The West-Bohemian metropolis experienced the greatest travel event. From 25 to 27 September 2014, Pilsen hosted ITEP travel fair of the Pilsen Region. For three days, hundreds of people streamed into Pilsen Sports Hall at Slovany. The jubilee 10th ITEP travel fair had a record attendance both in the number of visitors and exhibitors.
The fair was a great occasion for all lovers of tourism and travel. 115 exhibitors offered travel brochures, tourist maps, cyclist’s guidebooks, leaflets, catalogues, etc. The exhibitors were towns and cities, museums, tourist organizations, travel agencies, destinations, spa resorts, and also the Pilsen Region and the City of Pilsen prepared a stand. “ITEP is an international fair and so there are foreign exhibitors as well. This year we had an exhibitor from China – the sister province of the Pilsen Region, Zhejiang Province. Other exhibitors were from Austria, Germany and Slovakia,” said Jiří Struček, Deputy President for education, sport, tourism and Pilsen – the European Capital of Culture 2015 project.
ITEP fair has become the third largest fair in the Czech Republic and is very popular. The three-day fair is not only about leaflets and tourist brochures; it is accompanied by a rich program on the stage as well as outdoors. “I have been here for the third time, and this year I’m coming on the very first day. I love hiking and I draw inspiration here. I also like crafts and listening to fine music,” said Jane from Pilsen. It was just the exhibition of crafts that was significantly extended this year.
A great success was a new part of the program – Guest chair. The guests were Pilsen actor and voice-over artist Martin Stránský or Pilsen mountaineer, conqueror of K2, the second highest mountain of the world, Jan Trávníček, whose storytelling drew attention of the visitors. ITEP also organized a program for children. They could practice various crafts, look at animals, enjoyed themselves at the interactive exposition of Pilsen Techmania Centre and also a children’s corner was prepared. “I like it here very much, I patted a snake and turtles,” said 7-year-old Dominik with a smile at the exposition of Pilsen ZOO. Friday afternoon belonged to high school students who also visited the jubilee 10th year of the fair.
This year, ITEP had yet another record to boast about – the longest queue. Even before the gates of the fair opened on Thursday, a long queue of eager lovers of tourism had formed outside the sports hall at Slovany.
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