Reed connects deeper in Asian markets

ASIA – Global trade show organiser Reed Travel Exhibitions is moving further into the Asian and Chinese markets with its World Travel Market brand. The WTM Portfolio, part of RTE, will launch two events under the new WTM connect brand. The organisers of the shows promise a one-to-one format targeted at the Asian and Chinese leisure travel markets, allowing exhibitors to exclusively meet with hosted buyers. Alongside the one-to-one meetings, a programme of events will be scheduled offering panel debates, discussions and educational content. WTM connect Asia will take place at the Eastern Oriental Hotel, Penang, Malaysia on the 18–20 May 2016, and WTM connect China will be held at the Renaissance Sanya Resort and Spa, Hainan Island, China on the 23–25 May 2016. South East Asia’s tourism numbers continue to grow with 102m inbound tourists and 59m outbound tourists in 2014, with further growth of 5.9% and 3.8% a year respectively until 2018. China remains the single largest outbound leisure travel market in the world with 102 million tourists in 2014 with the largest expenditure in the world of $165bn, an increase of 28% on 2013. It is estimated that 140m Chinese tourists will holiday abroad this year, spending more than $188bn. WTM Portfolio director Craig Moyes (pictured) said: “We are delighted to be able to take the WTM Portfolio to Asia and China, with the launch of the brand new WTM connect brand. WTM connect will offer the perfect platforms for the Asian and Chinese travel industries to conduct business and firmly establish themselves as the fastest growing and most important regions in the global tourism marketplace. “WTM connects are targeted events for exhibitors to meet with especially hand-picked buyers. The WTM Portfolio will help facilitate more than $7bn in travel industry business deals in 2015, the WTM connect events in China and Malaysia will see this figure increase further in 2016.” Dato’ Mirza Mohammad Taiyab, director general for Tourism Malaysia, said: “We are pleased to be partnering with Reed Travel Exhibitions to host the inaugural WTM connect Asia 2016 in Malaysia.