On April 14 and 15, the annual Discover New England Summit & International Marketplace took place, this time at the beautiful Hotel Champlain in Burlington, Vermont. On behalf of Target Travel Marketing, Fleur attended, together with a delegation of six tour operators from the Netherlands and Belgium:
- Joeri Delbaere (Joker)
- Brecht De Blaere (Exciting West)
- Max Wielhouwer (Exit Reizen)
- Olivier Vandenbroucke (USA Travel)
- Norbert Kets (Travel Time)
- Wessel Hendrix (UStravel.nl)
Pre-FAM in Boston and Vermont
The trip began on April 9 in Boston, Massachusetts, where the group got to know each other during an informal evening of mini golf and arcade games. During the Boston pre-program, participants had the opportunity to join various tours, make a traditional Boston cream pie, and use the Go City Pass. The stay in the city concluded with a reception at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.
The group then traveled over three days toward Burlington. Along the way, they visited destinations including Stowe and Woodstock, as well as several local breweries. The program concluded with a tour organized by the South End Arts & Business Association, where the group learned about glassblowing and participated in a chocolate tasting. The pre-FAM ended with an interactive reception hosted by Hello Burlington at ECHO, a science and nature museum.
The DNE Summit meetings took place on April 14 and 15. During these days, the tour operators met with 70 regional suppliers and gained valuable insights into the New England region. The summit concluded with Vermont Makers in Bloom, an event highlighting local products and creativity.
Post-FAM in Maine and New Hampshire
Following the summit, a two-day post-FAM took place. Part of the group traveled to Maine, visiting the coast of Kennebunk, Portland, and the iconic Portland Head Light. They also participated in a lobster roll workshop.
The other part of the group traveled to New Hampshire, where highlights included the Mount Washington Cog Railway, North Conway, and a visit to the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center.
DNE Summit 2027: Connecticut
The next edition of the Discover New England Summit will take place March 8–10, 2027, in Mashantucket, Connecticut. Are you a tour operator interested in participating next year, or do you have questions about attendance? Please contact us at [email protected], we’d be happy to tell you more.
