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The start of a new joint approach by the Alpine tourism countries

On 13 and 14 September Innsbruck becomes the centre of Alpine tourism at the Prologue to the new lobbying event "theALPS". This is upheld by a committee of the leading Alpine tourist regions, a prominent cross-border alliance which aims at stronger international positioning for the Alps. The focal point will be a high-profile political summit meeting. Just two weeks before the start there are still some vacancies for people from the world of Alpine tourism.

"theALPS" – the Alpine regions get started

Joint touristic action in the Alpine area – once a pipe dream, this is now becoming reality: "theALPS" starts on 13 and 14 September 2010 in Innsbruck with a Prologue which will see the leading Alpine tourism destinations coming together and remembering their joint strength. The facts show that it is high time for this initiative. With 500 million overnights the Alpine area is certainly one of the largest tourism regions in the world. But although it is the unanimous opinion of the experts that world tourism will grow in the Asian area, for instance, the touristic success concept "Alps" must be further developed jointly by the regions. That is why, at this 1st branch meeting of Alpine tourism experts, the focus will be on the necessary relaunch of the product and amenities sector and more successful positioning of the Alpine area as compared to the ever-growing worldwide competition from other holiday destinations.

Speakers like brands expert Klaus Brandmeyer, future forecaster David Bosshart and tourism expert Hubert Siller will be providing fresh impetus for a lively exchange of ideas. The participants are comprised of leading tourism experts from the top Alpine destinations and their major marketing partners. The current list registers some 300 participants. The representatives of Alpine tourism come mainly from the regions of Bavaria, South Tirol, Switzerland and the Austrian federal provinces. They will be joined by media representatives from throughout the entire Alpine area and some 50 CEOs and product heads from the leading tour operators and online marketing people from 12 nations.

Among the attending top travel operators wanting to get first-hand information on "theALPS" are representatives from TUI Travel PLC (UK), TUI Austria, STS Alpresor (Sweden), OAD Reizen B.V. (NL) etc., etc. The Prologue of "theALPS" is thus already realizing one of its aims, to deepen the exchange and the networking between Alpine tourism providers and leading decision makers from the international tourism branch. Alpine tourism representatives can still register to attend. The fee of € 490,- excl. VAT covers participation in the Prologue on both days incl. conference documentation, meals during the event and at the evening event and transfers to the external event venues.

"theALPS" – 1st Conference of the Tourism Ministers from the Alpine Countries
Even before "theALPS Symposium Future Mountain", the afternoon event, there is a further premiere with a high-profile summit meeting on 13 September. For the very first time top political representatives from 11 countries or regions (South Tirol, Trentino, Bavaria, Liechtenstein, the cantons of Grisons/Graubünden and Valais/Wallis, Carinthia, Upper Austria, Salzburg, Vorarlberg and the Tirol) will be coming to the 1st Conference of Tourism Ministers from the Alpine Countries. The invitation by Günther Platter, the Tirol's Provincial Governor, has been taken up by political representatives from the Alpine regions, e.g. Austria's Federal Minister Dr. Reinhold Mitterlehner and GD Mag. Heinz Zourek from the European Commission. The political working meeting will also witness the signing of the "Innsbruck Manifesto for Cooperation in Alpine Tourism". This affirms the aim to work more closely together and to lastingly promote tourism in the Alpine regions in order to secure a basis of existence for the people living there.

"theALPS" – the Prologue will be followed by the full version in 2011
The Prologue and information event will be followed by the first full version of "theALPS" in 2011. This will again be held in Innsbruck. "theALPS – A new way of trading“ will provide an innovative sales platform and "theALPS Best Experiences & Award" will present an award for outstanding touristic achievements. The aim is to link the Alpine destinations with the international marketing partners in a contemporary way in order effectively to stimulate the demand for and the marketing of Alpine tourism and to spotlight the most innovative projects in the Alpine area. As from 2011 "theALPS" is to be held every two years – the individual Alpine regions can apply to host the event.

Two weeks before the start of the Prologue event the initiators and hosts, Josef Margreiter (CEO of Tirol Tourist Board), Harald Ultsch (branch head at the Tirolean Chamber of Commerce) and Fritz Kraft (MD TVB Innsbruck und seine Feriendörfer) are delighted about this successful coming together of the Alpine destinations. On the occasion of a press event shortly before the start of "theALPS" – stylishly organized to the background of the current Alpenverein Museum exhibition in the Hofburg entitled "Mountains, a passionate affair" – Margreiter, Ultsch and Kraft emphasize unanimously that "theAlps" signifies an important start. For decades the mountains have been a place of desire, a magnet for men. But worldwide competition between travel destinations demands both position finding and a joining of Alpine forces. Only together can Alpine success factors be successfully communicated and positioned with lasting standards and familiar market-effective signs and symbols. That is the way to global communication and positioning. The intention is to establish "theALPS" in future as an innovative and thus highly effective market place for our Alpine "Best of" selection.

Brief information on "theALPS"
"theALPS" starts on 13 and 14 September with a Prologue to the new platform for joint touristic action in the Alpine area, with the "1st Summit Meeting of Tourism Ministers of the Alpine Countries". It will be followed by "the ALPS Symposium – Future Mountain" with Hubert Siller, the Swiss future forecaster David Bosshart from the Gottfried Duttweiler Institut and Klaus Brandmeyer, the German trade marks expert, as speakers. The Prologue event in Innsbruck in September will be followed by the first full version of
"the ALPS" in 2011. "theALPS Summit and Symposium" and "theALPS – a new way of trading" will then establish an innovative sales platform, a new form of marketing touristic amenities. This will be presented as part of the Prologue. As from the coming year "theALPS - Best Experiences and Award" will introduce the most amazing tourism projects in the Alps. The best of the best will be vividly displayed, all hoping to win the award. The premiere of "theALPS" has the backing of the initiators, the Tirolean Chamber of Commerce, the Tirol Tourist Board together with Land Tirol, and Innsbruck Tourist Office in close cooperation with national and international partners like Austria Tourism, the Austrian Board of Trade, Tirolean Raiffeisen banks, AUSTRIAN AIRLINES, feratel media technologies AG, the provincial tourism organizations of the Austrian federal provinces of Vorarlberg, Salzburg, Carinthia and Styria, Wallis Tourism (Switzerland), Bavarian Alps (Germany), the autonomous province of Bozen – South Tirol, BOTA – Best of the Alps, the cross-border marketing association of leading Alpine destinations like Chamonix Mont-Blanc, Cortina d’ Ampezzo, Davos, Garmisch Partenkirchen, Grindelwald, Kitzbühel, Lech Zürs am Arlberg, Megève, the Olympic region of Seefeld, St. Anton am Arlberg, St. Moritz und Zermatt.

Further informationen under: www.the-alps.eu

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