The WTM Portfolio, part of Reed Travel Exhibitions, is set to enter Asia and China in 2016 with the launch of two events under the new WTM connect brand.
WTM connect Asia will take place at Straits Quay Convention Centre in Penang from May 18 to 20, 2016, while WTM connect China will be held at the Renaissance Sanya Resort and Spa, Hainan Island from May 23 to 25, 2016.
According to the release, the new WTM connect events will offer a unique one-to-one format targeted at the booming Asian and Chinese leisure travel markets, allowing exhibitors to exclusively meet with elite hosted buyers.
WTM Portfolio, director, Craig Moyes, commented: “WTM connects are targeted events for exhibitors to meet with especially hand-picked buyers. The WTM Portfolio will help facilitate more than US$7 billion in travel industry business deals in 2015, the WTM connect events in China and Malaysia will see this figure increase further in 2016.”
Malaysia will be the host country for WTM connect Asia 2016, with local hosts including Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau and Penang Global Tourism.
With a new travel trade show on the horizon, private sector players are urging greater differentiation between such events.
“(WTM) has to be innovative and uniquely different from ITB Asia to attract buyers and sellers,” said Gracie V Geikie, director and principal consultant at Planet Borneo Group of Companies. “Personally, I am beginning to see a lethargy in travel trade shows because they are all a ‘me too’ event. There are also too many trade shows around of the same nature.”
Ally Bhoonee, executive director of World Avenues, agreed: “In my opinion, there are too many trade shows in the marketplace and this is not helping the industry as we keep seeing the same buyers.
“Trade shows are an expensive affair for sellers and profit margins have gone down due to the presence of OTAs. To make an impact, WTM connect Asia will have to address these concerns.”
