WTM begins today

HIRAN H. Senewiratne reporting from London

LONDON Nov. 13. World Travel Market (WTM) 2005, the ever largest global business event with a record number of hotel exhibitors will take place at London ExCeL from today to Thursday (14-17).

Sri Lanka too would have 35 stalls and over 80 are expected to participate. Leading travel companies such as John Keells, Aitkin Spence and Connaisance Resorts will launch their new brand identities while several hotels which were closed after the tsunami will be opened for marketing at the WTM.

For the first time, exhibitor space has been increased more than 3% this year. The event attracted nearly 45,000 participants last year including nearly 13,000 international buyers.

Over 5,000 national tourist offices, industry organisations, tour operators, hotels, cruise lines, airlines, other transport operators and technology companies from more than 190 countries and regions will be participating at this event.

"Since the dark days of the 9/11 and the many natural and man-made challenges that have faced the international industry since then, there has been a concerted and universal acknowledgement of World Travel Market's role in helping companies and organisations to build business, identify new markets, make new contacts and keep abreast of the latest industry developments", said Fiona Jeffery, Group Exhibition Director. "This has been further supported by independent research.

The event will see 123 new exhibitors this year including, Africa, Ivory Coast, Americas, Macau, Kyrgyzstan, Bhutan, Yemen, Kuwait, Iran, Europe and UK.