With the “Explore New Horizons” theme, in absolute numbers, the expectation is for 16 thousand visitors and 600 exhibitors
“The 2022 edition was a boom and a milestone, not just for our event, but for the entire industry. The industry was anxious to get back to face-to-face meetings and to resume the alliances and strategic partnerships that result in deals being signed. And our event, due to its technical nature, is a reflection of what is happening in the sector. It is precisely for this reason, on the one hand, that we are confident in the success whilst on the other, we are keeping our feet firmly on the ground. We need to be responsible regarding our expectations”, states Daniel Zanetti, director of WTM Latin America, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2023.
Known in the industry for his broad experience and for setting realistic projections, taken together with his team, Zanetti is assuming a 10% growth in the number of exhibitors in 2023 vis-à-vis 2022, when WTM Latin America registered a total of 550 exhibitors from 40 countries. As a result, and when it hits the figure of 600 companies, the event’s next edition will surpass the 2019 one, when it had a total of 591 exhibiting companies.
The number of total visitors should rise by 5%, exceeding the figure of 16 thousand people in the Expo Center Norte Exhibition Centre’s white and green pavilions, in São Paulo, from April 3rd to 5th. At the two most recent face to face editions of the event, WTM Latin America brought together a total of 15,204 and 13,823 visitors at the 2022 and 2019 editions, respectively. “The fact is that we cannot, do not want to and will not become prisoners of projections. We will carry on working to deliver an event focused on connection, qualified content and offering opportunities and business generation. This is our DNA and it is with this purpose that our team works”, concludes the executive.
The team mentioned by Zanetti is headed up, in Brazil, among others, by Thaís Del Ben, Marketing and Communication Manager, and Bianca Pizzolito, WTM Latin America’s Sales Manager for Brazil and Latin America, and it is the team that takes the strategic decisions, including those in relation to the format of the pavilions. “For this edition, we have opted for a more integrated event, with aisles that interconnect with all the stands. This will give us an even more fluid event”, says Bianca.
The executive anticipates that, although it is too early to confirm the names of the exhibitors, there are very important indicators that can already be noted, including following conversations that took place during WTM London, which was held recently. “We are optimistic in relation to countries that have already taken part in other editions and want to continue, as well regarding countries that have not yet taken part and that want to make their debut at the Latin American edition,” he says, adding that “in addition to these, we continue to bet on the importance and strategic role of Latin America and of domestic regional tourism.”
The exhibitors represent, among others, domestic as well as international destinations, hotels and resorts, airlines, DMCs, technology companies, car rental agencies and tour operators – in this sense, the Tour Operators Area has been growing over course of the editions and has become a major reference at WTM Latin America.
The focus on business continues to be the cornerstone that guides the exhibition area, the conference schedule and the execution of the guest buyer programmes. In this sense, the Hosted Buyers and WTM Buyers’ Club programmes, which are aimed at domestic and international buyers, and the Agent on the Road programme, which makes it possible for travel agents from all over Brazil, together with other tourism professionals, to take part, have already been confirmed.
All of these professionals can organize their journey at the event using the meeting scheduling platform that allows them to find new contacts and boost business. In 2022, the system, which is an exclusive feature, guaranteed more than six thousand pre-scheduled meetings. “We made a substantial investment and were very determined that the participants would be able to plan and get the very most out of the event on the basis of inputting information, data analysis, content, and systematized numbers. We are moving towards making the event an increasingly intelligent one. That is the future”, states Bianca.
Explore New Horizons
Discover, innovate, and learn. “Over the past two years, the industry underwent a very thorough overhaul. Now we realize that we have managed to get through this learning process, and one of the lessons that the pandemic taught us is that we need to stop and think, come up with solutions and innovations for our industry in a broad, plural, and complete way. We are sure that, starting in 2023, we will be a new tourism industry, we will be reinvented,” says Thais Del Ben, when explaining the slogans chosen as the concept for WTM Latin America 2023 to bring together tourism leaders and professionals who are interested in doing business with the Latin American trade.
Another of WTM Latin America’s cornerstones is the content displayed in the theatres that develop the event’s main themes – for this edition the theatres are as follows: Explore Technology, Explore Trends and Explore Transformation. “We will carry on with our mission to present the main trends and cases that help drive business and support the industry’s professionals in their improvement,” stresses the executive.