With 167 countries represented by over 5000 exhibitors, the first open-trade day of the World Travel Market in London was certainly no-holds-barred. Enticing the crowds meant dishing out the tastiest of local cuisines, turning up the volume on some truly local tunes, donning traditional garb and even, in some cases bringing out the celebrities to really raise the temperature (was that Kylie or her sister?). WTM, now in its 30th year, remains the principal event on the travel industry’s calendar and presents a valuable opportunity for all those involved.
whl.travel's Luke Ford (centre) takes a moment at the WTM with Mr Kim (left) and Ms Lee of Holiday Planners, the whl.travel local connection for South Korea
WHL Group, parent company of whl.travel, was also in attendance, sharing the messages of whl.travel, Urban Adventures and WHL Consulting, all of which were received positively. With a growing network around the world in more than 90 countries, whl.travel was there with 15-plus whl.travel local connections.
“I’m so glad I can visit such an important travel event like WTM and see the friendly faces of whl.travel local partners from around the world,” enthused Carmelita Xavier, the whl.travel local connection for the Caribbean island of St. Lucia and director of Solar Tours & Travel. “We’re one big family and I feel part of something quite amazing!”
It wasn’t just Carmelita smiling; St. Lucia’s Minister for Tourism, Senator the Honorable Allen M. Chastanet, was there as well, showing his support for the work of Solar Travel and their commitment to responsible tourism on the island.
Mr Neil Forrester (centre), the whl.travel local connection for Antigua and Barbuda meets with Klaudija Janzelj (whl.travel) and Stephen Chapman (WHL Consulting)
Another whl.travel local connection, Nigina Muhtarova of Afsona Travel, local partner for Samarkand and Bukhara in Uzbekistan, had this to say: “Working online with each other is great, but coming to WTM and being able to meet everyone in person really means a lot. It gives us the chance to share ideas and get to know one another in a social setting as well!” With almost all continents covered by at least one whl.travel partner, the WTM really was like a mini global gathering.
It was great to see that WTM is having such a positive influence on the tourism industry, a chance to stress the importance of responsible tourism through the WTM World Responsible Tourism Day and the various activities that surround the now globally recognized date of 12 November.
Dorine Naeye of DN Travel & Events, based in Antwerp, Belgium, has been visiting WTM since its inception and commented that “Of all the years I’ve been visiting WTM, it’s great to see them making an effort to promote responsible tourism. They’re really trying hard and now I see them reaching a greater audience with the message.”
On the Tuesday, the WTM also organized a roundtable discussion on the state of travel philanthropy, with a range of speakers including Dr. Dawid de Villiers, Chairman of the UNWTO World Committee on Tourism Ethics; and Fiona Jeffery, Chairman of WTM and Managing Director of Just a Drop Foundation.
It is evident that a major change is occurring within the industry. Responsible tourism is shifting from a niche to a mainstream industry priority, and whl.travel has been there all along with a unique model connecting travellers with local travel experts eager to help provide authentic, personal and ethical access to their home destinations, the kind of travel more and more people are yearning for.
Tags: Just a Drop Foundation, Luke Ford, responsible tourism, responsible travel, responsible travel news, travel philanthropy, UN World Tourism Organization, Urban Adventures, WHL Consulting, WHL Group, World Responsible Tourism Day, World Travel Mart, WTM
Great to put some more names to faces! Such a diverse... 
These destinations look great but to me it’s hard... 
Congratulation to you all!... 
Coming to Lijiang? If you want more information about... 
Notably missing is Kaş, Turkey from this list. Too many... 
Good to see the upbeat news from the World Travel Market. That said, I wish conferences of this type moved beyond the mutual back-packing and did more to approach the tough subjects and host more discussions where there is genuine disagreement. For example, is there public debate of the criticisms of global certification and sustainable tourism criteria?
http://www.whl.travel/blog/2009/01/25/has-the-whole-ecotourism-industry-shot-itself-in-the-foot
It seemed to me that a lot of folk (exhibiting and visiting) see WTM is an opportunity to network rather than purely sell or buy… an expensive networking opportunity in my view if you\’re exhibiting but nevertheless I guess it\’s the place to be.
I do agree with Ron that it would be great to see some more controversial discussions taking place, but I must say often audience questions following a discussion can quite provocative. The discussions I attended yesterday were interesting but didn\’t really leave me feeling as though I\’d learnt anything or been exposed to a great new point of view. I gained little from attending except that others were thinking about the same things as me.
I always end up leaving WTM a bit jaded. The ICRT climbed into bed with WTM organisers a long time ago, that\’s the reason that responsible tourism has gained such exposure at the event which is great but… the ICRT is all over it. Hosting debates, sitting in the audience, publicising the projects of its alumni. It always frustrates me a little.
Please do me a favor and review the event here: http://tinyurl.com/eventsurvey09
I do like the fact that WTM is pushing the responsible tourism agenda, bringing together the tourism ministers from some 100 countries around the world, and discussing the issues surrounding a more responsible way forward for the industry. Providing opportunities for those involved in the industry to gain insights through the research taking place by the folks at ICRT. That is valuable.
Though agree, it is just one aspect to what needs to take place. The next step is the conversation/debate about HOW we are going to do this, taking in the knowledge of all, particularly those on the ground, those out there trying new things, making mistakes, and trying again.
I think this is where the Fringe Travel Network becomes so important, and the place perhaps where these discussions need to begin. Hopefully then, by next year, these discussions would have reached a wider audience, and they become an important aspect to events like WTM.
Thanks for the feedback on the WTM. I guess at an event of this scale the formal agenda is always going to be a bit stiff and the outcomes less than groundbreaking. Nonethless a good place to take the temperature and get a feel for whether the public is starting to buy in (my real interest in all this).
With the fringe event, whilst I haven’t been there and hence may be speaking to something already happeneing, it is important to keep “eyes wide open” and to keep it inclusive and challenged. Much I have seen in tourism is about tourism people speaking to tourism people.
For the Fringe, they need to actively recruit in people from outside tourism (from the arts, from architecture & design, from the environemnt movement, from politics etc.) and ensure the agenda does not end being hijacked by a small group of tourism experts…. all with much the same views, and talking to each other.
Cheers…….. Len