26th International Fair of Tourism and Sailing - IFT 2004, which takes place at Belgrade Fair, on April 16 - 18, 2004, has already largely caught up with the market. The last year`s event motivated the world to become interested in this region, featured the worldwide tourist bids and presented the tourist product of Serbia and Montenegro, oriented toward foreign and local market. It fulfilled expectations of the exhibitors, professional audience and visitors, which is shown by the fact that the exhibiting space has been doubled and that the 15,000 sq. m. gross area in Belgrade Fair Halls 1, 2, 4, 5 and 14 have almost been sold out.

IFT 2004 is a business to business trade fair. The membership in the European Tourist Trade Fair Association (ETTFA) enabled it to line up with tourist fairs in London, Moscow, Madrid, Thessaloniki, Budapest, Vienna and other cities. Hence, it will be visited this year also by many professional, intentionally invited visitors from abroad. The ETTFA organization has already published a series of texts in the worldwide tourist magazines. So, English journalist, Dave Richardson, wrote that significance of the IFT 2004, as well as its membership in ETTFA, was the best proof how much, in spite of political turmoils, Serbia was becoming an important tourist destination. Stanislava Blagoeva Duschell, Director of ITE Association (International Travel Exhibitions), organizing also Moscow Tourism Fair - MITT 2004, states that the membership of Belgrade Tourism Fair in ETTFA is a sign that Serbia is back at the international scene. This is certainly supported also by our Government`s initiative to have the Minister Conference of the Balkans Countries in Belgrade during the IFT 2004.

That IFT 2004 is becoming unavoidable in business programs of tourist organizations in the country and abroad, first of all the countries from our direct neighborhood, is shown but an independent participation of Tourism Ministries of Turkey and Bulgaria, tour operators and hotel owners from Greece, mostly from Thessaloniki region, as well as tour operators offering Slovenia, Croatia and Hungary. Knowing the taste of citizens from these regions, Egypt and Spain, represented through Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca, are interested to attend the event. Many foreign exhibitors participate with their partners from Serbia and Montenegro and far destinations will be presented mostly through programs of the local tour operators.

The last year`s innovation, that one day at the Tourism Fair should be intended for business visitors only and that the audience may purchase their summer holidays with a trade fair discount any other day, at the stands of some travel agencies, will be continued also in 2004. This year`s innovation is an extensive media follow-up. Exhibiting of many local and foreign tourist media has been scheduled, as well, who will not only follow up this event, but also offer their professional services, like, say, TTG Hungary. Arrival of a tourist journalist group is planned, who will have an opportunity to visit, in addition to the Fair, also our most attractive destinations and recommend them to their public and readers. On this occasion, we are inviting also you to contact us and inform us of your interests and eventual wish to follow up our Fair event.

Hence, IFT 2004 will be an event which will show the audience the world in front of them, but, at the same time, it will give a chance to the local tourism to show the world what it can offer. We shall know already in April, if the chance has been taken.