The World Travel Market (WTM) 2008 and Conference and Seminar programme commences on November 11 with the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Ministers' Summit, and will run across three days culminating with the WTM Global Economic Forum on November 13.
Educational programmes focusing on key industry sectors within the travel and tourism industry including technology, airlines, responsible tourism, global trends forecast, gay travel, spa, health and wellness, cruise, PR and communications and ancillary markets have been developed for participants.
This year's topic on the economic downturn and staying with the climate and poverty reduction agendas, will delve into the global issue of poverty and the environment. Ministers from around the world will gather at this invitation only event to debate these subjects, exploring how the travel and tourism industry can continue to combat poverty and climate change in the current economic market.
Commenting on the programme, WTM chairman, Fiona Jeffrey's said, “This year's conference and seminar programme is very comprehensive and explores a number of targeted influential sub industries within the marketplace. World Travel Market continues to push boundaries examining a wide range of subjects including global economics within the travel and tourism industry, technology, and responsible tourism.”
The WTM Global Economic Forum is new at WTM, and will take an in-depth look at the economic outlook for the travel and tourism industry moving forward into 2009-2010. Chaired by retired broadcaster and economics journalist Peter Hobday, a longstanding presenter on the BBC4 radio programme Today and Newsnight, the panel of key economic experts will provide valuable insight for the tourism industry into the state of the world economy.
WTM World Responsible Tourism Day (WTM WRTD), now in its second year, in association with the UNWTO and supported by leading international industry associations such as PATA and the World Travel & Tourism Council, will once again provide the travel industry with a full day of hard-hitting truths to increase awareness about responsible tourism.