International tourism fair in London opens with aim of reinventing travel in a changing world
The Andalucía region, Malaga and the Costa del Sol have invested heavily with stands and promotional events at the World Travel Market in a bid to attract more tourists to enjoy the delights of southern Spain
The 45th World Travel Market (WTM) in London, one of the world's three major tourism events, opened at the Excel exhibition centre this Wednesday (4 November), with the aim of reinventing travel in a changing world. This year's slogan aligns with the approach of deseasonalising tourism and attracting visitors with a higher purchasing power that Andalucía, Costa del Sol and Malaga have chosen this year. The London event is a great opportunity for the region, the province and the city, each with its own stand, to consolidate the UK market and the 'premium' tourist beyond the strong summer months. The southern Spain destination presents itself as a great place to enjoy not only the sun and the beach, but also the cuisine, wine, culture and nature.
The organisers of this major tourism event have stated that the goal of reinventing travel in a changing global context "reflects the current challenges and opportunities in the sector". Therefore, among the main themes of the WTM fair this year is sustainability in tourism.
Organisers expect more than 5,000 exhibitors from around the world and more than 45,000 industry professionals at this year's WTM. In addition, the largest summit of tourism ministers will be held on Tuesday, the first day of the three-day exhibition. This conference "consolidates the London fair as the most influential annual meeting for the public leadership of the sector on a global scale".
The 2024 record of 50 key ministers is forecast to be exceeded at this year's conference, under the slogan 'Reimagining Tourism Investment Models: Building Next-Generation Incentives'. It will focus on the key issue of transforming traditional tourism investment schemes to gain resilience and competitiveness in the long term. The government representatives will explore the role of emerging technologies to open new markets, mechanisms to align public and private capital with national roadmaps for economic transformation and diversification of funding sources and vehicles in order to strengthen the business fabric and increase the impact of tourism on local development. The ministers call for better distribution of destination benefits and an accelerated transition towards sustainable models.
WTM brings together more than 5,000 exhibitors from destinations around the world and more than 45,000 professionals
The Junta's regional minister of tourism Arturo Bernal leads the Andalusian delegation, which will focus on boosting business by establishing new agreements with operators and intermediaries. The meetings will be held at the 500-square-metre stand.
According to Bernal, technology is a key tool that must be optimised in order to facilitate contacts and maximise visitors' return. The regional minister has stated that "the region's objectives are aimed at strengthening air connectivity, diversifying more competitive passenger flows, supporting traditional operations and repositioning the brand towards new audiences".
President of Turismo Costa del Sol Francisco Salado emphasised the importance of promoting tourism beyond the first nine months of the year, during which Malaga Airport received almost 2.5 million passengers from the UK, 7.9% more than last year.
The Costa del Sol tourist board is investing almost one million euros in this fair. The initiative is complemented by an ambitious promotional campaign in the heart of London, supported by innovative tools designed to generate up to four million impressions.
Although he expressed optimistic expectations, Salado stated that the Costa del Sol delegation is also cautious, given the tense global political context. One more reason to call for year-round tourism.
