World Travel Market (WTM) 2014, the leading global event for the travel industry, will generate a record £2.5 billion in travel and tourism industry deals – an impressive 13% increase on WTM 2013.

Independent research of World Travel Market’s exhibitors reveals WTM 2014 will generate a massive £2,506,739,121 billion of deals, either through contracts signed at the event or from negotiations with WTM Buyers’ Club members, which will lead to deals signed before WTM 2015.

WTM 2013 facilitated £2.2 billion in business deals, either on the exhibition floor or in the 12 months that followed, which was a 19% increase on WTM 2012’s £1.9 billion.

WTM 2011 saw £1.653 billion of deals, while WTM 2010 facilitated almost £1.5 billion.

The increase in business generated by WTM 2014 can, in part, be accredited to the 7% increase in WTM Buyers’ Club members to more than 9,100 (9,124). The WTM Buyers’ Club is the leading business network for travel buyers and WTM facilitates networking opportunities, including the hugely popular WTM Speed Networking sessions on the Monday and Thursday, which match the right buyers to exhibitors.

The 35th World Travel Market also experienced an impressive 6% increase in overall trade visitors compared to 2013, with WTM overall welcoming almost 52,000 participants over the four days (Monday, November 3 – Thursday, November 6), a record attendance for a trade-only WTM.

Each of the four days experienced an increase in participants, while international media attendance across the four days was up 2% to almost 3,000 (2,945). Furthermore, the comprehensive events and seminar programme hosted a record 17,000 attendance. WTM 2014 hosted new Spa&Wellness and Women in Travel programs. The event also put on its first Bloggers Speed Networking and hosted industry charity The Family Holiday Association’s annual Holidays Matter Conference.

Peter Hellman
source WTM/Reeds