Held between April 3rd and April 5th, at Expo Center Norte, in the city of São Paulo, this event brings together various authorities, tourism professionals and partners
WTM Latin America, the main B2B event in the Latin American travel segment, which is focused on generating business and relationship opportunities for exhibitors, buyers and industry professionals has got underway.
Luciane Leite, WTM Latin America’s director, gave a warm welcome to the other authorities and stressed the importance of tourism professionals for the business. The executive also acknowledge the presence of partners at the event, commented on the challenges that drive WTM Latin America’s work and presented the new features that the participants would find at the pavilions during these three days.
“Each of us is a unique visitor and there are those who say that the events market is suffering and will end. It won’t. The market will grow even more and we know that even with all the technology that is being used, face-to-face contact is still essential”, adds Luciane.
For Fernando Fischer, President of Reed Exhibition Alcantara Machado, “tourism is the industry that best represents everything that we can be as a country. Reed Exhibition has made a very sensible and carefully thought-out decision to invest in the right people, knowing that the professionals will provide our clients with a differentiated service”, concludes the executive.
Domestic and international tourism trade authorities were present at the event’s opening ceremony, which took place in the Networking Area, a space reserved for WTM Latin America’s important events.
Among the special guests who graced the stage, was the Minister of Tourism, Marx Beltrão, who stressed the segment’s importance for the market as a whole. “At every event, such as WTM Latin America, we see the area’s renewal and technological innovation and tourism is a very competitive market on this front. Therefore, events enable all the tourism players to invest in innovation, which results in a great deal of progress in the tourism sector both here in Brazil as well as in South America. ”
Vinícius Lummertz, Embratur’s CEO, also commented on the event’s relevance to the sector. “WTM Latin America is clearly an event that has consolidated itself, and which is responsible for mobilizing knowledge, and at which the most important tourism agents of the Brazilian market are present. An event of this size will generate significant benefits for a sector of the economy that represents 8% of Brazil’s GDP and produces more than 8 million jobs. The importance of this type of event goes beyond business, given that it has an effect on the country as a whole. ”
Another official present, Fabrício Cobra Arbex, State Secretary for Tourism, represented the State’s Governor, Geraldo Alckmin, and commented: “In a survey of 140 countries Brazil is in first place in terms of the potential of natural attractions and in eighth place in terms of cultural attractions. But at the same time, the country is ranked 137th for doing business. This is the obstacle that prevents our country from taking off regarding tourism. We need to have a national policy whereby tourism is prioritized”, declared Arbex.
According to Carlos Alexandre Jorge da Costa, who is the Foreign Trade Director of Brazil’s National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES), “from this point onward, tourism is now one of BNDES priorities. The main focus of the productive sector is on modernizing our country and generating value and employment, highlighting the country on the international scenario – not only as a country which is a leader in the commodities sector but also a leader in value-added activities. Perhaps tourism is a symbol of this Brazil, which we want to build.”
According to Charlie Cracknell, Senior Director of Reed Travel Exhibitions, “The number of people coming to the event has increased year after year, which is really brilliant. We are a reflection of the market. The market is definitely recovering. We are very positive with regard to WTM Latin America 2018. ”
“Tourism is one of the largest segments that we have in the events’ portfolio. With 22 subdivisions covering the globe – leisure, MICE, luxury and business among many others – we encompass every aspect of the industry. In other words, we understand, we discuss, we listen and as a result we are able to design and customize our events”, concludes Cracknell.
WTM Latin America 2018
Venue: Expo Center Norte, Rua José Bernardino Pinto, 333, V. Guilherme – São Paulo
Date/Time: April 3rd to April 5th (April 3rd and 4th, from 12.00 to 8.00 p.m., and April 5th, from 12.00 to 6.00 p.m.)
Website: latinamerica.wtm.com