WTM & TF Virtual will take place on 8-9 November 2021, following the in-person events taking place at ExCel from 1-3 November
WTM London and Travel Forward will play a leading role in uniting the global travel industry, in one of the first face-to-face gatherings for the international travel and tourism sector since the start of the global pandemic.
For those who cannot attend the in-person events taking place at ExCeL London on Monday, November 1 – Wednesday, November 3, 2021, this year’s WTM and TF are hybrid events, with WTM & TF Virtual – a two-day virtual event designed with one-on-one meetings, networking and business opportunities at heart.
WTM & TF Virtual will take place a week later than WTM London and Travel Forward, on 8-9 November and will be running from 07:00-22:00 GMT to allow travel and tourism visitors to access at different times zones across the globe.
All seminars and conference sessions taking place at the WTM London in-person event will be hosted on demand on the virtual platform. In addition, WTM & TF Virtual will bring buyers and delegates together for unique networking opportunities and one-to-one video meetings.
This means WTM & TF Virtual will be pivotal to the industry’s road to recovery, giving the global travel and tourism trade the perfect platform to reconnect, rebuild and innovate.
Buyers will be able to request meetings with exhibitors and visitors who sign up for WTM Virtual. Visitors will be allowed to request up to five meetings free of charge.
One organisation that is grasping the opportunities WTM Virtual brings is China Travel Online – a leading outbound travel portal that connects travel suppliers worldwide to Chinese operators and professionals, and has become WTM London’s newest buyer partner and media partner in China.
The new partnership means China Travel Online will invite up to 50 Chinese buyers to network and do business with suppliers and destinations across the globe during WTM Virtual.
Marcus Lee, Chief Executive at China Travel Online, said: “Becoming the China buyer partner and media partner means that our profile will be raised around the world.
“It enables us to help many Chinese buyers to make new business connections and seal important deals as the travel industry looks to rebuild in 2022.
Simon Press, WTM London Exhibition Director, said: “Face-to-face networking is back, but for those unable to attend the in-person event, the WTM & TF Virtual gives delegates the opportunity to network, seal deals and capitalise on the enormous opportunities for growth in 2022 and 2023.
“It’s also an opportunity for those who attend the in-person event to follow-up on conversations that started at ExCel.
“WTM Virtual 2020 was a great success and this year our virtual platform is focusing on one-to-one meetings and networking to make it easy for people to do business, no matter where they are.”