Organisers of World Travel Market London have hailed the remarkable performances of sister events in April and May, saying their achievements have laid the groundwork for a successful trade show in London. WTM Latin America 2022 – held in Brazil from 5-7 April – was the biggest edition of the event ever held.
It was swiftly followed by WTM Africa 2022, held from 11-13 April in South Africa, which hosted more pre-scheduled appointments than in 2019.
And last month saw Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai, during which visitor numbers reached 23,000 – more than double the last edition. With the strapline “Reshaping Travel Together”, World Travel Market London will be a fully live event, taking place at ExCeL London from 7-9 November; showcasing how the sector has evolved and how to embrace the opportunities of a post-pandemic world.
Vasyl Zhygalo, WTM and IBTM Portfolio Director, said:
“The great successes seen at WTM Latin America, WTM Africa and ATM show there is enormous demand from travel trade professionals around the world to meet face-to-face – to do business, network and learn about opportunities as the sector recovers and, in many cases, surges past 2019 levels.
“Those outstanding events are a superb springboard for us to make WTM London 2022 better than ever.”
Juliette Losardo, Exhibition Director at World Travel Market London, said: “The feedback we have received from exhibitors and visitors regarding our spring events demonstrate the desire to re-engage face to face, as the travel industry builds back better.’’ “We can see how some of our latest technological developments helped delegates make the most of their time and enabled them to network effectively, delivering meaningful return on time investment’’
“We are now focused on working with industry partners around the globe to deliver an event that leads the way in reshaping travel, and supports the sector in creating a sustainable and robust future.” Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME for ATM, said innovation, sustainability, technology and nurturing talent were key themes during the four-day event in Dubai last month.
“In addition to doubling our visitor numbers year-on-year, ATM 2022 hosted 1,500 exhibitors and attendees from 150 countries,” she said.
