World Travel Market 2002 has virtually "sold out" all available exhibition
space at its new venue, ExCeL in London Docklands - eight months before
opening.
Overall exhibition space is expected to increase by more than 18% in
comparison to 2001 at Earls Court.
"This is an unprecedented situation and like no other year we have
experienced", said Fiona Jeffery, Group Exhibition Director.
"There is tremendous level of support for the move to ExCeL by the
international travel and tourism industry. And a clear mood of optimism that
the industry's fortunes will be considerably more positive, as predicted by
the World Tourism Organisation, by the third and fourth quarters of this
year. This would certainly appear to be a pivotal year for the industry.
"The only space not contracted so far is being delayed because of the
complexities of floor planning - certainly not because of lack of interest.
"Our deliberate global focus on a four-day business to business event,
combined with the prospects for tourism later this year and the new cutting
edge facilities at the spectacular ExCeL location, is being endorsed by the
industry in the most powerful means possible.
"Now we are working on the largest and most comprehensive marketing and
communications programme ever launched by World Travel Market to ensure
that we deliver quality visitors that helps exhibitors to regain and grow their
businesses."
Ms. Jeffery said that 29,969 square metres of exhibition space had been
contracted, representing 91% of last year's final total. She hoped the
remaining space would be finalised during the next few weeks.
"Half of the exhibitors indicated their commitment to exhibiting at the 2001
event and many have been looking to increase their space and their number of
sharing companies. The interest has been at record levels ever since then."
In comparison to the exhibition space they occupied last year, for example,
African exhibitors are increasing by 75%, Europe by 28%, the United States
and Caribbean by 15% and Middle East and North Africa by 10%.
Total final expected square metre of space is expected to be more than
36,000 sqm. This compares to 32,887 in 2001. |
