The first edition of the Vakantie Festival in ‘s-Hertogenbosch got off to a flying start on Thursday. The first day of the new public event at the Brabanthallen was attended by both consumers and industry partners, who were able to check it out starting in the afternoon and were subsequently invited to a B2B reception in the evening.
The first official figures are already in. The first day counted 3,410 scanned (consumer) visitors and 846 B2B guests.
“We embarked on this adventure about 18 months ago, and yesterday everything finally came together,” says co-founder T.J. van Apeldoorn. “I am incredibly proud of our entire team and all the parties we’ve recently collaborated with for making this happen.” We’re overwhelmed by the market response and we’re looking forward to today and Saturday.
Co-founder Frits Kuijper, who has over 30 years of experience in the events industry, adds: “We received such a fantastic welcome from the travel industry yesterday. The reactions from both trade visitors and consumers were so enthusiastic. We can truly call it a flying start; this definitely gives us wings for today and tomorrow.”
The first consumers streamed onto the festival floor shortly after the opening at ten o’clock, exploring the festival after a coffee break. The performance by Re-Play, which had already been seen and heard during the Travel Gala on Saturday evening, attracted a large audience.
Industry members were welcome from three o’clock in the afternoon to see the results of months of preparation firsthand. The large turnout showed a high level of curiosity. The Holiday Festival aims to position itself as the premier travel lifestyle event in the Netherlands, where experience, inspiration, and personal interaction take center stage.
The offerings were highly diverse. Major players like TUI, Corendon, and Prijsvrij Vakanties/D-reizen, who had made a splash with their stands, were joined by many smaller specialists. The selection of cruise providers was also extensive and varied. All in all, a good mix that met the tastes and needs of the diverse audience.
There was something to do almost everywhere on the trade show floor, from a destination guessing game at Transavia to something more adventurous: the zipline at Sawadee, where visitors glided down a cable above the heads of other visitors. Sunny Cars and TUI had a claw machine, familiar from the fairgrounds, where consumers could grab balls that entitle them to a discount. Both providers had long lines of consumers eager to try their luck. Prijsvrij/D-reizen had decorated its stand with plenty of sand, resembling a real beach with beach chairs and a wheel of fortune where consumers could also earn discounts. Here too, (potential) customers lined up to give the wheel a spin.
After the consumers left around five o’clock, various drinks receptions for industry peers began throughout the halls to toast the new event. There was traditional networking, with the new Holiday Festival frequently being a topic of conversation.
Initial reactions from trade visitors and exhibitors to the new event ranged from positive to very positive. Almost everyone agreed that there was a good vibe in all the halls. The atmosphere was described as intimate, partly due to the decor and lighting. A nice detail: the fact that you could hear each other despite music being played in many of the stands was also very positive. The conclusion after the first day was that the Holiday Festival has a lot of potential. Independent travel consultant Marijn Segers summarized it on LinkedIn as follows: “The Holiday Festival in ‘s-Hertogenbosch has everything it takes to be a keeper.”
The ‘Holiday Festival’ is open Friday and Saturday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Emma Heesters will perform on Friday, while André Hazes will take the stage on Saturday. (Photos: Dave Kroet/Keepfocus Photography)
