The WTM Portfolio is set to smash last year’s achievement of $7 billion worldwide industry deals after posting impressive visitor increases at its recent 2017 events – WTM Latin America, WTM Africa and Arabian Travel Market.
All three events, which took place this spring, have recorded increases in numbers of exhibitors, visitors and meetings, while early indications are that 2017 is set to be a record-breaking event for business for WTM portfolio’s flagship exhibition, WTM London, in November.
Now in its fourth year, WTM Africa 2017 – held in Cape Town from April 19-21 –recorded a 17% increase in travel professionals and media, and a 9% increase in registered travel agents, with 21 different African countries represented. The total number of countries represented grew to 38, up 5.2%. Overall, there were 650 exhibitors.
Over the three days of the event, WTM Africa 2017 facilitated 8,900 appointments. Representatives from Zambia, Ethiopia and Namibia were among 140 first-time Hosted Buyers from key and emerging source markets.
This year’s Arabian Travel Market recorded a 7% increase in international visitors and a 10% increase in visitors from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to the event, which took place in Dubai from April 24-27.
For the second year in succession, visitor numbers smashed through the 28,000 mark, with 466 main stand holders representing 87 countries and more than 100 new exhibitors making their debut.
The number of countries represented at ATM 2017, taken from all attendees, totalled 157.
Furthermore, exhibition stand contracts signed during ATM 2017 for next year are up 38% year-on-year, with exhibitors keen to reserve their space for what promises to be a record-breaking event in 2018 as ATM celebrates its 25th anniversary.
Latin America’s premier travel event, WTM Latin America, which took place in Sao Paulo from April 3-5 2017, saw visitor participation up 20%, with representation from 50 countries, spread out among more than 600 exhibitors, with the show itself occupying a net area that was 20% greater than last year.
More than 12,000 speed networking meetings took place and there was a 7% increase in the number of buyers participating over the first two days.
Meanwhile, WTM connect Asia – which took place in Pengang, Malaysia 17-19 May – saw 52 buyers hold business meetings with 48 buyers.
Reed Travel Exhibitions, Director, Nick Pilbeam said: “The impressive growth at our three recently held events, WTM Latin America, WTM Africa and Arabian Travel Market, just goes to show the strength of the travel and tourism industry across the world.
“It’s our aim to bring the global travel and tourism industry together and to facilitate business to help the industry grow.
“The success of initiatives such as our Buyers’ Clubs, speed networking, dedicated lounges and our events programmes that focus on the key industry issues, makes the WTM portfolio shows must-attend events for everyone who wants to do business in the travel and tourism industry.”
WTM London is expected to generate even more business in 2017 following its most successful year ever, with business opportunities that generated £2.8 billion in industry deals last November.
WTM London 2016 was attended by a record 51,500 participants – the highest number of exhibitor invitees and buyers in the event’s 37-year history.
WTM London takes place at ExCeL, London, from November 6-8 2017.
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About World Travel Market
World Travel Market (WTM) portfolio comprises of six leading B2B events across four continents generating more than $7bn of industry deals. The six events are;
WTM London, the leading global event for the travel industry, is the must-attend three-day exhibition for the worldwide travel and tourism industry. Around 51,500 senior travel industry professionals, government ministers and international media embark on ExCeL – London every November generating around £2.8 billion of travel industry contracts. http://london.wtm.com/. Next event: 6-8 Nov 2017 – London.
WTM Connect Asia facilitates more than 1,800 quality meetings bringing together pre-qualified Chinese, South East Asian and international travel buyers with suppliers of South East Asian and international travel product. The event’s pod format allows for an exclusive one-to-one ratio closed community experience for exhibitors and Hosted Buyers who do business in and around South East Asia. http://connectasia.wtm.com/. Next event 17-19 May 2017 – Penang, Malaysia.
International Golf Travel Market (IGTM) now in its 20th edition, is the meeting place for the global B2B golf travel community. More than 600 golf tourism suppliers join 350 pre-qualified buyers and 100 international press for four days of unmissable pre-scheduled appointments, exclusive networking opportunities and invaluable industry and trend updates. Taking place in a different destination every year, IGTM brings together 1,400 golf tourism professionals from over 65 countries. http://igtm.wtm.com/. Next event: 11-14 Dec 2017 – Cannes.
World Travel Market Latin America now in its fifth edition attracts about 9,000 unique senior executives. The event generates US$ 370 million of new business. Taking place in Sao Paulo Brazil, this show attracts a global audience to meet and shape the direction of the travel industry. More than 7,000 unique visitors attend the event to network, negotiate and discover the latest industry news. http://latinamerica.wtm.com/. Next event: 3-5 April 2018 – Sao Paulo.
World Travel Market Africa launched in 2014 in Cape Town, South Africa. Nearly 5,000 travel industry professionals attend Africa’s leading inbound and outbound travel and tourism market. WTM Africa delivers a proven mix of hosted buyers, media, pre-scheduled appointments, on-site networking, evening functions and invited travel trade visitors. http://africa.wtm.com/. Next event: 18-20 April 2018 – Cape Town.
About Arabian Travel Market
Arabian Travel Market (ATM) is the leading, international travel and tourism event in the Middle East for inbound and outbound tourism professionals. ATM 2017 attracted almost 40,000 industry professionals, agreeing deals worth US$2.5bn over the four days. The 24th edition of ATM showcased over 2,500 exhibiting companies across 12 halls at Dubai World Trade Centre, making it the largest ATM in its 24-year history. www.arabiantravelmarketwtm.com Next event 22-25 April 2018 – Dubai.
About Reed Exhibitions
Reed Exhibitions is the world’s leading events business, enhancing the power of face to face through data and digital tools at over 500 events a year, in more than 30 countries, attracting more than 7m participants.
About Reed Travel Exhibitions
Reed Travel Exhibitions is the world’s leading travel and tourism event’s organiser with a growing portfolio of more than 22 international travel and tourism trade events in Europe, the Americas, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Our events are market leaders in their sectors, whether it is global and regional leisure travel trade events, or specialist events for meetings, incentives, conference, events (MICE) industry, business travel, luxury travel, travel technology as well as golf, spa and ski travel. We have over 35 years’ experience in organising world-leading travel exhibitions.