World Travel Market Latin America, the leading global event for the Latin American travel industry, has received phenomenal global interest in its Hosted Buyers’ Programme.

Almost 900 senior buyers from around the world applied to attend the inaugural WTM Latin America – which takes place in São Paulo between 23- 25 April – as part of the event’s Hosted Buyers’ Programme, before the application process close last week.

Up to 250 senior buyers will attend as part of the Hosted Buyers’ Programme, with half attending to strike deals with leisure exhibitors and the other half aiming to sign contracts with Meetings, Incentive, Conference and Exhibitions (MICE) exhibitors.

Buyers will come from the key Latin American markets of Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.

International buyers will come from a host of key markets for the region, including; USA, Canada, Africa and the key European markets of Portugal, Spain, Italy, Germany, UK and France.

Buyers - who work for tour operators, travel agencies, event agencies, travel organisers and incentive houses -  will either be fully hosted; which includes flights, hotel accommodation and transfers or semi-hosted; which covers hotel accommodation and transfers.

In return the buyers are required to attend a set number of exhibitor appointments a day, which will see each buyer have at least 20 business meetings with 20 different exhibitors across the three days of the event.

Overall, WTM Latin America is guaranteeing its hosted buyers will hold up to 5,000 business meetings with exhibitors across the three days of the event.

The WTM Latin America Hosted Buyer Team is now reviewing the applications to select the top buyers that will take part in the programme.

Reed Travel Exhibitions Director WTM Latin America Lawrence Reinisch said: “The high level of interest in WTM Latin America’s Hosted Buyers’ Programme from the world’s most senior buyers is an early indication of how successful the event will be.

“The Hosted Buyers’ Programme guarantees a minimum of 5,000 business meetings for exhibitors and will play a critical role in the event generating new business for the region. Proving once again that WTM – be it in London or São Paulo – Means Business.”

WTM Latin America will host more than 1,000 exhibiting companies from around the world, and is expected to attract more than 7,000 visitors over the three days of the show; April 23 – April 25 2013.  For Leisure, MICE and Business Travel, WTM Latin America will be the platform for the Latin American travel industry to conduct business and become one of the most important regions in the global travel and tourism industry.