World Travel Market London 2018 UNWTO & WTM Ministers’ Summit
This is that time of the year again when the tourism operators stop or at least reduce their job and start checking results, planning the year ahead, and make business in London! As usual, I am planning my visit to WTM.
I choose to attend it because WTM is one of the best places to meet with operators I can do business with, but also is a great opportunity to learn from the industry, read statistics and reports and listen to the best practices of the sector.
I want to share this interesting program of the Ministers’ Summit
This year’s World Travel Market (WTM) will introduce a disruptive new format to the long-running UNWTO/WTM Ministerial Summit. With the private sector crucial in setting the tourism agenda, private sector leaders will be involved for the first time via a panel on investment in tourism technology. This will be followed by a roundtable of both ministers and private sector to discuss a way forward for tourism that includes stronger public-private partnerships and an agenda for the sector’s digital transformation.
The 2018 Summit will be hosted by CNN’s Richard Quest, anchor of Quest Means Business. Developing an innovation ecosystem, data-driven decision making, digital destination branding, and the role of government and policy in smart tourism management are among the topics to be addressed this year.
The Summit will continue the conversation of ‘Tourism and the Digital Transformation’ that is set to dominate proceedings for this year’s World Tourism Day official celebration on Thursday 27 September.
Here you can download the UNWTO ACTIVITIES PROVISIONAL PROGRAMME
Here you can download the UNWTO & WTM Ministers’ Summit Investment in Tourism Technology
Source: UNWTO Newsletter
It is a while I am attending the WTM every year, and I have written some reports:
- World Travel Market 2014
- World Travel Market 2015
- World Travel Market 2016
- World Travel Market 2017
Please scroll down if you would like to read them.
Sustainable Tourism World News: World Travel Market 2018 experience
ear after year I attended World Travel Market London in November 4 times… this time I had to do mainly business meetings, while I had to reduce the seminar part. I attended also post WTM events such as Travel Massive & Fringe Event Responsible Tourism. Here you are some highlights from the show and industry.
Catching up with Solentiname Tours, Nicaragua responsible tourism. I discovered last year the hard work some of the tourism operators & public sector are doing in Nicaragua, I am sorry to know Nicaraguan’s operators are suffering from the prolonged period of political unrest and street violence in many areas since mid-April 2018. Also, there has been an increase in seismic activity in recent years. Solentiname president, Immanuel Zerger, affirms that sustainable tourism helped them to survive this year, even though instability in politics and weather conditions are increasing the difficulties for every operator.
Last year, for the first time, I heard about She Trades..and now it looks very interesting! I met with Jane and Rose, 2 colleagues from Kenia, two operators interested to add Lake Como to their products.
As a contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals, the International Trade Centre has launched the SheTrades initiative to create an ecosystem of integrated solutions that empower women economically through trade.
Through country-based activities, SheTrades enables women entrepreneurs to improve the quality of their products and services.
The International Trade Centre (ITC), is a joint agency of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United Nations specializing in trade development.
I am joining the website, I’ll see how it goes!
Water-to-Go is a portable water filtration system that eliminates well in excess of 99.9% of microbiological contaminants including viruses, bacteria, chemicals, and heavy metals from any non-salt water source in the world giving you access to safe, clean drinking water anytime, anywhere. It could become your new favorite adventure companion! I just stumbled across the booth at WTM that attracted me with collected plastics sculptures, like the one pictured here.
Water to go was promoted at wtm2018 as a solution to solve the plastic issue, unfortunately, the beautiful sculptures are not enough, they are just symbolic to show how much plastic trash there is around the world, in a city or town told me Trudi Pearce, colleague consultant working with Dave Shanks and co-founder Cheryl Farrell. The only possible solution is to produce less and more quality plastic.
I have not tested it, so I cannot guarantee if it is working but I would give it a try, especially after reading some of the testimonials like “into the eco” and information about lab tests they share on the main website watertogo.eu
On Wednesday (3rd day of WTM) I had a meeting with Finn Thomsen International director at Green Key. I already knew about Green Key, but I didn’t know my cousin was working with FEE Foundation For Environmental Education, at the Global Forest Found in the same office in Denmark!
Very kindly Finn found some time to chat with me during WTM and explained to me a bit about Green Key and how it works!
Tourism activities have a major impact on the environment. Green Key is an international eco-label for hotels and other tourism sites present in 56 countries with around 2,600 establishments awarded. Green Key was created to educate and raise awareness among owners and managers of tourism and leisure establishments of the possibility for and necessity of running responsible businesses.
