Global travel industry exhibition, the World Travel Market 2013, is set to generate £2 billion and will boost the London economy by more than £160 million, according to Travel Daily News International.
The annual UK event, which finishes its 4-day run at ExCeL, London, today, will have attracted around 50,000 of the global travel and tourism industry’s top executives, there to promote the latest travel destinations.
World Travel Market has showcased more than 180 countries and regions with over 5,000 exhibitors. The UK event is expected to generate business deals worth more than £2 billion, while the economy will gain by more than £160 million from money spent on hotels, restaurants, flights and the other sundry expenses of those visiting the capital.
Reed Travel Exhibitions, director, World Travel Market, Simon Press, said: ‘World Travel Market plays a vital role for both the global travel and tourism industry facilitating more than £2 billion in industry deals.
‘Furthermore, the event has a massive impact on the London economy with 50,000 senior executives staying in the capital and spending money on hotels and evening entertainment, totalling more than £160 million.’
Celebrities attending WTM 2013 to help promote companies and destinations included Bollywood superstar Anil Kapoor from Slumdog Millionaire and Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, cricketers Viv Richards (Antigua) and Brian Lara (Trinidad & Tobago), former Manchester United forward Dwight Yorke and Eastenders actor, Rudolph Walker.
Among those addressing the gathering have been Marks & Spencer CEO and chairman, Stuart Rose, London deputy mayor for Business and Enterprise, Kit Malthouse, and founder of budget airline Go Fly and vice chair of the London 2012 Olympic Organising Committee, Barbara Cassani.
