City Break 2008 is gearing up for another successful edition as the purchasing power of the pre-qualified hosted buyers exceeds £500,000m. The city break market has come to the forefront as one of the travel industry’s fastest growing sectors:

• Over 100 new routes to European city destinations will depart from Heathrow in summer 2008
• 4.9 million Brits have mini city breaks planned for 2008
• In 2006 the City Break market was estimated to be worth over £150 billion GBP (Key note report 2006)
• Improved and cheaper air transport, increase in disposable income, media coverage in emerging economies and new European states are set to fuel the growth of this sector

Reed Travel Exhibitions specialist event for the city break market will be held in Belgrade, 9-10th June and will see over 200 of Europe’s leading destinations and city tourism suppliers converse under one roof.

City Breaks 2008 host city, Belgrade, is keen to capitalise on this as they seek to attract an additional one million visitors in 2008. Already hosting the Eurovision Song Contest, European Cities Marketing General Assembly and IPI world congress in 2008, Belgrade is clearly asserting its presence in Europe as a key destination with its historic buildings, museums, galleries and flourishing nightlife.

Key buyers signed up to be at the show include MIKI Travel, Guillivers Travel Associates, JACOB and Expedia – their collective buying power of over £500 million and their decision making ability assure that all exhibitors are set to gain during the two day appointment schedule.

Catherine Vaughan, Marketing Manager, said: “City Break 2008 is set to be a sell out success, the quality of the buyers and exhibitors highlight the importance of this sector.  Past hosts of the show, Helsinki and Athens have clearly gained from staging the event and we are excited at what Belgrade has planned and what the outcome will be for them in the long term.”