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Swedish Days, Festival of the Vine Named Among ABA's 100 Best Events for 2014

The American Bus Association honor gives Geneva an important boost in visibility among professional tour planners.

The American Bus Association announced that Swedish Days and Festival of the Vine have been named to the list of Top 100 Events in North America for 2014 by an experienced expert tourism industry selection committee.

Swedish Days will be held June 17 to June 22 and Festival of the Vine on Sept. 5 to Sept. 7 in 2014.

The Top 100 list was published as a supplement to the September/October issue of Destinations magazine. The Geneva Chamber of Commerce events were praised for their excellent entertainment value to both tour groups and individual travelers from around the world, according to ABA.

The ABA celebrates 32 years of the program. What began as a way for motor coach operators to incorporate new product into their itineraries has grown to one of the most sought-after lists by travel professionals, motor coach 
operators and the general public.

"The attractiveness of Swedish Days and Festival of the Vine as don't-miss entertainment values is only part of why its selection this year is such a distinction for Geneva Chamber of Commerce,”  said Peter J. Pantuso, CTIS, ABA's president and CEO. "The real news here is that Swedish Days and Festival of the Vine have been recognized as a potential magnet for tourism dollars, at a time when re-energizing domestic tourism is so important to our spirit and our economy. The honor gives Geneva an important boost in visibility among professional tour planners."

According to studies completed by researchers at The George Washington University and Dunham and Associates, one overnight visit by a motor coach group can leave from $5,000 to more than $11,000 in a local destination's economy. Those dollars are spent on lodging, meals, admissions, fees, shopping, souvenirs, services and local taxes.

"Motor coach groups spend more and stay longer," Pantuso said. "That's why these two events are truly a local economic asset. There is no better way to jump-start tourism than to attract motor coach groups to a great event and convince them to extend their stay."

ABA's 2014 Top 100 Events Selection Committee selected Swedish Days and Festival of the Vine from hundreds of event nominations submitted by ABA members. Judges considered the event's broad appeal, its accessibility to motor coaches and skill at handling large groups, and a variety of other relevant criteria.

The Top 100 Events list is available online. More information on these and all Geneva Chamber of Commerce events can be found at genevachamber.com.

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