With 5,500 exhibitors representing over 200 countries and regions and a packed seminar and conference programme, we look forward to welcoming you to the event this week for business, networking and learning opportunities.

Another day attending the annual World Travel Market got off to a great start. Wednesday 12th November was the third day of the four day event which saw travel agents and other associated role players in the global travel and tourism sector given access to attend the event.

As part of my programme for WTM, I spent the day interchanging networking opportunities with spending time with South African travel role players attend the exhibition with special focus on TBCSA members.

Those that I managed to speak with reported that the show has been good for them with special mention of good business done on day two of the exhibition. They renewed their existing business relationships and signed up new ones which is great news for the country. The driving force ofcourse is preparations for 2010 FIFA World Cup.

FLASH BACK – TUESDAY 11TH NOVEMBER 2008 - WTM MINISTERS' SUMMIT -

Responding to the Economic Downturn and Staying on Course with the Climate and Poverty Reduction Agenda

Ahead of WTM 2008, tourism stakeholders globally were encouraged to motivate their ministers to get involved in the prestigious annual United National World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Minister’s Summit took place on Tuesday 11 November.

This year’s topic, delved into the tragic and global issue of poverty and climate change. Ministers from around the world gathered to debate and discuss this important subject, exploring how tourism can be a major positive transformation agent - particularly in emerging and least developed economies.

This summit gave attending Ministers the chance to understand how as an industry we can work together to help combat climate change and poverty issues, while simultaneously managing a more demanding economic scenario in the international tourism agenda. Ministers of Tourism from various parts of the world participated at this important international event by the UNWTO.

The objective is to assist in deepening the debate on the economic downturn and its effects on climate change and poverty reduction agendas. As an exhibitor, the WTM team encourages you to motivate and support your Minister to participate.

Faced with the global economic uncertainty this year, the tourism sector must seriously examine how these reservations will affect the industry while making sure not to lose sight of its commitment to provide solutions to global challenges, particularly global warming, sustainable development and poverty.

Highlights of the Day’s Happenings?

PRESIDENT-ELECT Barack Obama has triggered an incredible surge in “roots” tourism. Trips are being booked to Indonesia, Kenya, Japan and the United States, reveals World Travel Market’s Media Bulletin at Excel London.

Kenya Tourism industry has decided to cash-in on the Obamania euphoria which saw them carrying the US President-Elect’s pictures on their exhibition stand here in World Travel Market. They have a life size picture of Mr Obama on their stand which has created frenzy since the official opening of the exhibition – many photos were taken with the life size picture of the President Elect. Talk about cashing in – the Kenyan style.

Keeping an Eye on the Competition - Business As Usual for Kenya at WTM 2008?

Kenya is using World Travel Market to tell the world it is back on track, after the clashes that followed the country’s election in December 2007. Charter airlines and tour operators have reinstated their services, while scheduled carriers are offering enticing deals. The Kenya Tourist Board has been given £8m to spend on global trade initiatives to boost tourism, including marketing campaigns and trade educationals.

Of the £8m, £3.2m has come from the Kenyan government, with a further £4.7m from the European Union. The new funds are in addition to £2.4m already spent on recovery efforts in Kenya and abroad since January. The KTB expects visitor numbers to have recovered to 2007 levels by the end of 2009. 

Responsible Tourism Day

Wednesday 12th November at WTM was called “WTM World Responsible Tourism Day”. This is done in association with the UNWTO and supported by leading international industry association such as PATA and the WTTC.

The event was hosted by Stephen Sackur, presenter on BBC World’s “Hard Talk”. Its objective was to provide the global travel industry to the hard truths to increase awareness about responsible tourism. Read more about the day’s proceedings and important conclusions.

The conference, chaired by Professor Harold Goodwin, director of the International Centre for Responsible Tourism, will focus on how hoteliers and tour operators can use responsible tourism to improve the bottom line.

Speakers at the event included Jane Ashton, head of sustainable development TUI Travel; Nicky Fitzgerald, Conservation Corporation Africa; Richard Hearn, former owner and MD of Inntravel; Liam Lambert, operations director, Europe, Mandarin Oriental Hotels and chairman of the Considerate Hoteliers Association; Geoff Manchester, MD of Intrepid Travel; Lyndall de Marco, International Business Leaders Forum; Amanda Marks, MD of Tribes Travel; Chris Thomson, Federation of Tour Operators; and Loreto Duffy-Meyers, Casuarina Beach Club Barbados, Green Hotel Certification – Caribbean.

