The European Tourism Association (ETOA) and New Deal Europe (NDE) are proud to announce a new strategic partnership that will see the two organisations collaborate to strengthen tourism development and industry representation across key regions of Europe; Southeast, Central and Eastern Europe.
The partnership will focus on activities across the following countries:
- Southeast Europe
Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia - Eastern and Central Europe
Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and Ukraine
The collaboration between ETOA and New Deal Europe will build a strong, unified voice for tourism intermediaries and their suppliers throughout these regions.
This year, Central and Eastern Europe saw a growth in international visitors of over 20%, the biggest of all European regions, followed by Southern Europe with an increase of 10%. The rise of low-cost airlines and regional connectivity has made Southeastern Europe more accessible to European and global travellers. As regional cooperation and sustainability efforts increase, the region is poised to solidify its position as one of Europe’s most attractive and emerging tourism destinations.
Through this partnership, New Deal Europe (NDE) will serve as the designated and recognised regional partner for ETOA across the defined regions, and ETOA will host an annual regional workshop in partnership with NDE, creating new opportunities for industry networking, contracting and collaboration.
Tom Jenkins, CEO of ETOA, commented: “South-Eastern, Central and Eastern Europe represent a vibrant growth prospect for sustainable tourism. This partnership strengthens ETOA’s ability to connect global buyers with regional suppliers and destinations. It also ensures that the voice of the region is well represented in European tourism policy discussions.”
Tine Murn, Co-Founder of New Deal Europe, added: “We’re extremely happy to deepen our collaboration with ETOA. Together we’ve championed tourism across Southeast Europe during a period of remarkable growth in both visitor numbers and spend, and we’re proud to support this dynamic region. That growth has been driven by a desire for tourists to engage with authentic culture, exceptional destinations, and diverse nature-based experiences, which are abundant in Central Europe.
By working closely with ETOA and our regional partners, we can shine a spotlight on Central Europe’s enormous potential, supporting responsible growth, fostering innovative partnerships, and strengthening the collective identity of these markets within the wider European tourism landscape.”
