What we learnt from WTM
ABTA Magazine attended the World Travel Market (WTM) on November 1-3, along with representatives from 140 destinations, tourism ministers, agents and tour operators
ABTA Magazine attended the World Travel Market (WTM) last month, along with destination representatives, 30 tourism ministers, agents and tour operators from more than 140 countries and regions.
The number of destinations representing at WTM showed the importance of the UK source market to tourism globally – and the event was perfectly timed for launching tourism campaigns for 2022.
It all kicked off with the release of the WTM industry report, based on a survey of 1,000 consumers and presented by travel journalist Simon Calder.
“All the confusion is pushing people towards using travel agents,” said Calder, speaking about the role of agents – and their opportunity for new business – since Covid. “Using a package company is better and using a live travel agent means they will not leave you stranded.”
Here are some of the report’s key findings:
- Around one in five people aged 35-44, especially those based in London, are increasingly turning to travel agents to book their holidays because of confusion caused by the pandemic
- Holidaymakers are four times more likely to book a package holiday than a sharing-economy stay (e.g. Airbnb) for 2022, with 32 per cent of those questioned planning to book a package
- British holidaymakers are most likely to be planning trips to Spain, France, Italy, Greece and the US
- Most trade professionals expect to match or beat 2019 sales in 2022
- Nearly 60 per cent of travel executives believe that sustainability has become the industry’s top priority
However, WTM’s aviation expert John Strickland noted that IATA does not forecast air traffic to return to pre-pandemic levels until 2024 – and business travel may never go back to how it was pre-Covid.
Tracey Halliwell, Director of Tourism, Conventions & Major Events at London & Partners, said that ‘bleisure’ – longer trips that blend business and leisure – will outweigh the shortfall in business travel.
Tourism’s sustainable future
WTM 2021 began on the same day as COP26, so it came as no surprise that sustainability and climate change were at the top of the agenda
“This summit gives us the chance to strengthen our advocacy on sustainability”, said Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
At the annual ministers’ summit, held in partnership with the UNWTO and World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), tourism ministers from around the world pledged to work towards the recovery of the travel sector by investing in sustainable travel. Meanwhile, international sustainable tourism organisation, the Travel Foundation, used the COP26 summit to commit to 10 years of climate action in tourism, partnering with Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency.
Travel PR and marketing firms were encouraged to celebrate and raise awareness of the tourism sector’s achievements in sustainability in the debate Revive and Thrive: Tourism PR in a Post-Pandemic World. Sarah Long, senior partner at Finn Partners, noted that Intrepid Travel has now introduced 50 tours that use land transport as an alternative to flying.
She said that PRs should “not put a spin on sustainability”, and their work should be “honest and modest”.
We heard from a number of destinations about their sustainable travel plans.
Greece
Greece’s tourism minister Vassilis Kikilias announced a collaboration with Volkswagen to make the island of Astypalea the country’s first carbon-free destination, by transitioning to electric vehicles and renewable power.
Madhya Pradesh, India
Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board won a Responsible Tourism Award at WTM for its rural tourism programme, which is being implemented in 100 villages in the state over three years and provides authentic rural experiences to tourists through bullock cart rides, farming and cultural experiences, plus the opportunity to stay in homestays to generate employment for rural communities.
Thailand
To promote responsible and sustainable tourism in Thailand, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has adopted the BCG (Bio-Circular-Green economy) model. The aim is to use technology to achieve sustainable growth by distributing revenue to local communities, combating overcapacity and protecting the environment.
The Balearic Islands
Francina Armengol, president of the Balearic Islands government, revealed that the islands are aiming for ‘circularity’ in the tourism sector to create more climate resilience. “We don’t want unsustainable solutions that affect our coasts and nature,” she said. The Majorca Tourism Foundation is part of the UNWTO international network of sustainable tourism observatories and is working towards a circular approach to recycling and reuse.
Egypt
Eco travel is crucial to Egypt, as 15 per cent of the country is taken up by 30 protected areas. A new ecotourism campaign, Eco Egypt, is launching to help invest in protecting these areas via tourism – offering eco lodges, bird watching, tribal cultural experiences and more.