YOUROPE always looks for special locations to host its biannual European Festival Conference (EFC). “Sometimes they are very hard to reach, but then at least you have something to tell your children,” said YOUROPE’s chairman, Christof Huber, jokingly in his opening speech. This had been especially true for EFC #5 that took place in NOA Glamping Resort and Hotel Olea on Pag Island in Croatia. On the arrival day, the delegates had quite an adventurous trip to the resort with delays and detours caused by Bora, a cold Adriatic fall wind that makes trees on the island grow crooked.

Despite the wind, the fifth edition of the EFC turned out to be special. “I know we are a bit smaller and a bit different, but there are enough big conferences around,” Huber also said in his opening speech. The remote location meant that there were no outside distractions – participants could really focus on getting to know each other and each other’s festivals.

Representatives from more than 50 festivals and organizations across 16 markets – including Live Nation, Superstruct and CTS Eventim as well as independent operators – spent two conference days exchanging experiences and learning from each other. “It was amazing to see the interactions between the participants and the panel hosts,” Huber said in his wrap up speech. “We talked about hate speech, but also about the love and passion for festivals, which clearly showed that this is not just a business.”

The EFC also presented an opportunity to celebrate the 25th anniversary of YOUROPE.

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