WTM London has gone ‘hybrid’!

After the huge 2020 economic loss of -70% for the Tourism Industry, professionals in the sector evaluate the numerous business potentials it can still offer.

Since 2019, the year of the pandemic spread, the London-based World Travel Market has given the possibility to follow the event also in virtual or ‘hybrid’ mode.

An excellent solution for maintaining connections and business relationships between companies and customers, the tourism sector continues to establish and encourage networking and collaboration opportunities to support the sector economy which certainly cannot be allowed to disappear!

London ExCel will host the important international tourism fair again in 2022, from 7 to 9 November.

The presence of WTM in London is rather recent, if we consider that the first trade fair event dates back to 1980 at London Olympia, opened by the Duke of Kent.

It then continues over the years, with several ‘prominent’ openings including Princess Diana in 1985, while, more recently, in 2009, by Boris Johnson, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the fair.

In 2020 the WTM, for the first time, becomes totally virtual due to the spread of the Covid_19 pandemic which has profoundly marked history on a global level.

There were countless opportunities for online meetings between trade and customers, while at least fifty sessions were organized regarding the tourism sector which received positive feedback.

This year, attention was paid to the topic of sustainability, currently much debated, to encourage its support as well as future ‘green investments’, which are of considerable importance.

Certainly a topic that should not be postponed, that of sustainable and responsible tourism which requires prompt action against climate change and the consequent threats to society, both that of the most developed and developing countries.