Industry leaders and financial experts focus on 2010 at WTM Vision

An unprecedented collection of financial experts and senior travel executives will debate the impact the worldwide financial downturn will have on the industry in 2010 in the rebranded WTM Vision – The Global Economic Forum.

Industry opinion on the best business strategies to prosper next year comes from a list of who’s who in travel and tourism comprised of:

• British Airways Chief Executive Willie Walsh
• TUI Travel Chief Executive Peter Long
• Carnival UK Chief Executive David Dingle
• United Nations World Tourism Organization Secretary-General Taleb Rifai
• Royal Caribbean Cruise Line Vice President and Managing Director Robin Shaw
• P&O Cruises Managing Director Carol Marlow
• Visit Britain Chief Executive Sandie Dawe, and
• Mexican Tourism Board Director Manuel Diaz-Cebrian
• Intercontinental Hotels Group Chief Executive Andrew Cosslett, and
• Taj Managing Director & CEO Raymond Bickson

The panel of economic experts debating the business strategies suggested by the industry leaders is chaired by former BBC journalist and economics expert Peter Hobday.

The panel includes Nic Marks, who is founder of well-being center nef (the new economics foundation). Marks uses an innovative Happy Planet Index to analyze economic data. He will demonstrate HPI on Euromonitor International’s latest Forecast Restatement Report, which will be unveiled at the conference. The report looks at the impact the global financial downturn has had on growth in the travel and tourism industry.

Cox & Kings executive director Peter Kerkar and aviation expert John Strickland are also on the panel.

The Global Economic Forum has been rebranded to WTM Vision – The Global Economic Forum following the successful inaugural WTM Vision Conference in London this summer.

WTM exhibition director Craig Moyes said: “The impressive line up of industry and economic experts will give delegates some fresh thinking and innovative business ideas for 2010 and beyond.

“Experts agree travel and tourism will be on the rise again next year, just as it has in previous eras. It will not be straight forward, but those companies that have survived the downturn are robust and flexible so should be in a good position to capitalize on a more promising future.”

The WTM Vision – The Global Economic Forum takes place at ExCeL-London on Thursday, November 12 (Platinum Suite 4, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm). Registration fees, including VAT, are: £70 (before September 18); £95 (before November 6); £115 (at the door). All delegates receive a free DVD of the industry expert’s opinions and business strategies for the future.

www.wtmlondon.com/gef

ABOUT WORLD TRAVEL MARKET

World Travel Market, the premier global event for the travel industry, is the must-attend, four-day, business-to-business exhibition for the worldwide travel and tourism industry.

Almost 50,000 senior travel industry professionals, government ministers, and international press embark on London’s ExCeL Centre every November to network, negotiate, and discover the latest industry opinion and trends at WTM.
WTM, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2009, is the event where the travel industry conducts and concludes its deals.

WTM is owned by the world’s leading events organizer Reed Exhibitions (RE), which organizes a portfolio of other travel industry events including Arabian Travel Market and International Luxury Travel Market.

RE holds more than 500 events in 38 countries throughout Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific covering 47 industry sectors including aerospace & aviation, healthcare, manufacturing, and sport & recreation.

In 2008, RE, part of the Reed Elsevier group, brought together more than six million industry professionals from around the world generating billions of dollars in business.