WTM 2016 PREVIEW DESTINATIONS A world of possibilities Get a head start on World Travel Market’s programme of seminars and speakers with Katie McGonagle’s guide @katie_mcgonagle here in the world could Wyou shake a tail feather with a Caribbean carnival queen The amount of one moment, then try your market-leading hand at calling back a swooping Arabian falcon the next? Where research is about can ministers of tourism and as close as you can company CEOs rub shoulders get to a crystal ball with dancers in traditional dress and tourist board mascots kitted out in animal costumes? At World Travel Market, of course, when the most influential w TRENDS IN TRAVEL figures from the international There’s no such thing as a crystal travel trade come together at ball, but the amount of market- the ExCeL Centre in London’s leading research presented at Docklands area for one of the WTM is about as close as it biggest events in the industry. gets, with insight from the likes This year’s programme has of Phocuswright, Mintel and been reduced to three days Euromonitor. rather than four, from Monday, Key events to watch out November 7, to Wednesday, for include the WTM London November 9, with extended Global Trends Report (Tuesday, opening hours of 10am to 7pm 3-3.50pm, WTM Inspire Theatre in response to feedback from EU475), where the head of travel TOP TIP exhibitors and delegates. That from Euromonitor will present means an even more packed exclusive research forecasting the Stay on top of allW TMthe news by signing up programme of seminars and latest trends in travel. Plus Brexit for our daily sessions, so to help get you – bound to be raised in just about email alerts at started with planning your day, every session this year – will be travelweekly. co.uk we’ve put together a guide to a the focus of Mintel Presents: few of the highlights. Impact and Opportunities 44 travelweekly.co.uk 3 November 2016 3 November 2016 travelweekly.co.uk 45 DESTINATIONS prEVIEW WTM 2016 LEFT: India Tourism RIghT: Speed networking BELOW: OF THE Bolivia’s BEST stand 3HIGH-PRofILE sessIONS Sir Tim Clark, president of Emirates, and Willie Walsh, chief executive of International Airlines Group, are the key panellists leading of Brexit on the UK Travel Market Sport Tourism Summit (Monday, and how international events can be WTM’s Aviation (Wednesday, 2-3pm, Platinum Suite 1), 1.30-6pm, Platinum Suite 1) is a must. used to drive wider growth in visitor Programme which will focus on inbound travel Registration is required to attend on numbers. That’s followed by the first (Monday, 2.45- from emerging markets such as China. Monday, but you’ll get the chance to WTM Global Sports Tourism Awards. 3.45pm, Global Agents with a big gap-year clientele hear about how destinations as diverse Stage AS950) should also make a beeline for a session as Scotland, Flanders and Barcelona w BE RESPONSIBLE led by the National Union of Students, are embracing the sporting market, As the Responsible Tourism Awards Andrew Swaffield NUS Insight Presents: #FOMOholidays! enter its 10th year at WTM, this theme of Monarch, Chris Driving your UK Student Travel continues to gather steam. There are Mottershead of Strategy (Wednesday, 12.30-1.30pm, several sessions – all at the Responsible Thomas Cook South Gallery 15-16), looking at how Tourism (AF100) stand – dedicated to UK & Ireland and best to advise the 16 to 24-year-old specific destinations: on Monday, India Patrick Richards market, worth £3 billion in 2015. FAST FACT from 1-2.30pm and Central Asia from of Cox & Kings Sudan Ministry of 2.45-3.45pm; on Tuesday, The Gambia will examine w SELLING SPORT Tourism and the San from 2.45-3.30pm; and on Wednesday, Brexit: How will The growth in sports tourism – both Marino Tourism Board Uganda from 12.30-1.30pm, and it change UK watching and playing – is well- are among the Africa from 1.30-3pm. inbound and documented, so if it’s an area you’re first-time exhibitors For a wider view, the official World outbound travel? looking to sell more of, the Global Responsible Tourism Day kicks (Monday, 3.45-5pm, WTM Inspire Theatre EU475) Festival Fever Fritz Joussen of Tui, Mark Tanzer After a successful trial last year, the of Abta and WTM Festivals are back, offering David Scowsill of a chance to network on-stand and the World Travel enjoy a relaxing end to this year’s & Tourism Council event, from 5-7pm on Wednesday. are among a raft There’ll be tango dancers, wine of high-profile tasting and Bollywood music, from speakers leading exhibitors including: the UNWTO & w Argentina LA420 WTM Ministers’ w Bolivia LA450 Summit on w Bulgaria EU900 Tourism and w Caribbean CA235 Security w China AS650 (Wednesday