Another record breaker for WTM

14 November 2005

World Travel Market 2005 will be the largest ever. This year sees its fourth consecutive increase in exhibitor space of more than 4% increase.
A total of 5,194 national tourist offices, industry organisations, tour operators, hotels, cruise lines, airlines, other transport operators and technology companies from 202 representative countries and regions are participating. This includes 126 new exhibitors.

“In the next four days we estimate that business worth more than £33 billion of will be conducted between visitors and exhibitors and exhibitors with other exhibitors”, said Fiona Jeffery, Groups Exhibition Director.

“The amount of business activity this week is also reflected in the continuing growth of the global industry. According to the WTO, an estimated 460 million international tourist arrivals were recorded worldwide in the first seven months of 2005.

“This represents an increase of some 25 million arrivals compared with the respective period of 2004, or 5.9% growth.”
World Travel Market was voted World’s Leading Travel Exhibition at the World Travel Awards. Collecting the award at the gala ceremony which took place at the Royal Opera House in London, Sunday, Jeffery commented: “To win the WTA for Leading Travel Exhibition for WTM when the global travel tourism industry come to London to promote the world of tourism is a huge privilege and we are delighted to accept the award”.

Jeffery added: “World Tourism is growing annually at 5.9%. WTM will have grown by 5% this year so it’s reflecting the industry growth.”
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