Loop CEE
Hello Greece! Warm waves crashing over the smooth stones in the sand and a gentle Ionian breeze made a perfect setting for luxury travel professionals attending the next edition of Loop CEE, which took place from October 25-28th in beautiful Costa Navarino. But the sea wasn't the only one making waves with the announcement of the new Loop+ platform. LuxuryWise has the scoop from the show. Opá!
by LuxuryWise Author Jacques Ledbetter
Loop CEE
Hello Greece! Warm waves crashing over the smooth stones in the sand and a gentle Ionian breeze made a perfect setting for luxury travel professionals attending the next edition of Loop CEE, which took place from October 25-28th in beautiful Costa Navarino. But the sea wasn't the only one making waves with the announcement of the new Loop+ platform. LuxuryWise has the scoop from the show. Opá!
by LuxuryWise Author Jacques Ledbetter
Loop CEE 2023 at a glance
Attendees
...descended upon Costa Navarino either by Loop Air or driving from Athens. No wonder since a number of new properties have recently opened in a part of Greece that typically goes overlooked.
Experiences
...to choose from as an activity to break up the chain of meetings and network in a more informal way. Whether it's taking a wine masterclass or riding an E-bike to explore the coast, there's something for everyone.
Countries
... from Central and Eastern Europe were represented at this edition of Loop CEE, including Ukraine. We counted: Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, and Slovakia had particularly strong participation among the buyers!
Memorable Moments
Loop Air
Now that's a first! The Loop team went all in and took the risk to charter a plane (yes, a real A320!) to bring the participants to Kalamata, which is not exactly a traffic hub. With Loop-branded seats, airport signage, ground staff, and chocolates the experience was perfectly pink.
Pooch Smooch
Loop attendees who missed their hounds back at home, or were simply dog-lovers in general, had the chance to take some cute pups out from the local shelter for a walk on the beach. Should Fate be tempted, or hearts alight, participants could even adopt them, too, and take them home.
Beach Sunset
The business of celebration started once the trade show concluded. Everyone gathered for dinner and drinks at the new W Hotel as the bright whites and brilliant blues of Greece began to turn their hues towards the pinks and oranges of a beautiful sunset over the Ionian Sea.
Memorable Meetings
Overheard at Loop CEE
Natalie Bondarenko · Avialiga
"As it's my first time at the Loop CEE trade show I was nervous at first, but I had to come here because I had a lot of trouble developing good contacts in Saudi Arabia otherwise. Now I have two connections! On top of that, there's a really good variety of suppliers at the show, and I appreciate the experiences that are worked into it."
Marko Muthig · Hilton
"I attended the first ever Loop show in 2016, so I've seen it evolve over the years. While our target market is worldwide, the CEE market is important, and the quality has been consistent throughout the years for us to promote our properties. In the past it's been very intense with back-to-back meetings, but this time it's been nice to have more breaks worked in, as there's still work to do back home. Loop+ certainly has potential, but it needs to distinguish itself from other similar platforms."
Polona Pirnat · Avstral Azija
"This is my second Loop CEE trade show, and in my opinion it has improved since the last time. There's more time to breathe, it's not too intense, but the quality is still there. While it's early, I like the Loop+ platform because I think it will help us quickly leverage our networks when clients are demanding."
Martina Annibalini · Miral Destinations
"It was amazing to have all these good quality meetings. Loop was a great opportunity to raise awareness of our destination and of our property to a market that's not really aware of it. At the moment the CEE market is one we wish to develop more, and we expect improved connections with the brand new Terminal A at Abu Dhabi airport that opens on November 1st. So there's a lot of interest and potential now for bookings, and the new Loop+ platform is quite interesting as well – knowing who is making the bookings is valuable information to us."
Katja Nothofer · Kempinski
"This was my very first Loop CEE and it was wonderful to connect with so many amazing advisors with passion for our brand. Loop CEE has the same unique spirit as all the Loop shows I have previously attended. With the launch of Loop+ a new platform has been developed which allows us to stay connected with the luxury buyers and gives them the opportunity to explore destinations and partners with whom they may not yet be familiar."
