Events

World Travel Market goes Olympic-sized

(28 October 2004)

WORLD Travel Market is gearing up to celebrate its silver anniversary with the biggest exhibition in the show’s 25th history.

Organisers expect 5,000 exhibitors to attend to show, which takes place at ExCeL from November 8-11. In total, 194 countries will be represented, with Uzbekistan, Gabon, Mali and Lesotho having a presence for the first time.

Bermuda will have its own stand at the show after a seven-year absence, while Libya and Nigeria have also returned.

Official figures reveal a record WTM this year, with the space taken by exhibitors up 4.6% on 2003.

The Middle East region represents the biggest expansion at the show with more exhibition space and support by a number of airline exhibitors including Qatar Airways, Emirates and Saudi Arabian Airlines.

The overall exhibition area for Europe has increased by 1,000 sq ft, while Asia is also making a healthy return to the show, with 6% more suppliers present compared with 2003.

Group exhibition director Fiona Jeffery said the response was better than expected, given three difficult years for the travel industry, which saw the SARS epidemic, terrorism and economic problems all take their toll.

"If you put the exhibitor figures against the current difficult economic climate, it’s a better result than I would have expected," she said.

"The market is improving and business is picking up. The industry is feeling positive and exhibitors and delegates are using WTM to build on the increase in business," she added.

Guest of honour at the show will be Olympic gold medallist Sebastian Coe, who will officially open WTM

Now Lord Coe, he took gold in the Moscow Olympic Games in 1980 – the year WTM was launched. He is currently in charge of London’s bid to host the 2012 Olympics.

To mark the show’s silver anniversary, Coe will present Silver Awards to individuals and companies who have made a significant achievement in the development of tourism.

There will also be a video screening of the biggest news events of the past 25 years.

The opening ceremony will kick off with a parade of flags from all of WTM’s participating countries and regions by young performing arts students from The Performers College, Corringham, Essex.

Your passport to big prizes

HOW would you like to drive home in a new Ford Fiesta – and meet TV celebrity and Big Brother winner Brian Dowling?

You could be doing just that if you take part in Travel Weekly’s biggest-ever Passport Competition at this year’s World Travel Market.

In conjunction with Hertz and the Travel Channel, there is the chance for agents to win one of these two prize cars, as well as one of 20 holidays and a place on some amazing fam trips.

Winning couldn’t be easier – all you have to do is collect your Passport from one of the Travel Weekly booths in the main boulevard on arrival at WTM on Wednesday, November 10 or Thursday, November 11. Then visit all the destinations listed in your Passport, get it stamped by those participating exhibitors, and return it to one of the Travel Weekly booths by 2.45pm. Make sure you are at WTM’s World Stage at 3pm on either on Wednesday or Thursday for the announcement of the winners and the presentation of prizes. Sandals will be providing the sundowner cocktail.

Brian Dowling, of Big Brother fame and former host of SMTV, will be there to award the prizes. Afterwards, there will be the chance to practise your limbo dancing skills to Caribbean music.

If you don’t win one of the cars there are plenty more prizes to be had, including a seven-night all-inclusive holiday in Barbados at Almond Beach Village or Almond Beach Club and Spa; two return tickets on Cyprus Airways; a week for two in Jordan, courtesy of the Jordan Tourism Board; and two nights for two in a Small Luxury Hotel of the World property. Get stamping.