VTC | VTC at “KONTAKT” conference

The first regional KONTAKT conference was held in Belgrade from the 22^nd to the 24^th of March, organized by Marsh Creative Production and the concert agency Odličan Hrčak. The idea for organizing this event came from the need for networking among organizers and promoters of regional music festivals, tourist associations and organizations, culture centers, clubs and other actors in culture and art.

We had the opportunity and the honor to be one of the partners in organizing this event dedicated to music, festivals and tourism through the moderation of panels: Festivals promoters of cities and Festivals as destinations.

We know that a significant part of tourist movement is related to visiting manifestations/festivals. We can identify guests based on people who visit a destination and then go to a festival, and those who visit a destination because of the festival.

The goal of the panels was to provide the participants with the opportunity to exchange experiences and ideas about the ways in which to achieve an even greater number of tourists that visit festivals, but also about the ways in which the promotion of destinations can be improved by organizing festivals and what their experiences are.

Participants of the panel spoke about the festival space (specific/redefined) as an important factor in the organization and its contribution to development and affirmation, as well as the promotion of the destination. Also, there was mention of the ways in which they collaborate with local businesses (accommodation, catering, and tourist agencies) and with the local community, and also if they have any feedback about the positive effects that festival organizing has on them. Of course, one of the unavoidable topics was band booking, the possibility of information exchange and overlapping of festival dates.

The conclusion was that the KONTAKT conference is a good platform for the improvement of cooperation and destination promoting. One of the ideas was that creating travel packs for tourists to visit several festivals in the region, especially for distant markets etc.

If you wish to know more about the panels and give your comments, send an email to: veselinov@vtc.rs

More about the conference (panels, concerts, meetings etc.) you can find at http://www.kontakt.org.rs/kontakt-konf/

Balkanrock report: http://balkanrock.com/kontakt-konferencija-2017-pocetak-promena-u-festivalskom-turizmu-i-muzickom-izdavastvu/

Panel participants:

Festival city promoters:

Mikser – Belgrade – Maja Lalić

Arsenal fest – Kragujevac – Zoran Vulović

Demofest – Banja Luka – Brana Janković

Music Glue, London – Croatia – Dijana Lakus – Glastonbury

Nišville – Niš – Saška Popov Rašić

Taksirat – Skoplje – Login Kočiški

Dejan Veselinov – moderator

Festivals as destinations

Love fest – Vrnjačka Banja – Zlatana Pavlović

Bedem fest – Nikšić – Petar Šundić

Ok fest – Tjentište – Dubravko Suvara

Sea rock – Kotor – Bojan Lalović

Indigo – Ljubljana – Blaž Peršin

Outlook – Pula – Vedran Meniga

Sajeta – Tolmin – Janez Leban

Dejan Veseslinov – moderator