The aviation industry, I stopped at this speech at the Middle East & Africa Inspiration Zone after a meeting with Jane and Rose at SheTrades booth. The speech was titled “Challenges ahead for the airline industry”. I was hoping to hear about sustainable aviation, BUT I was late and maybe I lost that part, or there was not a mention about it. Anyway, I reached out John Strickland, the consultant speaking during WTM. I found his twitter account and I asked him data about sustainable aviation, he recommended me to visit sustainableaviation.co.uk, the website is going to be my first place where to start some researches about the topic.
Aviation is, in my opinion, the first topic, sector, issue the international tourism industry should address. It is not possible asking for not to travel by plane, nowadays, to people. It doesn’t have any sense! I wouldn’t do it, for example, because normal people having the possibility to move by airplane is one of the 19th century most important achievements, been able to go from London to everywhere gives enormous benefits in connecting people, cultures, trades and more. We have to improve how we develop the travel industry (as travelers, host community, entrepreneurs) how we use the technology and scientific information we have to improve our life and life on the planet, in the long term.
I heard recently, a campaign against traveling by airplane, organized in Sweden. I don’t agree with it because if “we” sustainable tourism advocates want the sustainable approach to be implemented in the mainstream tourism industry we CANNOT ask people not to travel by airplane, otherwise responsible and sustainable tourism will always stay a niche’s name.
Instead, what we can do is to work with airlines company to transform and improve the aviation industry.
Keep following me and S.Tou.W., I’ll share more about sustainable aviation in the next month.
WTM presents the annual challenge to find the Awfully Entertaining Social Media (Awesomes) of 2018
Steve Keenan Moderator
Speakers:
- Anna Tuomi from Helsinki Aiport – East and West Side Story
- #BoleynisBack Tower of London
- Memories of Madhya Pradesh
- Daniel Young from easyJet Instagram search
- Alex Renshaw from Icelolly/Visit Benidorm influencer campaign
The Best of social media 2018 is #BoleynisBack
Travel Massive at Foundation Bar (Covent garden) & Fringe event at Good Hotel (Royal Victoria)
A different responsible tourism award ceremony, less huge event, less show but same amazing projects and companies the third day of WTM, organized by WTM with support and knowledge of professor Goodwin
Best for #Wildlife award goes to World Animal Protection.
Best for #Employment award goes to Intrepid Travel Colombo.
Best for #ManagingSuccess in tourism (overtourism) award goes to the destination of Barcelona.
Best for Communicating #ResponsibleTourism the award goes to Intrepid Travel for post-earthquake Nepal campaign.
Best for Creating #Local Economic Benefit award goes to OneSeed Expeditions, Transfrontier Parks & Coconut Lagoon, Kerala, India.
Barcelona wins the overall award for leaders in #ResponsibleTourism, for recognizing #overtourism early & pioneering approaches for management!
Full information about the winners: https://news.wtm.com/world-responsible-tourism-awards-2018/
More info about the awards: http://responsibletourism.wtm.com/about/responsible-tourism-awards/
World Travel Market 2017 report
It was that time of the year again, WTM London 2017. This year I attended it in behalf of Slow Lake Como the company I joined last year in December. It was a great emotion to be there looking for the best collaborations in terms of TO or travel agencies for Slow Lake Como, but I also had time to learn about new initiatives, projects and destinations of sustainable tourism, to meet with new colleagues and with people met just online before.
Very quickly the highlights:
- Video message by Professor Susanne Becken from Griffith University and the Global Sustainable Tourism about the ‘fallacy of incremental change’. She explained that this means the industry focuses on gradually improving the efficiency of how it works while it keeps growing its overall impact, rather than making absolute reductions in its impact. She decided not to take a long distance plan to attend 1hour event during WTM
- Learning about Bwindi a plan discussed last year with inbound operators to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda. An initiative to increase the earnings of those living on the margins of the national park and struggling to make a living. The initiative is supported by the UK Government’s Darwin Initiative; the initiative has worked with basket weavers, market gardeners, guides and bee keepers.
- Meeting with Megan (Exodus) and John (Explore) and starting a conversation with them about how to partner for Slow Lake Como
- Meeting with Frosso, vice president at Ecoclub
- I am the proud owner of stone paper, a paper I heard a lot about, shared by kind skallegues based in Spain, thanks to Halterios (sponsor of the Skal International Sustainable Tourism Award)
- Sustainable tourism in Nicaragua: a decade of challenges and success stories by the Ambassador of Nicaragua in the United Kingdom invited by Jose Maria de Juan Alonso and his team (Koan Consulting)
- Lunch time meetings with Paolo and Tolu
- The Best of social media 2017 is Faroe Island translate project
- Attending Travel Massive
- Attending RT Fringe event.
