AFTER last year’s transport issues on the Underground and Docklands Light Railway (DLR) caused massive delays for attendees to London’s World Travel Market, organisers have introduced free hotel coach transfers to and from this year’s event.
Free hotel coach transfers will operate from eight central London hotels throughout the four day show held at ExCel, London, from November 9 to 12. The hotels are the Millennium Gloucester, Millennium Mayfair, Quality Crown Hyde Park, Radisson Marlborough, Radisson Kenilworth, Thistle City Barbican, Mercure City Bankside and Quality Crown Kensington. This service is only available to people staying in the eight selected hotels.
WTM has also expanded its bus transfer operation from Canning Town Station to and from ExCeL to supplement the DLR. It aims to transport 150 passengers per bus by using Bendy Buses rather than the double deckers used last year, which hold 85 people.
The DLR will also increase the frequency of peak trains for the full four days of the show.
The re-opening of Tower Gateway Station for WTM 2009 will help to ease congestion at Canning Town Station, by allowing people to commence their DLR journey from an earlier station.
River Thames commuter boat operator Thames Clippers is also increasing the frequency of its catamarans from every 15 minutes in 2008 to every 10 minutes.
WTM exhibition director Craig Moyes said that following last year’s transport problems WTM wrote to a number of influential individuals and organisations to lobby for their support to avoid similar issues at future WTMs.
Moyes added, "WTM has done all it can to improve the transport experience of its delegates for this year’s event. We have since set up a working party of stakeholders to closely monitor the local transport infrastructure. I am confident this will lead to an improved transport experience for delegates at this year’s event."
Pre-registration for WTM 2009 is free to all travel and tourism professionals - attending without pre-registering can cost up to £305. Visit www.wtmlondon.com/register.