All the fun of the fair
We take a sneak peek at the Brussels Holiday Fair and predict some of this year’s top travel trends and destinations
The Brussels Holiday Fair is Belgium’s biggest travel show – and in a country where going on holiday is probably the second most important leisure activity after building and decorating a beautiful house to come back to, that’s no mean feat. Now in its 53rd year, the Holiday Fair (known as the Salon des Vacances in French and the Vakantiesalon in Dutch) caters for both travel professionals and enthusiasts, with more than 800 stalls in four halls at Brussels Expo.
While Indonesia is the host country of this year’s Holiday Fair and Asia and the Pacific are the event’s main themes, there are six other travel ‘villages’ where you can learn more about the regions and types of holidays on offer, such as the Caribbean, Latin America and cruises.
“This year we also have the professional part of the tourism industry present at the Holiday Fair,” says spokesman Didier Demaeght. On February 2, the fair will be the location for the second edition of the Brussels Travel Top, a day of conferences, workshops and networking opportunities for those working in the travel industry.
Last year more than 110,000 people visited the fair but Demaeght is reluctant to give any estimates of this year’s numbers: “I can’t tell you how many visitors we are expecting this year because that is not my primary concern. What I am concerned about is the quality on offer, not just for the person who is looking for ideas for his holiday, but it is also important that all those people coming to work and organise the Holiday Fair have a good experience.”
But doesn’t the idea of a travel fair seem rather old-fashioned in an age where many people just click and book their holidays? Not at all, says Demaeght. “The greatest thing about the Holiday Fair is that it gives people a chance to meet people. Booking a holiday online is fine but you can lose a lot of time, and you don’t always enjoy the same guarantees that you would booking with a travel agent. At the Holiday Fair you can really meet people – not just those who are selling travel, but maybe also the guy from the tourist office, or you might even meet people who have already travelled to the place you want to visit. You can ask all sorts of questions to lots of different people and you will also have your eyes opened to new ideas and destinations.”
The Brussels Holiday Fair takes place at Brussels Expo from Thursday, February 2 to Monday, February 6 from 10.00 to 18.00. Tickets cost €8 (free entry for children under 12 accompanied by an adult).
www.salondesvacances.eu / www.vakantiesalon.eu
What’s hot in travel in 2012
Go to… London
Whether you’re interested in history, culture, shopping, eating, partying or all of the above, London is always a fantastic place to visit, but with the Olympics and the Queen’s Jubilee, 2012 really will be the year of Cool Britannia.
Try… Voluntourism
Once the domain of gap year teenagers, these days volunteer tourism offers something for everyone, from WWOOFing (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) around Europe for a couple of weeks to volunteering in the developing world for a year.
Visit… Croatia
Its ascension to the EU has turned the spotlight on this eastern European gem, and with the thumbs-up from Lonely Planet and Fodor’s, Croatia looks set to enjoy record numbers of tourists this year.
Use… digital media
From QR (Quick Response) code guidebooks to apps such as Trip It and using Facebook to see who you’re sitting next to on your flight, technology is this year’s holiday must-have.
Get to know… Doomsday tourism
Whatever your thoughts on Mayan prophecy, you’ll find it difficult not to be awestruck by Mayan culture and history, which you’ll find on full display in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Belize and El Salvador.
City break in… Hong Kong:
Consistently voted one of this year’s top destinations, ‘Asia’s World City’ is the perfect destination for an action-packed city break.
Run the world in… Portland, Oregon
This haven for alternative living is the destination for the 2012 World Domination Summit, organised by travel hacking guru Chris Guillebeau. Tickets are sold out for the actual summit (which is a field of dreams for ambitious non-conformists) but there will be lots of peripheral events and the city – cool, cosmopolitan and quirky – is worth visiting regardless.
