MORE THAN 5,000 COMPANIES ‘OPEN FOR BUSINESS’ AT WORLD TRAVEL MARKET 2000

A total of 5,156 main stand holders and sharing exhibitors from 177 countries are present at World Travel Market 2000, the event’s 21st anniversary.

Exhibiting for the first time are 132 new companies and organisations.

Seven countries and states are also participating for the first time, including Libya, Rwanda, Tahiti and Fiji.

In Europe, for example, Figuueira Grande, Tourisme-Empresa and Municipal are all exhibiting independently of the Portuguese Tourist Board.

Main exhibitors in the Middle East section include Dubai Oman, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Qatar and Yemen; while in the enlarged Africa area - up by five per cent - ten new exhibitors are present including In Africa, Sopa Lodges, Chech Tours, Raya Hotels, Tswalu Private Desert Reserve, Tanzania Photo Tours & Safari, veer.com, Inbound Travel Services and Africa At Your Fingertips.

Asia Pacific also sees an increase of four per cent with exhibitors including Dusit, Exotissimo, Diethelm, East West Siam, Asia Travel Network and Venture Asia.

The Global Village has a wide range of multi-national companies, representing every sector of the industry. Hotel groups. for example, include Movenpick Hotels, Relais du Silence, Sonesta Hotels, Warwick Hotels and Park Plaza International Hotels & Resorts and car rental companies range from Alamo Rent a Car to Payless Car Rental.

As usual, the technology and telecommunications section is busy with major industry technology providers taking part. They include Galileo International, Worldspan, X-TANT, Voyager Systems, FSS Travel & Leisure Systems, Cendant and Data Management Group Ltd.

Attendance figures are expected to be similar to the ’99 event with 12,000 Meridian Club members and a total of 30,000 trade visitors.

Fiona Jeffery, exhibition director said:” I am delighted to be able to welcome so many new names and faces at World Travel Market 2000. It is an important year for the travel and tourism industry, which faces challenging times. More than an ever, it is essential for the industry to meet and discuss the opportunities ahead.”

A major focus this year is e-travel which aims to help the industry confront the issues as well as learn more about new technology on every level. Two keynote debates will take place during the week and there is a series of daily practical and more advanced seminars on the subject.

Two primary aspects of e-travel will be debated and discussed. ‘e-travel: Evolution or Revolution’

(10.30 am – 12 noon, central feature area, Tuesday 14 November) tackles the management of industry change and impact world-wide, while ‘ Death of a Salesman?’(10.30 – 12 noon, central feature area, Thursday 16 November) gets to grips with the industry’s most controversial dilemma: Will the travel agent be extinct in ten years time?

In addition, other vital areas of industry interest will be featured. Incentive, Conference and Business Travel Day is on the second Meridian day, Tuesday 14 November and Environmental Awareness Day is on Wednesday 15 November.

World Travel Market’s Just a Drop appeal for the international travel and tourism industry aims to raise $120,000 by the end of the year. The money will be used to help the work of the British Red Cross to provide clean water to children and their families in the Southern African countries of Malawi and Mozambique. Many fund raising events are taking place during the week, including an auction (2.30 pm, central feature area, Tuesday 14 November), when television personality Emma Kennedy, presenter of The Real Holiday Show on the UK’s Channel Four) will be the guest celebrity.