FIRST CALL AND ANNOUNCEMENT

“Defining Success of Tomorrow”

22 -24 February 2012

Belgrade and , Republic of SerbiaNovi Sad

Sustainability of Rural TourismConference on

Belgrade Fair

Continental Hotel Belgrade

Novi Sad and Sremski Karlovci

To succeed in today's fast-paced marketplace, travel and hospitality communicators must steerstrategically, yet always be ready to make swift, tactical adjustments. Discover, at the Conference onEnvironmental, Social and Economic Sustainability of Rural Tourism, nimble approaches to make the mostof your rural tourism products and destination, while staying on top of changes in the media, market andtechnology. Join colleagues and success stories in Serbia capital of Belgrade and Mountain Kopaonik atthe premier rural tourism event to:

· Strengthen your programs' value with expert insight on where to deploy your resources.

· Master the latest tools and tactics to address the issues that matter most.

· Discover practical responses to current challenges from leading and globally recognized speaker

and industry professionals.

This year's conference features dynamic key note speakers, including:

· Mr. Taleb Rifai, UNWTO Secretary General

· Mr. Nebojsa Ciric, Minister of Economy and Regional Development. Government of Serbia

· Mr. William Infante, Serbia UN Resident Coordinator

· Mrs. Gordana Plamenac, Serbia NationalTourism Organization CEO

· Mr. Gunay Erturgul, Minister of Tourism and Culture. Government of Turkey

· Mrs. Petra Hedorfer, European Tourism and Travel Commision, CEO

· Mr. Rok Klancnik, Slovenia Tourist Board Brussels CEO - Moderator

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Increase the value of your current rural products with the latest, cost-cuttingstrategies and findings through MDGF Joint Project “Sustainable tourism forrural development”.

Learn about research on current industry trends and what's on the horizon.

Hear game-changing presentations on topics ranging from the best approachto responding to crises to mobilizing brand advocate consumers.

Connect with leading practitioners, media and thought leaders on the issuesthat matter most rural tourism issues

Update your social media plan with strategies to help you connect with yourtarget audience and best position your professional services and developdestination.

Take a 360 degree view of the current state of the industry, by networkingwith a large cross-section of industry and academia colleagues

Organizers:

Who will attend?

· Ministry of Economy and Regional Development,

· Senior Government Officials· UN representatives· Business Leaders· Rural economies of Serbia· National tourism organization representatives of the region of South East Europe

·Government of Serbia

MDG-F Sustainable Tourism for Rural Development· Danube Competence Center

Conference official language: English

Why you should attend Conference on Environmental,Social and Economic Sustainability of Rural Tourism

9.00 – 11.00 Delegate registration

11.00 – 12.00 Opening ceremony Moderator: Rok Klancnik. Slovenia Tourism Board Brussels, Director • Dr Taleb RIfai. UNWTO, Secretary General • Mr William Infante. UN Resident Office Serbia, Coordinator • Mr Nebojsa Ciric. Government of Serbia, Ministry of Economy and Regional Development, Minister

12.00 – 12.15 Coffee break

12.15 – 13.00 Panel: “Serbia tourism milestones”Moderator: Rok Klancnik. Slovenia Tourism Board Brussels, Director • Michael Jay. Support to the implementation of the National Strategy

13.00 – 14.00 Lunch

14.15 – 15.00 Panel: “Reference to Sustainability in Tourism”Moderator: Rok Klancnik. Slovenia Tourism Board Brussels, Director • Dr. Goran Petkovic. Government of Serbia, Ministry of Economy and Regional Development, State Secretary • Gordana Plamenac. Tourism Organization of Serbia, CEO

15.00 – 16.00 Panel: “MDG-F Milestones” Moderator: Karlo Puskarica • UNWTO Speaker representative • UNDP Speaker representative • FAO speaker representative • UNEP Speaker representative • UNICEF Speaker representative

16.00 – 16.30 Coffee break

16.30 – 17.30 World Federation Tour Guides Association Ceremony of the travel guide course for Novi Sad destination: Certificate hand out. • Mrs. Wilja Emile Siebe. World Federation Tour Guides Association, Executive Board Member/Head of Training

20.00 Invitations only dinner at the Royal Palace

22 February, 2012. Hotel Continental, Belgrade

11.00 – 12.00 Belgrade International Tourism Fair Opening Ceremony Protocol: • Dr. Taleb Rifai, UNWTO. Secretary General • Mr. Nebojsa Ciric, Government of Serbia, Ministry of Economy and Regional Development. Minister • Mrs. Petra Hedorfer. European Tourism and Travel Commission. CEO • Mr. Gunay Erturgul, Government of Turkey, Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Minister

12.00 – 13.00 Protocol visit to the Belgrade International Tourism Fair

13.00 – 14.00 Lunch

15.00 Session 1: Product Development and Value Chain Analysis

15.45 Session 2: Marketing and Promotion

16.30 Coffee break

17.00 Session 3: SME Development Capacity Building

17.30 Session 4: Local Economic Development

21.00 Conference Gala Dinner for all Conference delegates at splav Ada (near Hotel Jugoslavija)

23 February, 2012. Belgrade Fair

Note: Third day of the Conference is Invitations only (Invites: Deans and directors from tourism faculties from SEE and Danube region, MDG-F Sustainable tourism for rural development UN agencies representatives, Media representatives from SEE and Danube region).

9.00 Departure to Sremski Karlovci in front of Hotel Continental

10.00 City Council of Sremski Karlovci (Magistrat) Penel: “Danube Region Sustainable Tourism and Rural Development”Topics: • Exploring the synergies among MDG-F and another running and upcoming projects • The role of the academia in the support of the private business to develop (sustainable) tourism • Next common steps regarding the cultural routes, as well, in the field of rural tourism

12.00 City Council of Sremski Karlovci (Magistrat) - Signing Memorandum of Understanding for Roman Emperors Route between highest tourism officials from Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria

13.00 Lunch at Petrovaradin Fortress at the Salon of President Tito

15.00 Protocol at the University of Novi Sad organized by Rector Professor Miroslav Veskovic

15.45 Lecture of Dr. Rifai at the University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Science

17.00 Departure to Mali Stapar

18.30 Dinner hosted by President of Vojvodina Government Dr Bojan Pajtic

19.00 Signing Memorandum of Understanding in the field of development cultural water routes in Vojvodina water network and establishment of cross border projects with Croatia, Hungary and Romania in the same field between: • Government of Vojvodina (Dr Bojan Pajtic) • United Nations World Tourism Organization (Dr Taleb Rifai) • University of Novi Sad (Dr Miroslav Veskovic) • Danube Competence Centre (Daniela Schily)

20.00 Dinner

21.30 Departure to Belgrade

24 February, 2012. Sremski Karlovci|Novi Sad|Mali Stapar

Conference topics:

Product Development

Marketing and Promotion

SME Development Capacity Building

Value Chain Analysis

Local Economic Development

More on the Conference on Environmental, Social and Economic Sustainability of Rural Tourism you can learn from the following web site: www.merr.gov.rs or contact directly office of the State Secretary Mr. Goran Petković, PhD. President of the Organizational Board on the following info details:

Government of SerbiaMinistry of Economy and Regional DevelopmentBulevar Kralja Aleksandra 15, BelgradeMr. Goran Petković, PhdState SecretaryTel: +381 11 2855 071 Fax: +381 11 2855 209E-mail: turizam@merr.gov.rsE-mail: stela.petrovic@merr.gov.rs