Last Thursday it was time for Travel News Market 2018, perhaps Sweden's largest travel fair and meeting place for the travel industry. As travel bloggers, we usually like this fair, and it was no worse this year. We met lots of exhibitors and blog friends, and there was also both beer tasting and a party.
Table of contents
Travel News Market 2018 at the Waterfront Hotel
The Travel News Market 2018 trade fair started in the morning on Thursday and continued to party into the night. This is the largest travel industry fair in the country, and this year there were over 200 exhibitors. We haven't yet seen any figures on the number of visitors, but around 1200 guests were expected. The fair was held at the Waterfront Hotel in Stockholm and attracted tourist agencies, travel agents, airlines, travel bloggers, travel journalists and many others.
Our day at the Travel News Market
Peter was already there in the morning, but I (Helena) could not come until late afternoon. You think you will have time so a lot, but the time goes by really fast. You meet people you know all the time, and find one interesting destination after another.
Peter talked to several tourist agencies that we have contacts with, such as the Czech Republic, Ireland and Switzerland. He also talked to Hungary, among others, which could be an interesting destination to explore with the motorhome.
Beer tasting at Visit Flanders
In the afternoon we were invited to a beer tasting with Visit Flanders. Very nice! Belgium is really very good at beer, and also has very good beer. varied beer. In Belgium, there is everything from Trappist beer (brewed by monks belonging to the Trappist order) to various fruit beers.
The tasting started with the very fruity beer Lindemans, continued past the heavier Trappist beer Westmalle and finished with the favourite Duvel. Want to read more about Belgian beer so please read about our visits to the brewery. The Crescent Moon in Bruges and the brewery De Koninck in Antwerp.
Evening at the Travel News Market 2018
We met many lovely travel bloggers, including Ann-Louise from the blog From city to beach, Sandra from Permanent residence and Anna from New York - my bite of the big apple and other bites of the world (all pictured below). Sandra had just returned from travelling with her family in Senegal - very exciting to hear about!
After the fair, the gang went for a bite to eat, before some of us continued on to the evening's party. A few beers and dance steps later, it was time to head home... Friday was a working day!
Lindha/Time2travel.se says:
Yes, what a day it was! You get so excited and resigned that you hardly know where to start 🙂 Great fun to meet you!
10 November 2018 - 8:32
Helena says:
Great to meet you Lindha! Hope to see you again soon, at more events! And in the blog world of course 🙂
10 November 2018 - 9:48
Ama de casa says:
Nice with info about news etc. and mingle with so many like-minded people, both known and unknown 🙂 .
Sometimes it may not be so good that the goods live up to their name. Thought most of the apple beer then, actually did not sound good ... 🙂 🙂
10 November 2018 - 8:49
Helena says:
Haha, I think that fruit beer many times fits well for those who do not like beer! The apple beer was good I thought, but it did not taste like beer but more like cider 😉.
10 November 2018 - 9:50
Liniz Travel says:
Oh so much fun! Soooo sad that I missed this year. So heavenly typical! Big hug
10 November 2018 - 9:07
Helena says:
It's hard to be everywhere all the time, I know... See you soon Lina!
10 November 2018 - 9:50
Ruth in Virginia says:
I don't really understand the whole fruit-flavoured beer thing.
Then you might as well buy soda and pour in some vodka. 🙂
Beer should at least taste like beer, right?
10 November 2018 - 9:09
Helena says:
I understand what you mean Ruth! I also prefer beer that tastes like beer. The apple beer was actually good, but it didn't taste much like beer but more like cider. I think a lot of people who don't usually like beer might like it 😉.
10 November 2018 - 9:51
Lena - good for the soul says:
Seems to have been an inspiring day. And always fun to meet other bloggers!
Hug Lena
10 November 2018 - 9:20
Helena says:
Yes, great fun! I wish I could have stayed longer in the day too, but I'm working... 😉.
10 November 2018 - 9:52
Sandra Lifsresor.se says:
So there were some dance steps in the end! 😉
Thanks for the nice company. See you!
10 November 2018 - 9:48
Helena says:
Haha yes, you can say that we were persuaded 😉 Thank you, great to see you again!
10 November 2018 - 9:53
TravelAnna says:
A really nice day and so much fun to meet! 🙂 Except for the unpleasant ending for me then ... (For those readers who don't know: I was robbed of my rucksack with computer at the restaurant) 🙁.
10 November 2018 - 10:10
Helena says:
Yes, very nice! But sooo hard with your bag and computer!!! Really sad ending! Have thought a lot about it and about you. Hope it works out as well as it can now. Hugs
10 November 2018 - 11:30
4000mil says:
Nice to see you on Thursday! 🙂
10 November 2018 - 10:15
Helena says:
Likewise! You never have time to talk as much as you want, but I hope to see you again soon! 🙂
10 November 2018 - 11:30
Ditte says:
This fair is usually very rewarding and enjoyable. Have been a couple of times before. But now it is the "Spanish summer cottage" that applies for a while longer.
Thanks for the report with your pictures! And it was a nice day and evening.
(Read about Anna's fate. So sad! Know exactly how this feels.....Have been through it. )
10 November 2018 - 10:47
Helena says:
You are of course having a great time in Spain! Trade fairs can liven things up when you are at home ... Yes, so sad and annoying with Anna's bag. I remember very well when you lost yours, in a similar way. Sooo sad that it should be like this.
10 November 2018 - 11:39
Britt-Marie Lundgren says:
This sounds like every travel nerd's Christmas Eve! We realise it was a busy day that ended far too quickly....
10 November 2018 - 12:03
Emma, sun like sun? says:
It must be a really nice fair with lots of happy people!
Beer is a process so it should be possible to do it in other ways. Wine does not automatically mean that it is grapes, although it is of course the most common. But I who have not drunk beer for how many years should perhaps not comment on fruit or not in beer. 😀 A lot of Shandy is sold here, it is probably some mixture / mixture of beer and soda. Isn't it one of those typical "women's drinks"? The man takes a lager and the woman a shandy when they go to the pub? Or maybe it's preconceived notions on my part. Haha!
Have a great Saturday, rest up!
10 November 2018 - 12:15
Role o Carina says:
It seems nice to be at fairs!
Take care.....
10 November 2018 - 12:19
Across the board says:
Fun with the fair and meeting other bloggers. Understand that it was busy. ?
10 November 2018 - 17:02
Biggeros says:
So nice gathering of travel bloggers and travel agents. When we lived in Bergen op Zoom ( Holland) the border with Belgium. There I came to be fond of beer. I was previously not a beer drinker. Both Holland and Belgium have many different types of beer to offer. One is monk beer and another is delerium tremens (dangerously strong) Great with such arrangements ?
10 November 2018 - 17:13
Ann-Louise says:
Great to see you again! Too bad I couldn't join the party but it was very nice to come home too after going to the fair almost all day. 🙂
10 November 2018 - 18:06
BP says:
In addition to the apple beer, it seems to have been the world's most fun fair with mingling, food and drink. Successful in other words:-)
10 November 2018 - 19:21
Helena - Oh darling, let's be adventurers says:
How much fun you seem to have had! Would have loved to be there and meet all the exhibitors, and all the travel blogs especially!
14 November 2018 - 16:01