The fourth and final day of World Travel Market (WTM) is known in the industry to be a student day, with some delegates last year complaining that stands were not as busy as previous days.
However with many tourism boards and travel companies now increasingly looking at the return of investment for event and marketing activity, tourist office association ANTOR has said the final day is not worth the input for what its members get out of it.
The association is now calling for the show to become a three-day event on behalf of members after a post-WTM survey last year showed they would prefer a shorter exhibition.
However, an online poll on ANTOR’s website is currently 90% in favour of the current four-day format with 43 votes, while only 8% (four votes) think it should be three days. It is not known who has been voting on the ANTOR poll.
In a statement, ANTOR said: “ANTOR members recognise that Reed Exhibitions has worked hard to try and reinvent the final day of the show, but results have been slow in times when the economic ROI is key. The results are not substantial enough to justify the extra day in terms of time lost, cost of accommodation and subsistence. As a result, the efforts that WTM is putting in to attract visitors on the final day may leave visitors leaving feeling disappointed.”
ANTOR has proposed a fourth day could continue but as a smaller event, perhaps focused on the Global Village and technology areas only.
Last year WTM saw similar attendance on the Thursday compared to 2012 and 1% more than it did in 2012. In comparison, the invite-only Monday saw visitor numbers increase 12%; Tuesday’s visitation was up 7% and Wednesday saw a 5% rise in attendees.
Travel Daily has contacted Reed for comment.
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