World Travel Market 2016 report - WTM London
Attending the World Travel Market in London is always an experience, it is the moment of the year when all the European and international tourism operators get together.
This was my third time at WTM London, I went the first time in 2014 (read more about my first time at WTM London), and I attended it last year (2015) to promote The Long Run, a membership organisation based in London, promoting sustainable tourism and its members.
WTM 2016 has been INTENSE and useful, I started preparing my event checking the colleagues I wanted to meet, publicly announcing my presence at WTM (through LinkedIn, Twitter, website & Newsletter) scheduling seminars and networking events I wanted to attend. I started all this in September (while attending World Heritage Tourism Expo in Padova and No Frills in Bergamo) and I continued until Friday4th of November.
The results was quite interesting, I set up 15 meetings, I attended 2 internal networking events and 3 external events (Travel massive, Responsible tourism and Young Professionals and Future Leaders WTM Evening) and meet many interesting colleagues.
These are the new people I met and talked with!
Philip Cooke, director of the Destination Marketing Group, UK (Skalleague)
Dimitris Kavakas, Managing Director at Redia, US
Gordon Stermann, President at White Mountain ADVENTURES, Canada (skalleague)
Brian White, professor, School of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Canada (skalleague)
Joseph Punnoran, Business Development Manager at Treasures Travel and tourism, UAE
Roberto Sanchez, Country Sales Manger at YieldPlanet, Spain (Catalonia)
Richard Greenwood, Managing Dirctor at VIP Business Golf Network, UK
Sebastian S Chacko, Director at Transkerala Holidays, UK (skalleague)
Natalie Scott, Sales & Marketing Manager at Myanmar Polestar, Myanmar
Syed M.Mujeeb, Manager Contracts & Product Development at Majed Travel & Tourism, Saudi Arabia (skalleague)
Martina Caroli, Guide at Four Season Natura e Cultura, Italy
Daniela Occhionero, Partner – PR director at Fine Life, Italy
Akvile Marozaite, Regionale Sales Manager – Expeditions at Silversea Cruises, UK
Glynn O’Leary, CEO at Transfrontier Parks Destinations, South Africa
José Maria de Juan Alonso, Vicepresidente de EARTH, para la comunicación y las entidades iberoamericanas & Koan Consulting, Spain
Tony Carne, General manger at Urban Adventure, Australia
Alberto Piro, Manager at Bosco Ciancio – turismo rurale, Italy
Wilhelm von Breymann, General Director at Costarican Trails, Costa Rica
Rob Holmes, Founder & chief strategist at GLP Films, US (GEN)
Charitha Abeyratne, Founder & Chief Executive at Saraii, Sri Lanka
Enrico Marletto, President at Viaggi Solidali Onlus, Italy
Wendy Xue, Executive General Manager, China Adventure Tours, China
Richard Matuzevich, Senior Manager at World Tourism Cities Federation
Marysia Zipser, UK sole art agent/ACT Group, UK
Albert & Mike ,Volunteer and guide at Unseen Tours, UK
Kathryn Davis, Head of Tourism at Destination Bristol, UK
Siobhan Harrison, reference for Edward Harper, National Marketing Manager at English Heritage, UK
Segun Oni, card programs international, UK
Bernard Lay, Managing director at Limousine Plus Service, Germany (skalleague)
Ian Johnson, Founder & CEO at Out Now Global, US
Moussa Samake, Head of Corporate Business Development at Halldis, Italy
Barbara Kimming, Hotel Villa Rivoli, France (skalleague)
Networking at the World Travel Market - Responsible tourism operators
I attended the World Travel Market in London, and I was particularly interested in seminars and events focused on responsible tourism. This was the first time for me to attend an International event as a professional and not as an organiser or a student, I did my best to take advantage of the whole time I spent there.
I believe a young professional at the very beginning of a career needs to meet a wide range of colleagues: experts who have been working in the field for a long time and professionals of the same age.
The main reason I decided to attend the seminar was to see who my colleagues are, who my clients could be, and who the faces of the responsible tourism sector are. It has been very inspiring listening to them and having the chance to chat and give my positive opinion on the most interesting initiatives.
My experience has been great because I had the chance to organise a few meetings and to chat with many colleagues and professionals. There were many occasions to chat during WTM, also lunchtime has been a good chance, I have met colleagues from Costa Rica and decided to visit their stand.
