World’s leading travel trade show draws
record overall attendance of
51,500, with industry deals worth more than
£2.5 billion signed over 3 days
Ÿ With Expo 2020 on the horizon UAE
exhibitors dominate as number of Middle East exhibitors grew by 2.26%
Inspired by the positive regional
potential of Expo 2020 and despite low oil revenues, increased numbers of travel
professionals from across the Middle East, participated in this year’s World
Travel Market London 2016.
This helped the leading international
travel trade to record a joint-record attendance of 51,500 and the highest
number of exhibitor invitees and buyers in the 37-year history of the event.
There
were a number of new exhibitors from the Middle East this year, including Saudia, the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia and
travel organization - Alraqi from the Sultanate of Oman. Other key exhibitors included the
tourism boards and associated partners from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman, Fujairah, Dubai Parks
& Resorts, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kingdom of Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon,
Iran Doostan, Kuwait Airways and Oman Air.
Overall,
the number of Middle East exhibitors showed a steady growth of 2.26% compared to 2015 as
regional governments look to diversify their economies away from falling
hydrocarbon receipts. Those from the UAE occupied the lion’s share of floor
space devoted to the region, which was to be expected with Expo 2020 Dubai on
the horizon, but the indirect boost to
regional
travel and destinations, was not being underestimated, by other regional
tourism boards.
The new-look three-day World Travel
Market London enjoyed extended opening hours from 10am – 7pm, which was
phenomenally well received by the global travel industry with 51,444 senior
industry executives in attendance – a 4% increase on last year, according to
unaudited figures. The increase takes total participant numbers back to the
level of 2014 – a record for the event, which launched in 1980.
Furthermore, the key benchmark of
exhibitor invitees and WTM Buyers’ Club members in attendance were also at
record levels.
Exhibitor invitees – senior industry executives
invited by exhibitors on the first day of WTM London to discuss business deals
– were up 9% to 14,140.
WTM Buyers’ Club is the leading
business club for senior travel industry decision makers with direct purchasing
responsibility. The number of pre-qualified buyers from the WTM Buyers’ Club
that attended the event stood at 9,714 - a 6% increase on WTM London 2015.
Total visitor numbers (excluding
press, ministers, ministers’ aides and students) stood at 31,951 – a 5%
increase on WTM London 2015.
More than 865,500 on-stand connections
took place over the three days of WTM London 2016 (Monday 7 – Wednesday 9
November) leading to more than £2.5 billion in industry deals being negotiated
and signed.
Furthermore, more than 3,000 (3,034)
of the world’s media were in attendance – the highest number for more than ten
years – making the WTM International Press Centre the largest recurring press
operation in the UK. The WTM International Press Centre was moved to the
exhibitor floor for the first time to put the media at the heart of the event.
World Travel Market London, Senior
Director, Simon Press, said: “WTM London has grown at an unprecedented rate in
recent years making it the event where the industry conducts its business.
“More than £2.5 billion in industry
contracts were agreed at WTM London 2016 with more than 9,700 buyers conducting
865,500 meetings with 5,000 exhibitors.
“The record number of participants,
exhibitor invitees and WTM Buyers’ Club members is testament to the success of
the new-look three-day WTM London and demonstrates all the key decision-makers
and those with purchasing responsibility attend WTM London.”
Audited figures of WTM London 2016
will be available in the New Year.
The travel trade industry
is now preparing for Arabian Travel Market 2017, the Middle East installment of
the World Travel Market portfolio, which is taking place from 24 to 27 April at
Dubai World Trade Centre. Considered by many industry professionals as a
barometer for the Middle East and North Africa tourism sector, Arabian Travel
Market witnessed a year-on-year visitor attendance increase of 8% to over
39,800 in 2016, with 2,520 exhibiting companies signing business deals worth
more than US$2.5 billion over four days.
Arabian Travel Market 2017 will build on the success of this year’s
edition with the announcement of an additional hall as Reed Travel Exhibitions
looks to add to its record-breaking achievements earlier this year.
