World Travel Market, the leading global event for the travel industry, has opened registration for WTM 2012.

WTM 2012 will mark the 21st anniversary of WTM Meridian Club, the club for the world’s leading buyers. WTM Meridian Club members will conclude a record £1,653 million in deals with exhibitors from negotiations that started at WTM 2011 before WTM 2012.

Last year’s event saw an impressive 5% increase in visitors to 26,908 across the four days, including a massive 14% increase on the first day of the event, which is a key day for business negotiations.

Reed Travel Exhibitions Chairman World Travel Market Fiona Jeffery was WTM Marketing Director in 1992 when WTM Meridian Club was launched.

“The WTM Meridian Club was launched to improve the quality of delegates attending WTM and increase the amount of business conducted due to the event,” she said.

“Its success has continued for two decades and has led to WTM facilitating a greater amount of business every year leading to last year’s event generating a record £1,653 million in industry deals.”

An exhibitor and WTM Meridian Club party will take place on the evening of Wednesday 7 November to celebrate 21 years of WTM Meridian Club.

WTM 2012 will include a full events programme consisting of sessions from the popular World Responsible Tourism Day, Social Travel Market, Technology and Aviation prorgammes.

WTM 2011 saw an attendance of 16,000 delegates (8,000 unique people) attending the 110 sessions.

Reed Travel Exhibitions Director World Travel Market Simon Press said: “World Travel Market continues to improve every year. 2011 saw a record number of visitors, delegates attend the events programme and the amount of business conducted because of WTM.

“WTM 2012 has a lot to live up to, but I am confident it will surpass all our expectations and offer another highly successful event for its 5,000 exhibitors.”