World Travel Market 2010 has been voted UKinbound’s Industry Event of the Year at the association’s annual convention Gala Dinner.
The awards, which took place at Alton Towers, Staffordshire on 10 February, were voted by UKinbound members only, with one vote per member company.
World Travel Market triumphed in the Event of the Year category beating Best of Britain and Ireland, Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and the Encore WTM Party.
WTM 2010 was the largest-ever World Travel Market due to the £165 million expansion of host venue ExCeL, London. The event had 150 new exhibitors, including many in the UK & Ireland region. New exhibitors in the UK & Ireland region include the Institute of Directors, Manchester United, Liverpool Football Club, The Guild of Travel and Tourism, Cutty Sark, St Paul’s Cathedral and Ripley’s.
Furthermore, WTM experienced a 10% increase in visitors across the four days to almost 27,000 (26,908), of these a massive 16,700 were interested in purchasing product from UK & Ireland and Europe.
The amount of business conducted at WTM also increased 25% with the event poised to generate £1,424 million in industry deals compared to £1,139 million in 2009.
World Travel Market Exhibition Director Simon Press said: “I am delighted WTM 2010 was voted UKinbound’s Event of the Year. WTM 2010 was a great success with 150 new exhibitors, a 10% annual increase in the number of visitors and a 25% increase in the amount of industry business the event will generate.
“Recognition from the UKinbound’s members – who are some of the event’s key exhibitors and visitors – demonstrates what a great event for the industry WTM 2010 was.”
