As day one of World Travel Market gets underway new figures have unveiled Dubai-based Arabian Travel Market generated over $2 billion worth of business deals at annual 2014 May event; total World Travel Market Portfolio contributes $6.5 billion of additional revenue to the global travel industry.

Research conducted by Reed Travel Exhibitions in London, has revealed that the annual Arabian Travel Market, which takes place in Dubai each May witnessed more than 2,700 exhibitors sign business deals worth more than $2.1 billion with 23,500 visitors at the 2014 event.

Family centric travel, which accounted for more than 12.5 per cent of the $1.07 trillion global tourism market, has been selected as the official show theme for this year’s event, which takes place at the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre from 4-7 May 2015.

Arabian Travel Market is a part of The World Travel Market Portfolio, consisting of four leading business-to-business travel trade events, which has facilitated more than $6.5 billion (£3.9 million) the latest research has revealed.

World Travel Market is held annually in London and taking place this week 3-6 November; WTM Latin America and the newly launched WTM Africa have both underscored the importance of the portfolio to the tourism industry and economies around the world.

World Travel Market is the WTM Portfolio’s largest and longest running event spanning 35 years with 5,000 exhibitors and 50,000 participants. World Travel Market 2013 was responsible for $3.7 billion (£2.2 billion) in industry contracts for exhibitors negotiating business deals with more than 8,500 buyers from the WTM Buyers’ Club.

Examples of business deals conducted at WTM 2013 include London West End Theatre ticket company Encore, which signed contract worth $8.3 million (£5 million) and tour board Andalucia, which signed agreements with five different tour operators in one day.

A poll of World Travel Market exhibitors and buyers revealed more than one in two expects to conduct more business of a greater value at this year’s event than they did in 2013. This should see the WTM Portfolio facilitate deals approaching a value of $7 billion (£4.2 billion) for the calendar year of 2014.

WTM Latin America launched in 2012 in Sao Paulo. The April event brings the world to Latin America and promotes Latin America to the world. WTM Latin America’s more than 1,000 exhibitors agreed deals worth more than $341 million (£206 million).

WTM Africa, the event that puts the world’s spotlight on Africa and promotes Africa to the world, launched in 2014 and saw almost 4,000 industry professionals negotiate deals worth $314 million (£189 million).

“The WTM Portfolio offers unrivalled business opportunities for its exhibitors making its events the places where the travel and tourism industry conducts its business. World Travel Market is a fixture in the global industry’s calendar, attracting the world’s most influential buyers. ATM, WTM Latin America and WTM Africa are all the leading events in their regions, running hugely successful Hosted Buyer Programmes, guaranteeing exhibitors business meetings with only the most relevant buyers,” said World Travel Market Portfolio Director, Craig Moyes.

“The fact that the WTM Portfolio generates $6.5 billion in industry business deals demonstrates; The WTM Portfolio Means Business,” added Moyes.

In total, the WTM portfolio has

• Main Stand Holder exhibitors - 1,508

• Stand Sharer exhibitors - 7,907

• Buyers 14,639 (including 479 Hosted Buyers)

• Visitors - 46,766

• The WTM Portfolio 2015 schedule of events is;

• WTM Africa, Cape Town, 15-17 April

• WTM Latin America, Sao Paulo, 22-24 April

• Arabian Travel Market, Dubai, 4-7 May

• World Travel Market, London, 2-5 November