World Travel Market London Ignites Travel

World Travel Market London once again ignited the travel industry with limitless opportunities for the world travel and tourism trade. The 3-day travel fest took place November 6-8, 2023 at London’s ExCel Centre welcoming more than 4000 exhibitors.

In fact, World Travel Market London has grown 20 percent over last year. According to the organizers, compared to pre-pandemic figures (2019), private sector exhibitor numbers went up 23%, African exhibitor numbers rose 27%, the Middle East region increased a whopping 60%, and Caribbean exhibitor numbers went up 10%.

BERMUDA

Amongst them was first-time exhibitor, the Bermuda Tourism Authority whose representatives highlighted the island’s cultural offerings, cuisine, and it’s growing wellness tourism products. Although not geographically in the Caribbean, Bermuda (a British overseas territory) is an associate member of CARICOM, the Caribbean Community, and certainly has been adopted by the region.

The Authority’s VP Marketing and Communications, Jamari Douglas, noted that the UK is the island’s third largest market following the US and Canada, underscoring the importance of its presence at the travel show and conference.

Said Douglas: “Our presence at WTM reaffirms our commitment to strengthening Bermuda’s presence in the UK market, demonstrated by our ongoing investments, such as our recent House of Bermuda event and brand new Lost Yet Found Campaign. The UK is our third largest market after the US and Canada and we’re extremely confident that Bermuda will take its place on the global stage as a leading tourism destination.”

Earlier this year the 21-square mile island created the House of Bermuda immersive experience for visitors to explore and experience Bermuda’s rich culture, cuisine, and attractions in the heart of London. Unique pop-ups and interactive experiences allowed viewers to mingle with local Bermudians while tasting some of the island’s traditional dishes created by on-site chefs and experiencing its cultural traditions through storytelling sessions.

The Tourism Authority’s innovative Lost Yet Found campaign has also served to boost the island’s travel profile and visitor curiosity. The 3-day itinerary offers visitors a chance to discover the island by wandering through new-found paths, eating where locals eat, and revelling in unique experiences.

SMART TOURISM

Critical to this year’s show were the 60 conference seminars and talks which featured travel and tourism experts from across the globe. Six new conference tracks — Sustainability, Technology, Geo-Economics, Emerging Markets, Consumer Trends, Marketing, Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) and Experience — were well subscribed, reflecting today’s changing markets.

The Diversity & Inclusion summit emphasized why businesses can perform better with diverse workforces that include under-represented groups, while the Technology summit looked at the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence and the future of technology to help

build smart tourism. Sustainability, a huge and contentious topic, focused on how education and effective funding can drive positive change to encourage sustainable practices throughout the travel industry.

One of the most important gatherings at World Travel Market London, the Tourism Ministers’ Summit, spotlighted education as a key component for growth and sustainability in the industry. Focusing on the topic ‘Transforming Tourism Through Youth and Education’, tourism ministers in association with the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) debated their tourism and education policies in response to continued growth in the sector that will lead to increasing employment opportunities.

According to WTTC, travel and tourism employs a higher proportion of younger workers than other sectors, and jobs for young people have been rebounding quickly after the pandemic. Its figures show that travel and tourism’s share of youth employment has grown from 6.5% in 2010 to 8.2% in 2021.

Based on these statistics, the ministers explored how pubic-private partnerships can work together to help improve access to education and close the skills gaps in tourism education and training. They also looked at the involvement of educational institutions in providing courses with a tourism industry focus.

Travel and tourism teams will now go away armed with new business opportunities from the relationships built with ministers, tour operators, buyers, and new destinations. And, with increasing appetite for travel among emerging markets such as China, Vietnam, India as well as millennials and Gen Z seeking new experiences, the travel industry must adapt if it is to survive and thrive