WTM claims £1.14bn record

The organisers of World Travel Market have claimed independent research has found the annual trade show last year will generate a record £1,139 million worth of business.

Last year’s exhibitors were asked by Fusion Communications the value of orders they expect WTM 2009 to generate in the following 12 months, the average coming out at £222,361.

Of that £73,582 of business was actually booked at the show which 96% of exhibitors said they were “likely” to exhibit at again in 2010.

The WTM research also sought to gauge exhibitors’ attitudes in relation to the larger annual ITB show held in Berlin every March.

It found 86% attend WTM to meeting existing customer compared to 83% for ITB, 83% attend WTM to generate sales leads, 77% for ITB, and 65% exhibit at WTM to sign new contracts, compared to 60% for ITB.

WTM organisers believe the amount of business done at the show was boosted last year by the introduction of speeding networking on the opening day between exhibitors and senior buyers in its Meridian Club.

Simon Press, WTM director, said: “World Travel Market 2009 has seen, and will lead to, a phenomenal amount of business being conducted in the travel and tourism industry.

“The speed networking programme was a massive success, and alongside a number of other networking initiatives, helped WTM 2009 post a record figure for the amount of business concluded because of the event.”