World Travel Market grows focus on online travel technology

Technology and Online Travel at World Travel Market (WTM), the leading global event for the travel industry, is to grow 20% for WTM 2011, as part of an increased focus on the sector.

Technology and Online Travel at World Travel Market (WTM), the leading global event for the travel industry, is to grow 20% for WTM 2011, as part of an increased focus on the sector.

New exhibitors already signed up include:

โ€ข Global payment service company Ixaris
โ€ข Online hotel reservations company venere.com
โ€ข Hotel booking engine Bookassist
โ€ข Online travel agent Spa Travel
โ€ข Global mobile roaming solutions TravelSIM

Furthermore, a number of exhibitors have increased their stand size including RateGain and EZYield, which have both doubled their space for 2011.

A number of new features are also being launched in the TOT region for WTM 2011 including two new pavilions for mobile technology and start-up companies.

These will support the TOT Theatre, which successfully launched last year with presentations from a number of exhibitors including TripAdvisor, ZOLV, and Ixaris. The WTM Hotel Distribution Summit, in association with travel technology consultancy Genesys, will be staged here on Thursday, November 10.

World Travel Market TOT Sales Manager Jo Marshall said: โ€œThe interest in exhibiting at WTMโ€™s TOT section is phenomenal; Iโ€™m delighted with the new exhibitors we have on board so far, as well as the number of exhibitors which are expanding their stand space following a successful WTM 2010. Plus we are finalizing partnership with many key brands to bring extra kudos to this increasingly important section of WTM.โ€

Furthermore, the always-popular TOT events content has been expanded with a technology-focused event running on Monday, November 7 for the first time.
WTM is working with the International Federation for Information Technology In Travel and Tourism (IFITT), Travel Technology Initiative, and OpenTravel Alliance to help shape the TOT programโ€™s content.

The TOT program is also being organized in conjunction with Genesys, whose Senior Partner, Paul Richer, will be chairing the program.

World Travel Market Exhibition Director Simon Press said: โ€œThe TOT region is the fastest-growing area on WTM, and I am delighted the recent expansion of host venue ExCeL has given the region the opportunity to expand.

โ€œTo support this expansion and cater for the increase in interest from technology buyers and visitors to WTM 2011, the TOT events program has been expanded and is being hosted in the larger ExCeL Platinum Suite.โ€

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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