After 40 years of the physical conference, World Travel Market (WTM) London organizers Reed Exhibitions has decided to facilitate WTM London 2020 virtually from 9-11 November 2020. The virtual event will take place across three days, from 7am-10pm, to allow access from the different zones across the globe.
According to a statement by WTM London, the live conference sessions and forums will be tackling some of the issues the industry is facing today, as well as speed networking sessions, one-to-one meetings, and virtual networking opportunities. They aim to keep the global travel conversation alive and help deliver new connections as well as offering a wide range of online business opportunities. They will also address the impact the global health pandemic has had on the travel and tourism industry and discuss a road map to recovery, identifying the trends and innovation shaping the future of the industry and show the path that lies ahead through the virtual event.
World Travel Market London Senior Director, Simon Press, said, “Sadly, this year will be the first time since we launched World Travel Market London in 1980 that there will be no live event. We have worked tirelessly to organize a physical show, but the increasing number of travel restrictions and the uncertainty around the world means it will be impractical for many overseas visitors to attend in person. Additionally, there remains uncertainty around business events and conferences being allowed to take place in the UK. However, thousands of travel trade professionals from around the globe will still be able to meet and do business in an extensive range of virtual sessions, to help the industry recover, rebuild, and innovate.”
After 40 years of you coming to us, this year we are coming to you…
— WTM London (@WTM_London) September 14, 2020
To ensure WTM is accessible to everyone within the travel industry, we will have a completely virtual event taking place on 9-11 November.
Have a look on our website for details: https://t.co/PWCvRzKEgH pic.twitter.com/teXqtnlrPm
Furthermore, a virtual version of Travel Forward is being shaped up and will combine virtual exhibitions, free virtual conference sessions, and speed networking for start-ups to meet investors.
Richard Gayle, Event Manager for Travel Forward, said, “Travel Forward is the event that embraces fresh concepts and innovative projects to inspire delegates. This year, running Travel Forward virtually will allow us to connect even more with global travel tech companies wanting to promote themselves to the world. We are confident Travel Forward Virtual will offer delegates all the support and ideas about how the industry recovery and more solutions to overcome the biggest challenges facing the travel industry.”
London Travel Week will also be returning virtually providing attendees with a chance to learn, network, and innovate in the week leading up to WTM Virtual.
For more information and to register for WTM London & Travel Forward 2020 please visit london.wtm.com
