Travel and tourism professionals from around the world will reconnect with vital business partners at WTM Virtual, starting today (November 9) until November 11.
Final preparations are being made for the online event which includes the Travel Forward Virtual and International Tourism & Investment Conference (ITIC).
The conference sessions will also host top politicians, leading academics, health experts and the world’s media, as the travel industry plans for recovery in 2021.
One of the highlights is the global tourism forecasts from Euromonitor International, which will delve into why global tourism will take between 3 and 5 years to recover from Covid-19.
There's also the International Tourism & Investment Conference, Responsible Tourism programme, aviation sessions with bosses of major low-cost carriers Ryanair and JetBlue, UNWTO, WTTC & WTM Ministers’ Summit and the first meeting of tourism ministers from Israel, UAE and Bahrain since historic Abraham Accords signing
Under the rallying cry of ‘To Create Safer, Greener, Smarter Travel & Tourism’, it will host tourism ministers and private sector bosses debating the recovery of travel and innovations to deal with Covid-19 and sustainability.
The summit will also hear from Oliver Dowden MP, the British Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
It will be followed by ‘Tourism: The Path to Peace in the Middle East’, with the tourism ministers of Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
In September, these countries signed the “Abraham Accords”, a historic deal that enables business opportunities and tourism prospects.
The ministers will be discussing the new travel and tourism opportunities and the sector’s role in supporting peace in the region.
It will be the first time the tourism ministers have met since signing the agreements.
WTM London, Senior Director, Simon Press said the travel and tourism industry is facing its worst crisis in living memory.
"WTM Virtual will provide a crucial platform for planning the bounce-back, reconnecting with business partners, forging new connections, and learning about the best way forward.
“Since 1980, WTM has provided an essential forum for the industry to do business, network and learn about trends in the market.
2020 is the year where global connections need to be maintained, build those networks and understand what’s happening in these extraordinary and challenging times.
“Our delegates will be able to keep ahead of the game and lay strong foundations for recovery and innovation in 2021," he added.