A panel of senior executives will debate the impact of Brexit, currency movements and other geopolitical trends during a ‘World Travel Leaders’ session at WTM London – the leading global event for the travel industry.
Called ‘UK Markets – What can we expect in 2018’, the crystal ball-gazing will cover major issues in the UK’s outbound, inbound and domestic markets.
All major players within their sectors, the speakers will be Caroline Bremner, Head of Travel, Euromonitor International; Richard Calvert, Chief Executive, Shearings Leisure Group; Nick Longman, Managing Director, TUI UK & Ireland; Peter Shanks, Development Director, Imagine Cruising; and Tristram Yarde-Leavett, Managing Director, Tourwise of London.
Key predictions and analysis based upon a wealth of data will be presented by Bremner, who manages the global research programme for the travel industry at Euromonitor International – the world’s leading consumer market analyst.
She has played an integral role in creating an extensive travel and tourism intelligence system, which is used by top destination management organisations, governments and travel corporations around the world.
A perspective on the domestic market will come from Calvert, who has held senior roles at TUI Travel, Thomas Cook and DestinationWeddings.com.
In spring 2017, he was recruited by Lone Star Funds, a global private equity firm, to lead one of its strategic investments, Shearings Leisure Group (SLG).
SLG caters for more than 1.1 million customers annually and includes brands such as Shearings Holidays, the UK’s largest escorted tours company, and National Holidays, the UK’s largest package coach holidays company.
With 15-plus years in executive roles at TUI UK & Ireland, Longman is well placed to discuss how Brexit and other challenges are affecting the outbound market from the UK.
Taking more than 5.5 million customers away each year, TUI UK & Ireland is the UK’s largest tour operator with famous brands such as Thomson, First Choice, Thomson Cruises and Thomson Airways – the UK’s third largest airline with 62 aircraft.
Shanks will be able to share his insights into the future of the buoyant ocean cruise market, which saw a record 1.9 million holidaymakers from the UK and Ireland in 2016.
He joined Imagine Cruising – owned by Emirates’ dnata Travel – in 2014, after leading Cunard Line through a period of growth and transformation from 2002 to 2013.
Shanks also has experience in the package holiday market with brands such as First Choice Holidays, Going Places and Thomas Cook.
For the inbound sector, the session will call on Yarde-Leavett, who has 30 years of experience with Tourwise.
Tourwise of London Ltd is the ground handling agent in the UK and Ireland for The Globus family of brands, founded in 1928.
Traditionally a coach tour operator with core brands Globus and Cosmos, the group also includes the independent travel brand Monograms and the river cruise brand Avalon.
WTM London, Senior Director, Simon Press said:
“Some of the effects of last year’s Brexit referendum are being felt already, so it will be fascinating to hear what these industry bosses think will happen in the future.
“There are many other challenges and opportunities to consider too – how the fall in sterling is affecting inbound and outbound tourism, and how security issues are affecting travel trends, for example.
“Our panellists have decades of expertise to draw upon, as well as the latest market analysis, so their insights will help delegates to get a clearer picture of what to expect in 2018 and beyond.”
The World Travel Leaders session: ‘UK Markets – What can we expect in 2018’ – organised by GisbyEast – takes place in the WTM Inspire Theatre on 6 November, from 14:00-15:15.