The annual Discover New England Summit & International Marketplace was held on April 8 and 9 at the impressive Newport Harbor Island Resort in Newport, Rhode Island. Representing Target Travel Marketing, Joost attended the event alongside a wonderful delegation of six tour operators from the Netherlands and Belgium:
- Priscilla Ootes-Melse (Little America)
- Ludwig Verbruggen (Joker)
- Edwin van Delden (Travel2America)
- Marlon Beauperthuy (Le Beau Reizen)
- Max Wielhouwer (Exit Reizen)
- Frans Schoon (Indelible Travel)
The trip started on April 5 in Boston, Massachusetts, where the group was welcomed by Meet Boston. During the two-day pre-program, highlights included visits to TD Garden, Boston Duck Tours, and Fenway Park. The Boston program ended with a group dinner at China Pearl Restaurant.
From April 7 to 9, the DNE Summit took place. Over the course of these days, the tour operators met with no fewer than 70 local suppliers and gained valuable insights into the diversity of the New England region. The summit concluded in style with a Gatsby-themed gala at Rosecliff, one of Newport’s grandest mansions.
Post-FAM in Rhode Island and Connecticut
After the summit, part of the group embarked on a five-day post-FAM trip through Rhode Island and Connecticut. Joost joined three of the tour operators on visits to Providence, Mystic, and New Haven. Highlights included behind-the-scenes tours at Ivy League universities Brown and Yale, an incredible theatre performance at the Shubert Theatre in New Haven, and, of course, sampling the world-famous pizzas in Mystic, Connecticut.
DNE Summit 2026: Vermont
The next edition of the Discover New England Summit will take place from April 13 to 15, 2026, in Burlington, Vermont. Are you a tour operator interested in attending next year? Or do you have questions about participation? Send an email to [email protected] — we’d be happy to tell you more.
