Designers visiting Place2go Tourism Fair in Zagreb

Two weeks ago, we visited the new edition of the international tourism fair Place2Go in Zagreb. It was our second visit in a row after attending last year's presentations for the public.

However, this time we didn't come just to fill out entry forms for travel giveaways. This year, we registered as B2B trade visitors and actively participated for almost all three days of the fair, getting acquainted with other exhibitors and business visitors.

Place2Go tourism fair in Zagreb and new business opportunities

The eleventh edition of the international tourism fair Place2Go took place this year slightly earlier, from January 18 to 20. It hosted around two hundred exhibitors from distant countries such as China, Tunisia, Sri Lanka, India, as well as numerous European countries like Lithuania, Italy, and Spain. Of course, a large number of exhibitors were domestic from Croatia, as well as our neighbours from Slovenia, Serbia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Exhibitors at the fair represented various sectors of tourism. Thus, you could find everything from travel agencies and tourist boards to car rental companies, cruising brands, hotels and apartments, campsites, travel agencies, charter companies, and entertainment and adventure parks.

The first and half of the second day were dedicated to B2B activities and programs, which we were particularly looking forward to and preparing for. In addition to B2B meetings, there were also panels on trends in tourism, which, unfortunately, we mostly missed.

Part of the second and especially the third day were open and free to the public. There, visitors could explore numerous destinations through the experiences of more or less well-known travel writers and bloggers.

Numerous meetings and acquaintances took place

Encouraged by numerous successes and collaborations in the field of tourism, as well as the desire for further specialization in the industry, we decided to participate and be active during the first two days for business visitors. As designers at the tourism fair, we were particularly excited to meet new people, create a network of acquaintances, and explore business opportunities.

On this occasion, we prepared brochures designed exclusively for the needs of the tourism sector, featuring several highlighted projects. Alongside the projects, we outlined the advantages of investing in design and branding in the tourism offer, the benefits of collaborating with us, and the work process.

During the first two days, we met with numerous interesting organizations and entrepreneurs from various countries, including China, India, Sri Lanka, Lithuania, Spain, and Tunisia. Of course, we spent most of our time with colleagues from Croatia and our neighbours from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Slovenia, and Serbia.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who took the time for a meeting and who are open to joint ventures in the upcoming season.

Below is a brief overview of everything we presented at the fair.

Design projects in tourism and culture

In recent years, we have been increasingly involved in projects that include design for tourism events, cultural heritage, and local government units. Alongside self-financed projects, some are funded through EU funds (e.g., EU Interreg, Erasmus+).

While most of our projects are domestic, based in Croatia, we are expanding beyond our borders.

But what did we actually present to our colleagues at the fair?

• 🎉 Branding for tourist boards and events for visitors

• ⛰ Branding for travel and excursion agencies

• 🏛 Projects for preserving local cultural, natural, and linguistic heritage

• 🎁 Design of original souvenirs and gifts in the context of heritage, regional promotion, or organization

• 🇪🇺 Design and illustrations for EU fund projects (e.g., Interreg Europe)

• 🎞️ Storytelling or how to tell the story of a product or service through video animation in the context of education or sales

• 📊 Statistics and project results (for those who love numbers and ROI)

The activities and services to which we have contributed the most in our business are usually:

• Visual identities for tourist boards and travel agencies

• Design of marketing materials for print and web

• Illustrations for identities, coloring books, children's books, etc.

• Production of animated videos

• Conceptualization and design of quirky packaging and souvenirs

If you need help with your projects, feel free to contact us at office@disegnat.com or book an online meeting so we can get to know your needs.

Positive experience and upcoming trade shows

You can find us in multiple shots of Croatian National Television’s broadcast about the expo.

And finally, how was it for us? We can say it was excellent.

First and foremost, it was a fair focused on the theme that interests us personally, and the numerous existing projects were an additional plus. Alongside the good vibes, we met a large number of people and learned about the market needs in the tourism sector. The recognition of some of our projects delighted us, providing motivation to continue the story.

I cannot write without mentioning our previous experience at the International B2B charter fair (ICE) in Zagreb, where we learned several lessons and arrived at Place2Go more prepared. In addition to brochures, we printed several promotional materials for projects that give a better overview of the vision of what we can achieve. We managed to overcome the initial discomfort of approaching others and proactively roamed the fair both days, getting to know colleagues, whether we had scheduled meetings or not. We more or less managed to meet everyone. It's important not to sit and wait.

Will we continue attending fairs? Absolutely! Tickets are already booked for the international tourism and travel fair in Munich and Belgrade. Perhaps we'll meet there. :)

Thank you for reading.