Robert Dee is known throughout the Balkans as one of the founders of New Deal Europe, the platform for generating tourism to the region which includes the successful New Deal Europe Marketplace and Forum. However his association with the region goes back to 1985 when he worked as a ‘vodić’ for Cosmos Tourama on their ‘Jewels of Yugoslavia’ coach tour, which he did for 3 seasons. From the 1990’s onwards he has held senior roles with global organisations. He headed up the contracting division for Gulliver’s Travel Associates, or GTA, at the time the largest incoming operator into Europe, where he was responsible for contracting 36,000 hotels. He followed this with a role as Director of Global Leisure Sales for Radisson Hotels, one of the top 10 hotel companies in the world, and the leading upscale hotel operator in Central and Eastern Europe. Somehow he fitted in time to be a guest lecturer at Surrey University’s much respected School of Tourism Management, and, for 20 years, was on the advisory council of the European Tourism Association, including a full 4 year term as Chairman of supplier members. Robert also runs his own consultancy business, and has worked on projects in Croatia and Slovenia, focusing on sales, brand positioning, and sustainability involving hotels, resorts and DMCs.