From 4th to 6th November World Travel Market (WTM) will bring together nearly 4,150 exhibitors from around the world and more than 46,000 attendees at the Excel in London. Additionally, the event will host 109 activities, including 79 conferences, focused on topics such as Sustainability, Technology, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility & Inclusion (DEAI), and Geo-economics, among others.
“As one of the “big three” travel shows in the world, alongside Fitur and ITB, WTM is a key event for travel tech companies” – explains Antonia Aguiló, Account Director at Belvera Partners, the global PR agency specialised on B2B travel technology. “It is a not-to-miss exhibition not only for the networking possibilities that it offers, but also because more than 115 technology businesses will showcase their products there, while travel tech experts will share their experiences and knowledge in different panels and presentations.”
Thought leadership at its best
Travel tech experts such as David Armstrong, CEO and Co-founder of HolidayPirates Group, who will speak at the panel “Meet the Founders: Inside the Journey of Building, Funding & Scaling Travel Innovation” on November 4th to provide advice about financing and other common obstacles faced by start-ups and early-stage entrepreneurs. HolidayPirates, the online travel marketplace present in 10 countries, will have a stand at the S3 area and will be represented, among others, by Nicholas Cooper, Stefano Bergamaschi, Carlo Speth and Lucile Grigne, heads of the UK, Italian, German and French markets, respectively.
Stephen Joyce, Global Lead for Travel, Tours and OTAs at Protect Group, will participate in the conference “Artificial Intelligence is Travel’s Enemy” on November 5th. The session will dissect where AI automation fails in travel and why human oversight is still essential. “Besides the great content and the opportunity to interact with innovators and leaders in the travel space, WTM is a showcase for the world and a great place to meet with new partners, as well as building on existing relationships” – says Joyce.
As travel and tourism are closely related to current affairs, geopolitics is also part of WTM’s conference programme. Mariano Dima, Chairman of Civitatis, the online platform that offers more than 90,000 tourism activities in 4,200 destinations, will be one of the panellists in “The New Travel Powerhouses: How Global Geopolitical Shifts are Redrawing Tourism Flows and Demand” on November 5th. “WTM provides an ideal platform to share perspectives, to explore emerging trends and to discuss the opportunities and challenges shaping fast-growing markets” – comments Dima – “Today’s travellers prioritize a combination of value, authentic experiences and human connection; and technology is playing a crucial role in enabling these meaningful experiences”.
The travel creator economy is another “hot topic” to be discussed during the travel fair. Stay22 has organized the panel “The Business of Content: Harnessing The $250B+ Travel Creator Economy in 2026” on November 5th. “The creator economy is no longer a side channel- it is a $250B engine driving how travellers make decisions” – says Fred Aouad, Chief Commercial Officer at the travel tech company based in Montreal (Canada). “Our research highlights a massive opportunity: when brands stop treating creators as campaigns and start treating them as business partners, the results are exponential.” Aouad is leading Stay22’s delegation in London, whose main purpose is to meet face-to-face with prospects, partners and supply channels, attend informative sessions and discover both potential tech partners and new suppliers at the show.
Tech-Driven Travel at WTM
After the launch of its new Luxury Travel chapter, GoNexus Group will have two stands at WTM: one in the S7 area and a second one for NexusCube, the company’s marketplace, in the S4 zone. “WTM is the perfect stage to connect with our global partners and share our vision for the future of travel” – states Rubén Gutiérrez, President of GoNexus Group. “Through our technology, we continue to empower local Destination Management Companies (DMCs) around the world to connect seamlessly with global travel partners, creating a more integrated and dynamic ecosystem. We remain committed to transforming the way the world travels through innovation, collaboration, and service excellence.”
For Daryl Lee, this year’s edition will be his first WTM as Group CEO of Dida Holdings. More than 50 delegates will represent the company at the travel show and its stand in the S4 area will highlight the next phase of Dida’s evolution as an AI-first travel technology group. “WTM offers the perfect opportunity to connect with our partners, discuss innovation and technology. It will also allow us to explore how we can continue shaping the future of global travel distribution together.” – explains Lee.
Atcore, Orchestra, Tigerbay, Traffics, Travel Compositor, Travel Connection Technology, Travelgate, Travelsoft Services, Eventiz and Travolution will be present at Travelsoft’s stand, their holding company, in the S3 area. “WTM is a key opportunity to exchange insights on industry trends, explore new business opportunities, and demonstrate how our latest innovations, such as Travel Compositor’s Group Engine, are transforming travel technology” – says Christian Sabbagh, Founder and CEO at Travelsoft and Orchestra. “This event reflects Travelsoft’s commitment to uniting technology, content, and community to empower travel professionals worldwide."
For Robert Goldsmith, Chief Operating Officer at Interlinked, winner of the WTM Start-up Pitch Battle in 2023, “this event is a great opportunity to cement existing relationships and scope out new industry trends in the travel tech”. Goldsmith is looking forward to learning more about how Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) are finding new ways to access new customers, plus new innovative ancillary products and services.
“WTM is the perfect place to identify the new movers and shakers to try and kick off new initiatives in the travel sector” – comments Mathias Olhagen, Chief Commercial Officer at Trava. “I also find that exploring the stands of our suppliers, customers and competitors can be quite exciting. Of course, getting to catch up with old colleagues and industry friends is a nice bonus!”
