WTM Latin America, WTM Africa and Arabian Travel Market (ATM) all saw increased numbers of exhibitors, visitors and meetings during this year’s events, while show organiser Reed Travel Exhibitions said from its early indications 2017 was set to be a “record-breaking” year for flagship event WTM London, in November.
Seven billion dollars were made in worldwide industry deals across the trade show portfolio in 2016.
WTM Africa 2017, which was held in Cape Town from April 19-21, saw a 17% increase in travel professionals and media, and a 9% increase in registered travel agents, with 21 different African countries represented. The total number of countries represented grew to 38, up 5.2% with 650 exhibitors overall.
Over the course of the show 8,900 appointments were facilitated with representatives from Zambia, Ethiopia and Namibia among 140 first-time hosted buyers from key and emerging source markets.
This year’s Arabian Travel Market recorded a 7% increase in international visitors and a 10% increase in visitors from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to the event, which took place in Dubai from April 24-27.
For the second year in succession, visitor numbers broke the 28,000 mark with 157 countries represented across all attendees.
Exhibition stand contracts signed during ATM 2017 for 2018 were up 38% year-on-year.
WTM Latin America, which took place in Sao Paulo from April 3-5 2017, saw visitor participation up 20%, with representation from 50 countries, spread across more than 600 exhibitors.
The show also occupied a net area that was 20% greater than the previous year across which, more than 12,000 speed networking meetings took place and experienced a 7% increase in the number of buyers participating over the first two days.
Meanwhile, WTM Connect Asia saw 52 buyers hold business meetings with 48 buyers during the show in Pengang held from May 17-19.
Nick Pilbeam, director, Reed Travel Exhibitions said: “The impressive growth at our three recently held events, WTM Latin America, WTM Africa and Arabian Travel Market, just goes to show the strength of the travel and tourism industry across the world.
“It’s our aim to bring the global travel and tourism industry together and to facilitate business to help the industry grow.
“The success of initiatives such as our Buyers’ Clubs, speed networking, dedicated lounges and our events programmes that focus on the key industry issues, makes the WTM portfolio shows must-attend events for everyone who wants to do business in the travel and tourism industry.”
