Mr. Branko Krivokapic, President of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Serbia, and acting President of the Balkan Alliance of Hotel Associations, gave a speech at the opening of the Forum. He addressed the participants on behalf of the IH&RA and the Balkan Alliance of Hotel Associations.

All the Balkan countries were present and were active participants at the Forum, and gave presentations.

On Round Table 1 - Infrastructure and Tourism Development - Concrete Projects and Opportunities, Mr. Donco Tanevski, President of the Hotel Association of Macedonia (HOTAM) and IH&RA Ambassador to the Balkans, gave a presentation of a very prosperous opportunity for Macedonian Tourism: the development of the South-Eastern part of Macedonia as a Macedonian Las Vegas and the promotion of different types of sports, cultural and rural tourism.

On Round Table 2 - Tourism Development - Chances and Risks, another HOTAM member, Prof. Zoran Tuntev, participated with a presentation of a SWOT analysis of Macedonian Tourism.

This Forum had positive influences on all participants, there was a lot to learn, and we as the Hotel Association of Macedonia also had a chance to have a meeting with the Government representatives resulting in a very important agreement for cooperation between the Hotel Association of Macedonia and the Macedonian Airlines Company. Also a list of solutions for solving the problems that affect tourism and actions to be taken in order to promote Macedonian tourism were submitted to the Government.

IH&RA Ambasador for the Balkans Donco Tanevski