With just a few weeks to go until Asia Luxury Travel Market (ALTM), PETER CONWAY, buyer manager for ALTM and the International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM), told LIZ O’REILLY how to go about securing one of those coveted hosted buyer slots
What are the criteria for becoming a hosted buyer for ILTM/ALTM?
ILTM is very selective in issuing an invitation to prospective buyers. Using internal research, conferring with trusted partners and extending invitations by buyer referral, we have developed a targeted database of key buyers within the luxury travel universe.
However, to successfully register for the exhibition, each invited buyer must undergo a strict qualification process – asking applicants to demonstrate their decision-making authority and a proven track record in purchasing of luxury travel product in multiple markets.
What are the benefits of being a VIP buyer?
VIP buyers who are successful in their application to attend ILTM/ALTM are provided with access to some of the most authoritative vendors in luxury travel, senior managers often representing the hotels, DMCs and elite transportation providers that attend.
VIP buyers receive a bespoke pre-scheduled appointment diary, tailored to their buying needs prior to arriving at the show, add to this a series of optional networking sessions as well as a full programme of evening functions…this means, no business opportunity is missed. To ensure that buyers at ILTM are provided the full VIP experience, all confirmed VIP buyers are offered up to four nights accommodation in one of the many premium hotels in Cannes, transfers to and from Nice airport and, in some cases, the flights to and from Nice Airport.
For those who are short of time and require a more selective appointment diary, we have the executive buyer option. The programme is designed for senior industry executives who are given the option to pick and choose their appointments based on their limited time at the event. Qualification is still necessary but upon acceptance the executive buyers are required to pay an entry fee and provide their own flights and accommodation.
Once qualified to attend as a VIP or executive buyer, what happens next?
Up to three months before the event, buyers are asked to enter their own personalised buyer zone, a website that provides specific details on flights, accommodation and, most importantly for the hosted buyer, the pre-scheduled appointments.
Hosted buyers are required to view and select up to 60 companies in order of preference.
With so many companies attending, the buyers can search geographically, by industry type and individually by company name, and view the company profiles, before including them in their list.
Approximately one month before the event, all the selections are processed and each individual buyer is presented with an appointment schedule.
How does the pre-scheduled appointments process matching system work?
This is a sophisticated system that matches the appointment selections of all buyers as well as suppliers, who are asked to submit their own preference list. Appointments are scheduled taking in order of preference:
• Those appointments requested by both buyer and exhibitor
• The preferences of the hosted buyer
• The preferences of the exhibitor
If there are available appointment times left available, buyers can supplement their diary by using the online diary to request additional meetings. Executive buyers are also invited to access the online diary to make their own appointment requests. All in all, by the time the VIP buyer arrives at the event they are fully aware of where they are supposed to be and with who they are meeting.
What other benefits are there to attending?
With more than 1,000 potential suppliers wanting to meet VIP buyers, in 2008 ILTM introduced two additional optional networking extras, speed networking and focus forums.
Speed networking allows buyers to meet suppliers in up to 12 four-minute appointments over one hour. Based on pre-selected themes including gastronomic experiences or spa and well-being, everybody has the option to attend this added potential business opportunity.
Focus forums are an optional extra whereby a selection of exhibitors have the opportunity to showcase their products in a more relaxed environment in a specially designated theatre area within the exhibition inviting approximately 100 VIP buyers to attend.
Lastly, there is of course, the ILTM Ultratravel Forum, bringing together highly distinguished international panel speakers to tackle the key issues that directly concern and impact our industry. In 2009 Apollo 11 Astronaut, Dr Buzz Aldrin, the second man on the moon in 1969 – joined us to deliver ILTM’s keynote address and present the ILTM ultra.travel Awards.