The CBI, part of the Dutch Foreign Office, will be exhibiting at WTM for the third year with the exhibition serving as the launchpad for new tourism programmes in Latin America, Africa and Asia.

The CBI Programme operates in countries where tourism is usually underdeveloped and its purpose is to prepare overseas organisations, such as Destination Management Companies (DMCs), Inbound Tourism Companies and Ground Handlers to be equipped to work with European Union (EU) source markets.  The Programme trains operators to be ethically and commercially aware and to attain a standard that will enable them to be operators of choice for EU travel organisations and travellers.

The CBI’s Clive Bishop will be in attendance at WTM and he said: “The CBI is launching new development programmes starting from 2013 / 14 in Latin America, Africa and Asia.  These will focus on specific countries and will involve both private and public sectors.  We will be supporting individual companies but also assisting tourism ministries and tourism boards on marketing into Europe, branding, product development for trade and public interaction – all to benefit the awareness of their country to European tourists.”

The following countries have been selected into the new programme, in Africa;  Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar, Mozambique and Zambia.  In Latin America Bolivia and Columbia and Mongolia, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines are Asian countries being reviewed for inclusion.

The CBI currently has tourism programmes in 36 countries around the world and is assisting over 280 companies in these countries to have parity with EU operators. Eleven companies will operate at WTM from the CBI stand and the organisation is also ‘sponsoring’ a further 55 exhibitors at the event who are mostly exhibiting on the appropriate National Tourism Stand.

Clive Bishop said: “Our objective in exhibiting at WTM is to introduce European tour operators to tourism companies involved in the CBI programme, in order for them to develop and grow their businesses.  Through CBI support companies in the programme are able to bring their companies up to standards expected by European tourists.”