World Travel Market is celebrating its 35th event. Over the past three and a half decades WTM has established itself as the event where the industry conducts business.
Visitors to WTM 2014 will be able to find out more about how ‘wearable’ technology can be used by travel companies to sell holidays in the future. Global travel technology company Sabre, will demonstrate some of the travel-related wearable apps they are experimenting with, including apps for Google Glass (smart glasses) and smart watches throughout WTM week (November 3-6). Recent forecasts are that almost 500 million wearables will be worn annually by 2018, although this could be a very conservative estimate. Whatever the numbers, a large proportion of the population will embrace wearable computing in the near future, and that will have a dramatic impact on how we shop and buy travel.
A 50-year roadmap for the future of adventure travel and responsible tourism will be explored during World Travel Market, the leading global event for the travel industry. Issues, policies and trends in the adventure travel sector will be debated across two days, rounded off by a networking event for operators, agents, destinations, tourism boards, equipment brands and the media. Chris Doyle, Executive Director – Europe, Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), will lead the first session, entitled ‘Pioneering the Next 50 Years, Today’.
Responsible Tourism is good business, but how you market and present the product matters. It’s not about hair shirts and cold showers; it is about the quality of the experience, about engagement and authenticity. It is about using Responsible Tourism to create value for the consumer, to give them an experience they won’t forget – but be warned, beware greenwashing. Four industry leaders will talk about how they use Responsible Tourism for market advantage.
