WITH 98 per cent of exhibition space sold for at the International Luxury Travel Market this coming December, competition is fierce for the few remaining stands.

Now in its fifth year, and firmly established as the world’s leading business to business event for the luxury travel industry, ILTM reflects the global growth of High Net Worth Individuals (HNWIs, individuals holding over $1 million in assets), standing at 8.3 million in 2005 and rising.
With over 55 new companies exhibiting for the first time this year, “ILTM has seen a noticeable uplift in interest from the emerging economies such as Brazil, Russia, India and China, an encouraging trend mirrored throughout the industry,” says Ayshe Salih, key account manager, ILTM. New companies at this year’s event include Ananda in the Himalayas, the Peninsula Hotels, Rikki Davis/Churchill Yacht Partners, along with representatives from The Seychelles, Oman, and The Cayman Islands.
The event retains its competitive advantage by inviting over 1100 of the ‘A-List’ luxury travel buyers from around the globe to meet with the leading suppliers familiar to providing the star treatment for their clients.
“The gloves are off,” says Sarah Ball, marketing manager, ILTM. “ILTM has introduced an invitation only policy for the first time this year ensuring that levels of business and networking remain consistently high as the market grows at such a fast pace.”
Similar to a private club, the world’s key travel buyers covering the leisure, corporate, incentive and events sectors are fully hosted in appropriately luxurious style in Cannes for the event. Research from ILTM 2005 indicated that over 98 per cent of attendees were the senior decision-makers for their company, and 100 per cent reported that the show was effective in achieving their objective of generating new business.