The 2019 fair season was started at the Bratislava exhibition grounds by the well-known and popular fairs of travel and gastronomy – the ITF Slovakiatour and Danubius Gastro. The four-day long event also included the exhibition Hunting and Leisure and new exhibition Fishing and Leisure. The total area of 36,000 square metres presented 774 exhibitors from 25 countries. The event was visited by 72,388 visitors.
The already 25th edition of the travel fair ITF Slovakiatour brought all visitors attractive information about traveling across Slovakia and abroad. Through the representation of 350 exhibitors from 20 countries visitors could get vacation tips and recommendations on which places are worth seeing. Moreover, the exhibitors also presented their countries with a selection of local food and beverages and a cultural programme on top of that – enhanced with dances, songs and local clothes. For the first time ever the exhibiting countries were joined by Iran and – after long time – we witnessed the comeback of Greece, Morocco and Montenegro. The fair also featured the biggest travel films festival Bubo Ball – Camera Slovakia. Through films, pictures and presentations of the most skilled travellers the visitors could explore the most distant parts of Yukon, Tanzania or Papua New Guinea.
The 26th edition of the fair of gastronomy Danubius Gastro traditionally took place on the Bratislava exhibition grounds, this year presenting 394 exhibitors from 11 countries. Visitors could taste novelties from Slovak or foreign producers, visit the Coffee Town or Bakery Corner. Those who dream about starting their own business could get inspired by machines and technologies that could be tried and bought on site for favourable prices. The fair traditionally included a rich accompanying programme with many competitions of the best cooks, bakers, confectioners, baristas or bartenders in junior and senior categories. Live cooking, gastro-trends oriented talks and tastings of great beverages and food were not missing either.
This year’s novelty – the exhibition Fishing and Leisure – found its audience, presenting 80 fishing brands from Slovakia, Czech Republic, France and Great Britain. The wide selection of fishing goods was complemented with lectures from the fishing area and demonstrations of fishing techniques performed by the most skilled fishermen next to a swimming pool.
The specialized exhibition Hunting and Leisure offered all visitors the must-have accessories of every hunter. Moreover, the exhibition presented Slovak breeds of hunting dogs, hunting signals and organized falconry in Slovakia; a christening of the book Tajomstvá slovenskej divočiny also took place.
Important awards took place during the course of the fairs and exhibitions – The Danubius Gastro 2019 Award and Danubius Gastro 2019 Diplomas for the best exhibits of food, hotel equipment and gastro-technologies, the Grand Prix Awards for the best fishing exhibits and special awards for the partners of the fairs.