The inaugural World Travel Market Africa, taking place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) from 2nd – 3rd May 2014 is attracting exhibitors from all categories of the leisure, luxury travel and meetings industries.
Well-known companies already signed up for the first WTM Africa including, Dreams 4 Africa, Bill Harrop’s “Original” Balloon Safaris, Brothers Safaris, Sunway Safaris and Cooks Air Tours and Safaris, all of which are crafters of tours and safaris in Southern Africa. Pan-African hotel brands will be gracing the CTICC and standing proud among them will be one of the largest hotel brands here in Sub Saharan Africa, the City Lodge Hotel Group.
With 55 hotels in South Africa, Kenya and Botswana, the City Lodge Hotel Group is a major supplier of quality hotel accommodation for business and leisure travellers. All of the group’s hotels are in excellent locations, providing easy access to business districts, major roads and airports.
“We are looking forward to participating in WTM Africa as it will give us an exciting opportunity to showcase our portfolio of hotels and and help us to continue to build relationships in the travel industry,” said Peter Schoeman, Divisional Director, Sales and Marketing, at the City Lodge Hotel Group.
Marketing representation company Dreams 4 Africa specialises in helping lodges and hotels build their brand in the industry. Mark Collins, Director said, “We are very excited to be part of WTM Africa as I think this will bring a fresh new energy to the Southern African region.”
Sarah Bauling, Marketing Manager of Bill Harrop’s “Original” Balloon Safaris added, “We are looking forward to meeting new potential buyers at WTM Africa as well as touching base with those with whom we are currently doing business.”
South African based Brothers Safaris, which offers tour operator services throughout Africa and specialise in behind-the-scenes wildlife safaris, is excited to be a part of the event. “WTM is an excellent marketing opportunity, new to the South African market and not to be missed in our opinion. We are hoping for a refreshing and successful experience when compared to the rather stale events currently in the African market,” said Rebecca Wood, Marketing Manager.
Exhibitors are looking forward to lucrative business discussions with the world’s leading travel industry buyers, including 300, pre-qualified, buyers from both emerging and traditional source markets who will be hosted by WTM Africa, many of these new to events in Africa. “For many years we have supported Reed Exhibitions and are disciples of the value-for-the-investment derived through the qualification process Reed Exhibitions puts into each event and the seller contingent drawn in,” said buyer Allan Falck, Executive Director, Sundance Tours, Argentina. “With African and Indian Ocean destinations looming larger with our client base WTM Africa is the one event we will support delivering new customers and new business to those WTM exhibitors.”
Fully supported by the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape Government, the very first WTM Africa will be held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) and the city is poised to host the biggest ‘fam trip’ it has ever seen with more than 4,500 visitors and exhibitors participating.
Sunway Safaris, Marketing Manager, Richard White added, “We are looking forward to exhibiting at WTM Africa as it offers a new and exciting platform to interact with international buyers. We believe that as the event is being hosted in the beautiful city of Cape Town, the location will attract new buyers to travel to South Africa to view the many amazing products that will be exhibiting.”
Pieter Mey, Managing Director of overland vehicle firm Indaba Explorations said, “We see WTM Africa as a great opportunity to showcase our services to the world and are proud to be exhibiting at the first ever WTM Africa. Tourism Africa needs a fresh new face and venue and this might well prove to be it.”
WTM Africa will be one of three co-located travel industry events at the Cape Town International Conference Centre (CTICC) that form Africa Travel Week 2014. The others will include IBTM Africa (Incentive, Business Travel & Meetings) and ILTM Africa (International Luxury Travel Market) which will take place from 28 - 30 April.
Africa Travel Week events are:
• ILTM Africa 28 – 30 April 2014
• IBTM Africa 28 – 30 April 2014
• WTM Africa: 02 – 03 May 2014
For further information about each of the Africa Travel Week events, please visit www.africatravelweek.com.
We also invite you to like WTM Africa’s facebook page and ILTM’s facebook page and join us on twitter using the #’s below: WTM Africa @WTM_Africa #wtmafrica Africa Travel Week @africatravelwk #africatravelweek #ATW ILTM Africa @iltm_events #iltmafrica IBTM Africa @IBTMevents #ibtmafrica
More from the Zambezi Traveller:
World Travel Market comes to Africa (ZT Issue 15, Dec 2013)
WTM Africa Hosted Buyer Programme Receives Phenomenal Interest (ZT News Update, Jan 2014)
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