competition. Our common Alps-Adriatic region has so much to offer,” concluded Platzer.
The event also introduces a new Jakob prize for quality and excellence in tourism. A special international jury, presided over by Janez Bogataj, PhD, selected the winner – this year for achievements in the field of gastronomy: Hotel Triglav with Cooking School of Chef Uroš Štefelin. The Hotel is striving towards a long-term goal of raising the level of eating and drinking culture. Cooking workshops for various target groups are available within the framework of the School, of which the most desired and most successful are those for children between 4 and 12 years of age. The participants get to know local ingredients, dishes, pick vegetables from the garden, compose and prepare healthy, tasty and balanced meals as well as set the table. One of the key tasks of the School is the presentation of contemporary catering professions and an improvement in their reputations.
The theme of the competition for the Jakob prize in the coming year will be Innovative tourist programmes in the area of alternative forms of rest and relaxation.
The 2012 Alpe–Adria: Tourism and Leisure Show will take place at Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre (26 –29 January 2012).
