Despite our role within the travel industry, and adventure travel in particular, we have not yet attended a World Travel Market or anything similar. Why? Principally because we were too busy, but also in part because we always assumed these events were a little vanilla for us.
Well, that all changed this week. We bounced up to London, got an Airbnb, and headed to the World Travel Market held at the ExCeL Centre at Customs House in London Docklands.
So, was it worth it? Or was it all a bit vanilla? For the most part it was a little tame by our standards, but there were also a arge number of hidden gems that justified the journey
Table of Contents
What the World Travel Market London Is
The World Travel Market in London is one of the largest travel trade shows in the world. Founded in 1980, it has grown from a modest event to a massive global exhibition. It attracts professionals from all over the planet to network, make deals, and showcase tourism products. For suppliers and buyers alike, it is a chance to see trends, innovations, and new destinations in one place.
Over the years it has expanded beyond Europe. Countries from Africa, Asia, and the Americas all have stands. For adventure travel operators, niche destinations, or small ambitious companies, inspiration exists, though it is often buried behind the massive predictable stands of Italy, Spain, and other big tourism players.
The WTM also runs seminars and workshops covering emerging destinations, marketing for small operators, and logistics for difficult regions. Much of it is repetitive, but it allows spotting suppliers and operators that no one else notices. We spent time hunting out tiny stands from territories like Greenland, the Falklands, and the Cayman Islands, which gave us more ideas than the giant booths ever could
World Travel Market in Numbers 2025
Countries and territories represented 184
Number of exhibitors 5000 plus
Attendees 50,000 plus industry professionals
Exhibition space 70,000 square metres
Number of seminars and talks 300 plus
Average deal value not published but huge
Other World Travel Markets
The organisers of WTM London also run events elsewhere in the world. These include
WTM Latin America São Paulo March 2026
WTM Africa Cape Town May 2026
Arabian Travel Market Dubai April 2026
WTM Africa Nairobi October 2026
WTM Online global digital events throughout the year
These events are basically the same as London but smaller. Latin America focuses heavily on Brazil, Argentina, and other emerging destinations. Africa’s events in Cape Town and Nairobi attract established operators and adventure travel specialists. The Arabian Travel Market is dominated by Dubai and Saudi Arabia. Nothing fancy, just big stands, lots of brochures, and strict rules. WTM Online is entirely digital, offering webinars and one-on-one meetings without the chaos of an exhibition hall
For small operators regional WTMs are where you spot the interesting stuff before it hits the mainstream. Tiny territories, niche operators, and suppliers you will not find anywhere else appear here if you dig between the massive predictable booths. These regional events often provide better ideas than London itself, or at least thats what we told.
Who Was There And Who Was Not
Representatives from 184 countries and territories attended, though a lot were missing. The organisers take a more liberal approach to counting countries than the Travelers Century Club, with every Emirate of the UAE listed separately. The biggest stand was Saudi Arabia. Yes, you still cannot drink there
Smaller territories were present, including the Cayman Islands, Gibraltar, Greenland, and the Falklands. What was more conspicuous was who was not there. Australia and New Zealand had tiny stands. China was mediocre. The Pacific, no Tuvalu, no Nauru, and surprisingly not even Fiji. India had a huge stand but did not include Sikkim. And no Russia
The Tech Set
Alongside the continents, there was a huge corporate and tech section. Big groups such as Hilton and Trip.com were present, alongside startups. Most focused on CRM, booking software, or payment systems. Old players like Revolut were present, but new names like Modulr caught the eye with surprisingly good swag.
E-sims were everywhere! Lesser-known brands shared space with bigger players like Airalo. We learned you can co-brand with them, which is something we are now considering since we already recommend their services
Was It Worth Attending
The World Travel Market was interesting, but most of the space is dominated by big tourism countries like Italy, Spain, and Saudi Arabia. Great if that is your thing, not so much for us
There were enough hidden gems and inspiration to make it worthwhile. We will run at least two new tours based on people we met. If I typed the names here, a couple of companies would probably try to steal the ideas
Would we have a booth? A small booth would cost almost 15,000 dollars, with another 5,000 dollars for extras. Despite this, we may well do the World Travel Market next year. And who knows, maybe as a North Korea Tours pavilion
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