The World Travel Market – London was initially supposed to be a physical conference. But after the organisers Reed Exhibitions decided to cancel the physical event, the event will now be a digital one. The sister event, Travel Forward, will also be completely virtual.
With the continued travel restrictions in place and the required social distancing protocols, the events couldn’t be conducted in a physical setup.
WTM Virtual will take place from November 9th-11th
Simon Press, Senior Director, World Travel Market – London said, “Sadly, this year will be the first time we have no live event since we launched the World Travel Market – London back in 1980. We have worked tirelessly to organise a physical show. However, 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.”
WTM London will offer participants the opportunity to arrange one-to-one virtual meetings. Participants can also take part in roundtables and speed networking.
Press added, “Through this new format, thousands of travel trade professionals from around the globe will still be able to meet. They will do business in an extensive range of virtual sessions, to help the industry recover, rebuild and innovate.
Similarly, a virtual version of Travel Forward is also in the pipeline. It will have virtual exhibitions, virtual conference sessions, and speed networking where start-ups can interact with investors.
Richard Gayle, Event Manager, 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. These companies will have the opportunity to promote themselves to the world. We are confident that this event will offer delegates all the support and ideas about how the industry will recover.”
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