With World Travel Market London open to registrations we thought it’d be the perfect time create a useful post with details of how you can get the most out of WTM this year, as well as key events and opportunities.
Don’t forget to bookmark, share and come back to this page as we’ll be updating it with key information in the run up to WTM 2023.
Held every year in ExCel in London, this huge exhibition welcomes thousands of travel industry attendees through the door. This year is shaping up to be one of the best years yet with the travelling industry bouncing back with style.
Traverse WhatsApp Community
This year Traverse is launching its WhatApp Community including a World Travel Market London 2023 group, where you’ll find information about spontaneous events, networking, lunches, social events and insider tip off.
You can’t afford not to join if you’re attending the show this year!
Traverse Creator Awards 2023
The Friday before WTM 2023 (3rd November) we’ll have hosting the Traverse Creator Awards 2023! The Traverse Creator Awards (TCAs) celebrate, showcase and reward talented digital content creators that have been producing outstanding content and shaping our industry over the previous 12 months.
Tickets are still on sale if you hurry!
Creators’ Networking Lunch at WTM London
For the first time ever, we’re hosting a networking lunch at World Travel Market London specifically for content creators to mingle with exhibitors.
Traverse is teaming up with WTM to invite the world’s top content creators and influencers to the Media Centre at The ExCel. Mark your calendars for Wednesday, 8 November 2023 at 12:15pm.
We’ll have 100 brands, DMOs, agencies, and more at the lunch, but spots for content creators are filling up fast. Just a heads-up, you’ll need to be registered for WTM London 2023 with a media pass to sign up for this networking lunch.
Don’t worry, we’ve got food and drinks covered for everyone. It’s the perfect chance to make some new connections on the last day of WTM London 2023.
To get early access to this and other WTM events, join the Traverse Facebook Community and dedicated WTM London 2023 group.
WTM Events & Opportunities
Please note: These will be updated as new events and opportunities arise.
Hamburg Happy Hour – WTM London
We’re thrilled to be teaming up with Hamburg Marketing again to host a special post-WTM Happy Hour drink.
This year, we’re taking the party to Rocket in Canary Wharf, right after the Tuesday activities of World Travel Market London conclude. We’ve reserved the entire top floor of the venue, which is just a quick 15-minute hop from The ExCel. Starting at 6:30pm, we’ll have wine, beer, soft drinks, and snacks all set up for you.
To get early access to this and other WTM events, join the Traverse Facebook Community and dedicated WTM London 2023 group.
MARKETING SUMMIT: How to run an Influencer Campaign that Really Delivers
In partnership with Traverse
When: Wednesday, 8th Nov – 14:45pm – 15:20pm
Where: WTM – Elevate Stage
In this talk, Michael Ball from Traverse will be joined by Anneka Roberts of Finn Partners and Scott Tisson from Intrepid Escape to demonstrate how destinations and brands can put together an influencer campaign that delivers value, quality and ROI. The presenters will look at how to select content creators, which content platforms to use and why, how to measure the output and of course what it’s all worth. There will be two presentations, from an industry expert and content creator, followed by a short panel Q&A, hosted by the director of Traverse.
Maldives Press Events
When: 7 November – 10:00am -10:45am
Where: Media Centre – ME670
Details: Must RSVP on – https://forms.gle/gAdK6Jz5xBm2ukda6
Jordan Press Conference
When: 6 November – 14:00pm – 15:00pm
Where: Hall S4, Stand 500
Details: Join the Jordan Tourism Board stand where the team will be revealing the latest news about Jordan, including exciting news in relation to the Gumball 3000’s 25th Anniversary Rally, and a special focus on Aqaba’s new tourism identity.
Thailand Press Conference
When: 6 November – 11:15am
Where: South Gallery Room 22
Details:
Media briefing and Responsible Thailand Awards
All attendees will receive a lunch to take away with them after the press conference.
A Gift for Life – Oman Stand Event at WTM
When: Monday, November 6 · 4:30 – 5:30pm GMT
Where: Stand S5-514
Details:
On behalf of Oman’s Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, Traverse would like to invite you to an intimate media event to witness the launch of “A gift for life” – Oman’s latest brand campaign, which will be exclusively unveiled at World Travel Market (WTM) next week. His Excellency, Azzan bin Qassim al Busaidi, Undersecretary for Tourism in the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, will be attending together with other members of the tourism board. Food and drinks will be provided.
World Travel Market Tips
A few of years back, we asked our community on Twitter and our Facebook group, to ask you all for your top tips on how to have the most successful WTM possible.
We’d love to hear any of your other suggestions in the comments below! And where can you find Traverse at WTM this year? What events are going on?
Thank you to everyone who put forward their top tips, here are just a few of them:
Book your appointments strategically. WTM is huge and going from one section to another can take time, especially if they are located at opposite sides of the Excel.
When you are scheduling appointments try to think which areas they are in. For example, keep the morning for meetings in Europe and the afternoon for the ones in Asia. Also, don’t schedule more than two appointments per hour and try to give yourself time to breath in between.
Joanna Davis www.theworldinmypocket.co.uk
Tell the world you have arrived, tweet and use Instagram through out the day. Use and Check the #WTMLondon from now and throughout the event as it’s a great way to connect with other content creators and may just get you that extra meeting or connection with an exhibitor.
Lisa Picies, https://oneepicroadtrip.com
Take a packed lunch and snacks. The queues for the food places are enormous and you pay London prices for everything. Or eat early/late for lunch!