I recommend any first-time attendees to do the same if you need to speak with any person in particular:
– what do you want to say?
– who do you want to speak to?
– contact the person weeks early and set up a meeting.
I found the networking reception very interesting (only a bit too crowded, but it was nice to see how many people are working in the responsible or sustainable tourism sector). It allowed me to meet in person people I knew only online and new friends I had never met before.
I probably have been a bit too shy for a networking reception, but I am learning how to become more confident. I wasn’t sure if I was approaching the right people; I found our faces a bit different in real life. Anyhow, I had interesting meetings. I had the chance to cross paths with and introduce myself to great experts and inspiring people, such as Justin Francis, Harold Goodwin, and Xavier Font. It was great.
On Monday, I also attended the SKAL London reception at the Aloft Hotel. I am a young SKAL member in Italy, and I felt at home meeting many Skalleagues from all over the world during the event.
The Responsible Tourism Awards at WTM London 2014
I want to tell you about the World Responsible Tourism Awards, one of the reasons why attending the World Travel Market in London is worth it.
The award, founded in 2004, is in its Eleventh edition and is becoming increasingly significant yearly. It has been truly inspirational.
Justin Francis, managing director of responsibletravel.com and founder of the awards, says, “The awards rest on a simple principle that all types of tourism, from niche to mainstream, can and should be organized in such a way that preserves respects and benefits destinations and locals” – written as reported on TTG@WTM 6.11.2014.
How does it work? One public member can nominate an individual, company, or destination to be considered. The long list is then whittled down into a shortlist judged by an expert panel.
The OVERALL WINNERS were in 2014 Campo and Parque dos Sonhos and South African Animal Sanctuary. Both winners demonstrate that is possible to address the right agenda, to swim against the tide and to be commercially successful.
The World Travel Market: London and Resposible Tourism - 2014
In November 2014, I attended the World Travel Market in London for the first time, one of the most significant events in the travel and tourism industry. I was particularly interested in seminars and events focused on responsible tourism.
World Travel Market (WTM) has been very interesting because I attended the event for the first time as a professional, not as a student or organizer.
The keywords of my experience are seminars – networking – motivation.
Seminars
Today, I want to share with you a few reflections about the seminars I have attended. I decided to attend seminars because I wanted to know what was going on in the sector, what my colleagues were doing, and, even more importantly, who they were.
In my opinion, a young professional at the very beginning of a career needs to meet a wide range of colleagues: experts who have been working in the field for a long time and same-age professionals.
There are several benefits to attending seminars:
– A different range of professionals follow the seminars, and it is possible to chat with them, starting the networking side with a common subject
– ask advice to the panel if you are developing similar projects
– understand the process of exciting initiatives, have the opportunity to ask for more details from designers and experts working in the field
– discover new ideas and solutions to be adopted in daily work or for individual projects
What I have learnt from the seminars
– During the first seminar, the panel gave the public suggestions on increasing tourism’s local economic impact. My favourite initiative is
mzansistore.com, an eMarketplace with “a difference” introduced by Deidré Luzmore. They provide local South African creative designers a shop front to showcase their entire product range. They give them the tools and e-commerce training they need to make their business a success and promote the brands on the same social media, blogs, and newsletters.
– The second seminar gave the public an interesting perspective on using Responsible Tourism to drive sales. This is a good question, and I like Justin Francis’s suggestion:
Please don’t confuse the way we design holidays (responsibly)
with the reason people buy them (authentic experience)
& the way we market them (experiences)
I followed a third seminar: Better Wildlife Tourism: Whose Responsibility? I want to develop this topic more here on STW.
The lesson I learnt is unfortunately unfortunate, we need to give wild animals economic value, through tourism, if we want to protect them. In many regions of the world, animals are more valued dead than alive. To give you an idea, I share a couple of examples from one attendee, confirmed by the panellist:
– dolphins are eaten and considered an excellent dish
– rhinoceroses and elephant’s bones are valued more than gold or cocaine
Travellers can support conservation tourism and ecotourism activities that enable the local community to choose wildlife protection over destruction.
Interesting has also been the point of view of the great Geoff Manchester, co-founder of Intrepid and one of the great keynote speakers I had the pleasure of meeting last year in Noosa (Australia) as organiser of Global Eco Conference 2o13. Intrepid has chosen to stop promoting elephant riding since 2012, and I am happy to share the best way to enjoy a wildlife experience: without touching. Check out Intrepid Travel’s Why We No Longer Ride Elephants article.
I’ll be back soon talking about “networking”
Stay tuned 
Sara