Destinations

WTM 2009 will be held over four days at the ExCeL Centre in East London from November 9-12. Last year, almost 50,000 exhibitors, visitors and international media attended the event.

Here we'll take a look at some of the exhibitor highlights for each region, plus other events and new initiatives you won't want to miss...

Exhibitor highlights by region

Don't miss...

World Travel Market (WTM) is always a highlight of the travel trade calendar, but this year will be particularly special as it is the show's 30th anniversary. To celebrate this milestone, attendees will be invited to a special party on November 11 at 6pm in the Central Boulevard.

Highlights this year will include:

The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Ministers' Summit, during which more than 100 national tourism ministers will debate how best to commit to sustainable tourism in the current economic climate.

EyeforTravel's two-day Travel Technology Summit, at which high-profile speakers will debate the role of technology in the travel industry.

The publication of the latest WTM Global Trends Report detailing future trends in travel and tourism.

New sessions and initiatives

• Get Funded: A travel industry version of the popular BBC TV programme Dragons' Den, where budding entrepreneurs aim to secure funding for their business ideas from a panel of judges.
• Advice Clinics: Experts in a range of fields from technology to marketing and responsible tourism will be on hand to answer questions in 15-minute, one-on-one slots. Register your interest online.
• Luxury: WTM has teamed up with International Luxury Travel Market to run an invitation-only session to enable luxury travel buyers to meet suppliers.
• Cruise: This year's event will include a cruise programme. Highlights include a session on the future of the sector containing leading lights from the industry, and a training session to help agents sell more cruises. 
• Free transfers: Free coach transfers to the venue will be available from a number of key hotels. Book through Expotel.
• Earn ATP Points: Members of the Accredited Travel Professional (ATP) development scheme can gain points for attending WTM. 
• Twitter: Follow @wtm2009 - the official World Travel Market Twitter feed.

Support Just a Drop with every step...

WTM attendees will once again be asked to help raise money for Just a Drop, the international water-aid charity founded by WTM chairman Fiona Jeffery in 1998.

Over the years, Just a Drop has raised more than £1 million and supported 900,000 people in 28 countries by providing funds to build wells, bore holes, install hand pumps, and run health and sanitation programmes.

Attendees will be invited to 'Walk the World' with Just A Drop by purchasing a £10 pedometer that will register how far they walk at the show. Buy yours at the Just a Drop stand in the Central Boulevard or online at justadrop.org/walktheworld

Passport competition

Travel Weekly has once again teamed up with WTM to host our extremely popular Passport Competition for travel agents.

To enter the competition, which will be held on Agents' Day on November 12, travel agents must navigate their way around the show to collect information about participating exhibitors.

There's a full list of prizes and sponsors on our official World Travel Market 2009 page.