WTM chairman Fiona Jeffery said: “Businesses suffer from the misconception that responsible tourism strategies can mean taking a hit on profits. “If responsible tourism activity is integrated with a well orchestrated business plan, it can have a positive impact on overall performance and has resulted in some highly successful businesses reaping the benefits of responsible tourism.

“A clear signal has now gone out to the world that responsible tourism must be at the top of the agenda, but this definitely does not mean the industry has to forgo profits.”

Carbon Consultancy – how to choose a Carbon Offset Scheme that works and how to contribute to Reducing Green House Gaz Emissions

The session provided an overview on how offsets are created, the varying types of projects on the go globally, calculating emissions to match and offset purchase and the drivers behind purchase. Practical methods of emissions reduction were discussed by Hugo Kimber, Carbon Consultancy.

Some of the other topics discussed as part of WTM’s Responsible Tourism Day’s programme:-

• How To Build a Green Hotel


• Airlines and their Impact on the Environment


• Successfully Sustained Destinations


• Tourism Climate Change Solutions – improving sustainability and competitiveness


• Water – is there enough of this resource for Tourism?

Newsflash - Who Said What at WTM2008

Kempinski Expansion - World Travel Market week coincides with hotel development announcement by five-star company Kempinski. Several properties are scheduled to open just prior to WTM. They include the 75-room Kempinski Hybernská Prague, the 185-room Kempinski Palace Portoroz, Slovenia, which has just completed a five-year restoration programme, the 106-chalet Kempinski Mokuti Lodge in Namibia and the 289-room Hotel Indonesia Kempinski, in Jakarta.

Newsflash - WTTC’s Global Tourism Summit – going to China in 2010 – watch this space for the venue for 2011!

Looking Ahead to Tomorrow 13th November 2008 – Last Day for WTM 2008

The Global Economic Forum at WTM

World Travel Market’s Global Economic Forum, chaired by the highly respected former BBC financial journalist Peter Hobday, is one of the most important events of the week for senior and middle management.

Some of the world’s most important economic and industry business brains will be at World Travel Market to help companies confront the economic slowdown and plan for 2009 and beyond.  Professor Norbert Walter, chief economist at Deutsche Bank Group and Head of Deutsche Bank Research will make a keynote speech.

He will be joined by Jean Claude Baumgarten, president of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), global aviation specialist, John Strickland and John Walker, chairman of Tourism Economics and Oxford Economics, a world leader in high quality, quantitative analysis will also speak at the forum.

On Lighter Note –News on London Streets

The passing of Mama Africa, our music icon Miriam Makeba made big news in London with full page reports in most papers with obituaries and people sharing their happy memories listening to her “nightingale” voice.

What Infrastructural Challenges you Ask?

The big news affecting our sector and WTM in particular was the “travel delays that hit WTM” which raised doubts over London’s ability to host the 2012 Olympics after thousands of visitors were stranded on their way to Docklands.

Tourism Minister Barbara Follet apologised to delegates at World Travel Market at Excel after the Docklands Light Railways (DLR train line) broke down and there were problems on the Tube(the London Underground train system). Ertugrul Gunay, Turkey’s Tourism Minister said “traffic will pose a problem in 2012”.

So, we are not alone with our infrastructure problems but the only difference is that London has four years to fix their problems and remember they already have a good working public transport system and that all they need is refining and fine tuning.

On the Alert “Tube strike threat from Sunday Night in London”

Electricity supply maintenance workers on London Underground train system will stage two strikes in a row over pay, it was announced today. The Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) said its EDF Energy members will walk out for 36 hours from Sunday evening and on Sunday 7 December in a dispute over pay parity – parity with other Tube workers.

What this means is that all of us needs to get out of London by Sunday if we don’t want to get stark without train transport – the famous Heathrow and Gatwick express trains and all other trains that connects passengers to the city’s airports. With trains going to stop, passengers will have to rely on buses and taxis!

ENDS...