THE organisers of the International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) have announced a dramatic increase in the exhibition for this year’s December event.
Many new companies are participating and several others are significantly increasing the size of their stand compared to 2003.
New entrants this year include the Ritz Carlton, Conrad Hotels, Design Hotels, Rocco Forte Hotels and Warwick International. There is a far greater geographical penetration with new participation from national tourist organisations in Dubai, Oman, Brunei, Maldives, Kenya and Monaco, besides many private companies.
“We are very pleased to say that 90 per cent of the world of luxury tourism will be represented at ILTM in 2004 and our buyers will have a one-stop shop for their purchasing needs. New participants come from areas such as the Caribbean, South-East Asia and the Pacific Rim. In the very top end of the travel market, there are no such concepts as short and long-haul restrictions and therefore, it is vital to present a comprehensive global array of exhibitors,” said David Hammond, managing director, ILTM.
The Hosted Buyer programme is also increasing to 700 fully hosted attendees and special incentives to a further 200. This means over 35,000 pre-scheduled appointments will be generated over the three day period.