Pre-events’ success ready ground for WTM

Organisers of World Travel Market London have hailed the performances of springboard events at WTM Latin America, WTM Africa and ATM in Middle East organised during the month of April and May, saying that their achievements have laid the groundwork for a successful trade show in London.

TT Bureau

WTM Latin America 2022 – held in Brazil from 5-7 April – was the biggest edition of the event ever held, swiftly followed by WTM Africa 2022, held from 11-13 April in South Africa, which hosted more pre-scheduled appointments than in 2019. The month of May 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, Portfolio Director, WTM and IBTM, 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, WTM 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.

“World Travel Market London in 2021 generated such positive reactions from the travel community and we are looking forward to building on that in November this year. 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 this May.

“In addition to doubling our visitor numbers year on year, ATM 2022 hosted 1,500 exhibitors and attendees from 150 countries,” she said. “These figures are especially impressive given lockdowns still taking place in China and other destinations,” she added.

WTM Latin America 2022, held in São Paulo, attracted 20,000 travel professionals over the three-day show. Excluding professionals from the 565 exhibiting companies, there were 15,204 visitors – up by 10 per cent on numbers seen in 2019.