This year’s Annual Convention will provide an excellent opportunity to make contacts with decision-makers in Montenegro’s tourism industry, extend the range of services for German holidaymakers and make the variety of Montenegro’s holiday options better known in Germany.

In order to present upcoming Convention we had the honor to speak with Mr Jürgen Büchy, DRV President.

1. This year is the 62nd Annual Convention of DRV (Deutscher ReiseVerband). What are main conditions that destination should fulfill to be host of the convention?

Various destinations apply each year to host the DRV Annual Meeting. Determining factors for the decision making process include sufficient flight connections (easy access from central German airports), the site itself (with respect to its touristic appeal, the potential for attractive evening event with up to 1,000 guests, as well as a starting point for the pre- and after conventions), the capacity of the congress center and the selection of quality hotels. It is also important that potential candidates have already gained experience in hosting and organizing such large-scale event.

The annual convention offers a perfect basis and opportunity for networking with decision makers and to gain new contacts within the German tourism industry. It is an excellent opportunity to represent the hosting country through destination workshops, dinner events and entertainment, hotels, transfers, excursions and pre- and post-tours.

2. Every year Convention has different hosting destination. Could you tell us main reasons for choosing Budva and Montenegro for host?

The Board of Directors of the German Travel Association decided for Budva, Montenegro as a good place for the annual convention because of several reasons. One important aspect that supported our decision for Montenegro as the host was the country’s ability to organize special charter flight connections so that participants from all over Germany would be able to travel there easily from one of the main German airports. They were also able to offer a variety of different hotel accommodations of different quality and price rages as well as a conference center and various locations where we could accommodate up to 1,000 people.

Since 2006, Montenegro has been independent with tourism being its most significant industry. In 2010, 25,381 German guests visited the country on the Adriatic coast. 2011 already around 35,000 Germans visited Montenegro. Montenegro generates more than one fifth of its government revenues in tourism. Already one person in five is working in the domestic tourism industry, a trend that is increasing.

As an important partner of Montenegro’s tourism industry, we want to help make the country’s natural and cultural treasures even better known in Germany. We are therefore particularly looking forward to visiting the Budva region and meeting there this year. We very much appreciate the invitation extended by Montenegro’s tourism officials.

Montenegro has much to offer: almost 300 km of coastline, rugged mountain areas with mountains over 2,500 m high, a 6,000 km network of hiking and biking trails as well as five national parks. In the country’s development, Montenegro’s tourism officials attach importance on sustainability. Nature conservation and sustainable development have constitutional status since 1991. A “National Strategy for sustainable Development”, an environmental legislation and a tourism master plan – at least until 2020 – set specific targets. The country receives support from several nations and organizations like, for example, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

3. What will Annual Convention 2012 provide for Montenegro and what for German participants?

There will be an interesting and thrilling three-day-conference program with a lot of presentations, speeches, discussions and workshops. Furthermore, all the participants will get an overview of the touristic highlights in the country. Three special workshops with excursions to the main hot spots in the county will complete the congress program.

From our experience we can say that the numbers of German tourists tends to increase in the respective host countries after our annual convention. The reason for that is the large amount of press coverage before, during and after the convention and the region and county where the meeting is being held. The annual convention of the DRV is joined by around 30 journalists from Germany and a lot of local media is present at the convention to report for the national and regional newspapers, TV and broadcasting stations. Therefore such a big event is a great possibility for a destination to promote itself, the highlights, the potential and the future plans for the tourism market.

4. In your opinion, how develop is tourism in SEE region, especially, field of meeting industry?

From our point of view there is still a lot more potential for leisure travel as well as for meetings and conferences in the whole region. On the other hand we see more potential for need to invest much more in the infrastructure – to increase hotel capacity and improve meeting facilities, for example.

S.G.

Each year Convention has another hosting country: 2006 – Tenerife, 2007 – Turkey, 2008 – Budapest, 2009 – Egypt, 2010 – Morocco, 2011 – South Korea, 2012 – Montenegro.

For Montenegro’s tourism, the German Travel Association (DRV) convention has been the most important meeting so far, whose positive effects will remain long after it has ended.

The convention of DRV, which as an umbrella association numbers several thousand top German companies, will bring together around 1,000 representatives of tour operators and travel sellers from this market, airliners, insurance companies and a considerable number of media. DRV gathers the top German companies such as Lufthansa, Deutsche Bahn, Tui, Thomas Cook, Air Berlin, Dertour, etc. Around 80% of total tourist turnover in the German market is executed through the members of this association. The German tourist emitive market is one of the most important global markets with over 60 million travels per year.

We believe that this convention will have a major effect on the promotion of Montenegro’s tourist offer in the German market and beyond. In addition, it is important to say that the representatives of Montenegros’ hotel, restaurant, catering and tourist companies will have an opportunity to meet and establish contacts with the major representatives of the German tourist sector. Also, this will be an opportunity on both, the national and the local level, to take all necessary activities and invest all efforts in proper positioning of our country in this important emitive market.

Danica Ceranic, Montenegro Convention Bureau Director