Nikki Turner-Chaplin www.yorkshirewonders.co.uk
Join the WTM Content Creator group on Facebook! It includes lots of info about on stand events, and advice for newbies.
Roshni Patel https://www.thewanderlustwithin.com
Use it as an opportunity to catch up with connections you’ve already made. It’s one place where you can pretty much guarantee you’ll be able to meet up with PRs and brands rather than spending days arranging meetings at their offices. Oh and wear comfy shoes!
Chloe Gunning, https://www.wanderlustchloe.com/
Don’t forget to have fun! WTM is a travel show. As much as is about business, it is about travel and having fun. Keep in mind that more than 180 countries are in one place, they are next to each other without any borders, you can travel from country to another, or even from a continent to another continent without taking flight in 3 days. All of these countries try to present their culture. There are various fun activities, new technologies, and great food and drinks. So this is a great opportunity to learn about different countries and having fun.
Mansoureh Farahani
Follow the event hashtag on twitter to find out about special events. At the end of the last day there are the festivals where some countries showcase their culture, food, and drinks. It’s a fun way to end the event.
Anisa Alhilali www.twotravelingtexans.com
If it is your first WTM and you don’t have much practice pitching brands , don’t feel the need to dive into it straightaway. Have a conversation, be yourself, be nice , be patient, share your passions and also learn, listen what plans the destination or brand has for next year- it has to be a two way conversation and not just about you.
WTM is a great place to get a feeling of what direction the travel industry is heading in- accordingly you can develop products or storytelling ideas that might become campaigns in the future. Build those relationships & sooner or later your efforts will bear fruit! Plus as everyone has mentioned here- have fun!
Kashyap Bhattacharya https://budgettraveller.org
Always strategic about which evening events you attend. They’re often spread out across London so you could end up spending most of your night traveling across the city to get between them if you’re not careful. Choosing one or two at the most will allow you to spend quality time at each one.
Julie Falconer, https://www.aladyinlondon.com
WTM can zap the energy out of you after just one day or all three. Create follow up draft emails with your media kits ready to send out to contacts.
Remember that many exhibitors might be staying on in London for several days post WTM for meetings with partners and clients, so don’t rush to send out emails on a Thursday or Friday.
Briefly customise your email, and send out at the start of the next week (Tuesday). We’ve found contacts to be more responsive when we do so.
Eulanda Osagiede Heydipyourtoesin.com
Do your research and know your audience. Before arranging a meeting or even attending one, make sure you’re familiar with the destination, NTO or brand’s objectives and future plans.
Julia Newbound, https://wtm.london.com
Press conferences are great places for networking both with PRs and local companies. They also give you a great overview of what the destination’s priorities are for the coming year(s), making it easier to customise your pitch.
Monika https://familyflightadvisor.com
If you are there a few days, treat WTM as a whole travel experience. Be curious and open minded and independent. If you were unable to set up many appointments, wander the stalls and start up conversations as you would when travelling. Mix your journey up by using cable car, boat, tube and DLR to get to Excel. Accept initiations to the kind of parties and gatherings in the evenings that you might not normally attend. WTM is as much about the chance encounter as it is catching up with contacts. On my first WTM I randomly struck up a conversation with a travel editor sitting next to me and ended up working with him for six years.
Kirstie Pelling https://www.familyadventureproject.org/
Have a look through the website first and note down the stands of what brands/tourism boards you’re most eager to work with. It’s a big place so you can make sure you see them first!
Jessica Esa booksandbao.com
Know what you want and what your value is. Organise meetings with warm and highly relevant contacts then communicate your offering. Quality over quantity, don’t burn out from too many meetings make time to enjoy soaking up the event.
Paul Dow, indepartures.com/
My 33rd show. Don’t wear new shoes, carry a spare pair to change into – your feet will welcome the change, up your vitamin C intake a few weeks before and pace yourself.
Nim Singh explore-canada.co.uk
Don’t feel despondent when every other blogger you know seems to be scurrying from pre-arranged meeting to pre-arranged meeting! Opportunities can arise simply from spontaneously approaching representatives on their stands too.
Steve Biggs, https://biggsytravels.com
Bring a back up charger pack because we all know the battery life of an iPhone is utterly awful! Business cards, always take more than you think you’ll need, I can guarantee you’ll run out in a flash!
Kylie Bawden http://www.delphineblu.com
If you’re pitching to a brand that has diving, make sure to show up in a full wetsuit, mask and snorkel. They’ll appreciate the effort.
Preparation is key! If you don’t prepare it can be very overwhelming as there are thousands of people there and conference sessions happening in various different areas of the show. Before you come, have an idea of the sessions you want to attend, the people you want to meet and factor in time from getting from A to B (It takes me around 15 mins to get from one end of the hall to the other!). This year we have an amazing new appointment scheduling tool called Connect Me. This allows you to message and arrange meetings with exhibitors before you get there. If you’re approaching an exhibitor’s stand on the day, ask for the PR person as often the sales team will be manning the stand and they may not be the right person to speak to.
Emily Edwards, https://wtm.london.com
Feel the fear and attend anyway – as a newbie to all things Traverse and WTM London last year, I had no idea what I was walking into. But off the back of a recommendation of a fellow content creator, I bought a ticket for Mingle and discovered an incredible new community and made some fantastic connections. Which has worked out very nicely a year later.
Han Talbot, https://traverse-events.com
Paul is co-founder/director at Traverse and also a long term travel blogger at www.travmonkey.com. His new project is all about learning to surf and leave the stresses of the city behind at www.surfandunwind.com as well as his new project crowdsourcing airport information indepartures.com.
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