w Goa IN175 11am-1pm, Global w India IN300 & IN350 Stage AS950) w Philippines AS500 46 travelweekly.co.uk 3 November 2016 DESTINATIONS prEVIEW WTM 2016 RIghT: WTM Buyers’ Club FAR RIghT: The Travel Tech Show at WTM off on Tuesday with speed w SOCIAL SERVICE WTM Global Stage AS950) and the networking (9-10am, Hall Entrance Social media continues to play a huge Social Media in Tourism Masterclass S10) and a round-table interview part at WTM, with a rich programme (Wednesday 12.15-12.45pm, WTM Inspire led by BBC business news presenter of sessions devoted to its role in travel. Theatre EU475) where delegates can Aaron Heslehurst, focusing on South They include seminars on YouTube and pick up a few tips from Visit Philly’s use Africa (10.50-11.30am, WTM Global the Continuing Rise of Video (Monday, of social media to promote the state. Stage AS950). 2.30-3.30pm, WTM Inspire Theatre And if those don’t pique your interest, The scope of issues encompassed by EU475), Personalisation for Bloggers then the sessions focusing on Facebook the ‘responsible tourism’ theme proves and Brands (Tuesday, 12.45-1.45pm, and Pokémon Go probably will. just how relevant this is for everyone BUYERS’ involved in booking travel. There’s the CLUB IN sustainable side, with Climate Change, NUMBERS Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Travolution at WTM Travel & Tourism (Tuesday, 1-1.45pm, 9,100 members Responsible Tourism Stand AF100) Travel Weekly’s technology-focused Cardiff-based travel technology firm of the WTM and Captivity, Wildlife and Tourism sister publication Travolution, global Comtec/Eysys, independent agent Buyers’ Club (Wednesday, 10.15-11am, Platinum Suite 1). media partner for The Travel Tech Miles Morgan and The Travel Network are due to Focusing more on the communities Show at WTM, is marking its 10th year Group chief executive Gary Lewis attend in 2016 involved with and affected by tourism, with a special Travo@10 publication to look at how ‘intelligent’ travel sessions include Tourism and the (pictured) to be distributed at WTM. systems will change the role of the £2.5 billion of Sustainable Development Goals As a show partner, Travolution has traditional travel agent. business is said (Tuesday, 2-3.15pm, Platinum Suite 3), nominated three contenders for one n Data Wars and the Battle for the to be agreed at where Tui Group sustainability director of the World Travel Leaders Awards Customer (Wednesday, 2.45-3.30pm, the Buyers’ Club Jane Ashton and Exodus managing (Monday, 5-5.30pm, WTM Inspire Travel Tech Theatre TT390) director Peter Burrell will be among Theatre EU475). These awards will Data is often touted as the key resource 865,500 on- the experts debating the contribution be given out following a panel debate for any travel firm in targeting the right stand meetings tourism can make to developing on Brexit and are a chance clientele. This session, moderated by are due to take destinations; and How Tourism Can to reward innovative 24 WHAT’S ON AT WTM Your guide to the seminars and speakers, plus exhibitor Travolution editor floorplan place over the Help the Refugee Crisis (Tuesday, companies making an NOVEMBER 2016 Lee Hayhurst, will see course of WTM 2.45-3.30pm, AF100). impact on the industry. data analysis experts in association with From the traveller’s perspective, Travolution will also be debate how suppliers 9-10am on look out for How Can We Ensure moderating the following and agents can best use Monday is Travel and Tourism is Accessible to two must-attend sessions: the resources at their the WTM All? (Tuesday, 3.30-4.30pm, AF100), n The Travel Agent of fingertips, as well as Buyers’ Speed where Srin Madipalli, chief executive the Future (Monday, looking ahead to how Networking of accessible accommodation site 1-1.45pm, Travel Tech the likes of Google or session, outside Accomable, will give his take on how Theatre TT390) Facebook may have an Entrance S10 this growing sector is about much Travo@10 will join WTM 2016: impact on the sector. Travolution is official mediaSPECIAL partner of TheSHOW Tech Travel EDITION Show at WTM TRAVOLUTION.CO more than just wheelchair access. .UK TRAV_WTM2016_00 1.indd 1 27/10/2016 09:46 48 travelweekly.co.uk 3 November 2016 WTM 2016 PREVIEW DESTINATIONS It’s Get the most out of World Travel Marketshow with Aby Dunsby’s time guide to the exhibitor stands @AbraDunsby ance troupes, celebrity selfies and a Dserious stack of bagels: it can only be World Travel Market. For three days, London’s ExCeL Centre will teem with tourist boards, operators and suppliers, all flying the flag for travel and hoping to make a lasting impression on the hordes of visitors that flock here each year.