Nine things we took away from WTM London 2023
TTG StaffAs another WTM London draws to a close, team TTG – who have been across everything that’s been going on over the past three days – take a look back at some of the biggest talking points from the annual trade show.
Tens of thousands of tourism professionals from around the world descended on London’s ExCeL centre over 6-8 November to share their updates, and rekindle relationships following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Key focuses included efforts to rebuild tourism arrivals to pre-pandemic levels, discussions around new ways of operating tourism to enrich local people, wildlife and the planet itself, and the trends set to steer the market over the coming years.
So these are just a few of what we considered to be the most noteworthy happenings over days one to three at WTM London – but we’d love to know what yours were.
Head over to one of TTG Media’s social media channels, leave a comment below or drop us an email on feedback@ttgmedia.com.
Jet2 is serious about Morocco
The airline and operator last month confirmed it was adding Marrakech and Agadir to its 2024/25 flight and holiday programme.
But Jet2's ambitions in Morocco are clearly a lot bigger than just tacking these destinations onto its offering after inking a five-year partnership with the Moroccan National Tourism Office (MNTO).
“We are investing directly in the development of tourism in Morocco through this agreement, and we are fully committed to working with our partners at the MNTO to ensure holidaymakers and travel professionals know all about the huge variety of things to do in this amazing country,” said Jet2.com and Jet2holidays chief executive Steve Heapy.
Morocco, for its part, has set itself the goal of almost doubling international tourist numbers from 14 million to 28 million by 2030.
A perfect match?
Idris Elba means business (for Sierra Leone)
Sierra Leone has also called on star power of a different variety, partnering with British actor Idris Elba (pictured right).
Elba, whose father hails from the West African nation, is working to help secure direct flights from the UK in an effort to increase visitor numbers, it was revealed at WTM London.
British Airways stopped flying to Sierra Leone’s capital Freetown during the pandemic, but is currently in “preliminary discussions” about resuming services.
Fatmata Mida Hamid Carew, general manager of Sierra Leone’s national tourist board, told TTG@WTM Elba had approached BA to talk about reviving the route.
“He wants to build a tourism hub in Sierra Leone,” said Hamid Carew, who added the country would double the number of fam trips it hosts for agents next year to 10.
Antigua and Barbuda's shooting for the stars
Antigua and Barbuda is aiming for the stars and looking to piggyback on the new-found fame of mother and daughter duo Keisha Schahaff (pictured right) and Anastatia Mayers (left), the Caribbean’s first astronauts.
Having travelled on Virgin Galactic’s second commercial spaceflight in August, Schahaff is now brand ambassador for the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority, with boss Colin C James telling TTG the pair had become symbols of national pride, with the country coming together to celebrate their achievement.
“The world is now asking, ‘Where is Antigua and Barbuda?’, thanks to them. Around 400 international media outlets talked about their involvement, which has been great for our country,” he said.
Region of Valencia ready to scrap tourism tax
The new government of the Region of Valencia came to WTM London with a clear mission; to reaffirm its commitment to the UK market – and to scrap its tourism tax that had been due to come into force next year.
The tax, legislated for by the region’s previous administration, was going to charge visitors staying in the region up to €2 per night from 1 January.
Speaking to the assembled Spanish and UK press, Carlos Mazon (pictured speaking), president of the Region of Valencia, called the tax “unfair and unnecessary”.
“We want to tell you – with complete clarity – Valencia will be a tax-free destination for tourism,” he said, adding how his team had met with Abta to communicate the decision to UK travel agents.
Etias worries played down, but scam threat emerges
Spain’s secretary of state for tourism has told TTG@WTM she doesn’t foresee the European Travel Information and Authorisation System, or Etias, scheme being a big issue for British travellers when it eventually comes into effect, a stance echoed at the show by Abta.
Rosanna Morillo said that while any procedures the EU introduces, such as Etias, need to be streamlined, they typically always improve over time. “With any changes like this, the processes will get better and better with time, but so far – and I’ve seen the current design – I don’t foresee a big issue for British travellers,” said Morillo.
Luke Petherbridge, Abta’s director of public affairs, echoed Morillo’s comments, telling a Brexit-themed panel he didn't believe the scheme would have a huge influence on people’s appetite to travel. “We’ve tackled similar systems in the past which didn’t have an effect on travel from the UK to EU," he said.
Morillo's comments preceded a warning issued during Petherbridge's panel discussion that fake Etias websites were springing up ahead of the scheme’s launch, akin to those that dominate search engine results for the comparable US Esta system.
Travel is still way behind on gender pay equality
The Covid-19 pandemic set travel's already, some would say, underwhelming efforts to close its gender pay gap back by another whole generation, WTM London was told – to a staggering 131 years.
Speaking during a panel session on the Innovate Stage entitled Empowering Women to Change Travel, the First Lady of Iceland – Madame Eliza Reid (pictured right) – highlighted how companies that proactively embrace gender equality rather than just talk about it were more likely to thrive.
"The more gender equal a company is, the more money it makes," she told delegates.
It was panel host Alessandra Alonso (pictured left), founder and managing director of Women in Travel CIC, though, who hammered home the key message, citing the aforementioned statistics from the World Economic Forum.
“I don’t think anyone here is willing to wait that long,” she said, dryly. And nor can travel afford to.
Ukraine is ready to rebuild its tourism economy
Ukraine is looking to collaborate with neighbouring nations to rebuild its tourism industry and restore its image as an attractive destination following Russia's invasion last year.
Mariana Oleskiv, chair of the State Agency for Tourism Development of Ukraine, told TTG Ukraine was looking to Moldova, Romania and Poland to help it revitalise its tourism sector ready for when the conflict eventually ends.
Despite the war, Oleskiv said Ukraine was actively promoting its tourism credentials and working at a local level to rebuild key tourism infrastructure.
“It’s very important for us to plan our recovery at this moment, and then promote tourism to Ukraine when it’s safe to do so,” she added.
Oleksiv's comments build on capital Kyiv's simple message from last year's WTM London: "Just come and visit our country after the war.”
Brazil betting on tourism windfall
Brazil’s tourism industry could receive a massive funding boost if the country’s senate votes through a new law next week, which would channel 1% of all sports bets made in the country to the Brazilian Tourist Board.
Jaqueline Gil, the tourist board’s international marketing, business and sustainability director, told TTG@WTM: “At the moment, we’re reorganising our budget structure. We’re looking to increase it. We’re currently waiting for a vote in Congress.”
Gil said the tourist board would use the money to make sustainability its main focus. "We understand sustainability is bound side-by-side with the tourism industry," she said.
Is Egypt's Grand Museum finally poised to open?
Egypt's minister for tourism and antiquities has insisted the long-awaited Grand Egyptian Museum will open by May 2024 at the latest.
Ahmed Issa said following a soft launch later this year or in January, an official opening would then be held "between February and May".
It should be noted the museum had been slated to open as far back as 2018, as reported by TTG at WTM London 2017.
The museum's galleries will be the length of three football pitches. Entry will be $30, which Issa justified by remarking: "The London Eye is £48."
TTG Staff
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