TUI will not participate in the upcoming edition of the Vakantiebeurs, which will be held in the Jaarbeurs in January next year.
TUI confirmed this to TravMagazine on Friday when asked.
In a reaction, Arjan Kers, CEO TUI Netherlands and Belgium, says: ‘We have made this choice carefully. I haven’t hidden my feedback over the past two years. Despite many discussions with the Jaarbeurs and suggestions from TUI to make the Vakantiebeurs a relevant attraction for holiday lovers again, they do not succeed in turning the tide. The costs, time and effort involved in participating in the exhibition do not outweigh what we get out of it. We will use the time and resources freed up to keep in touch with consumers and our partners in alternative ways.”
No surprise The news comes as no surprise.
In January this year, Kers already announced that he was seriously concerned about the future-proofing of the current set-up of the Vakantiebeurs.
In mid-January, at the end of the 2024 edition, Kers told TravMagazine.
‘As far as I’m concerned, the current set-up is not future-proof and doesn’t justify the investment we’re making in it. The Vakantiebeurs has always been the largest B2C/consumer fair with great visitor numbers. But you have to keep investing, innovating and looking for new target groups and broadening your offer.’ Response Vakantiebeurs Exhibition manager Marleen Rompen says she regrets TUI’s decision.
‘Of course, I am aware of TUI’s criticism of the previous edition, but we will continue with what we are doing. We are already working with an innovative concept for the upcoming edition, but we cannot completely change our concept in one go. You have to tackle something like this step by step, with thorough research.’ Rompen calls TUI ‘a very nice party to have around’.
‘We are very sorry that TUI is not there, but we have many other great partners to continue with and even without TUI we are going to put on a very nice Vakantiebeurs.’ When asked whether she hopes that TUI will join the next edition, Rompen says: ‘Yes, definitely, we hope that TUI will participate again in the coming years. I am convinced that we are going to put on a very nice Holiday Fair and TUI will of course remain very welcome, now and in the future.’ Participation According to Rompen, many parties have already pledged and signed their participation for the upcoming edition, including Sawadee and the tourist offices of Oman, Japan, Spain, Catalonia and Croatia, among others.
‘And there are many more great names to come. More parties have already signed up for participation earlier this year than last year, which also says a lot. So that’s going beyond expectations. It is of course a pity that TUI is not participating, but it is up to us to put on a nice Holiday Fair. I hope that we will be able to get TUI over the line again for the 2026 edition.’ (Archive photo TravMagazine).
