Lady’s World Travel Market Guide

After an amazing trip to sunny Johannesburg last weekend I was a bit sad to return to gray skies in London. Thankfully I didn’t have to wait long to travel again. Well, in a sense. This week is the World Travel Market in London, a travel trade show that features destinations from all over the world.

World Travel Market

WTM, as the World Travel Market is called for short, is a three-day extravaganza at London’s ExCeL. It features thousands of exhibitors from 200 countries and around 50,000 attendees from across the globe. I was one of those attendees.

After stumbling off my long-haul flight from Johannesburg to London, I arrived at the World Travel Market ready to crisscross the planet without leaving the city.

World Travel Market: South America

Starting in South America, I visited a Peruvian company I met in March at ITB Berlin. I also talked with a company that offers luxury accommodations in Peru.

Then there was an eco-resort in the Galapagos and an airline with which I’ve flown to various Latin American destinations over the years. 

In Brazil I met with several tourism boards and a tour company that offers guided visits in cities in Bahia like Salvador.

World Travel Market: Asia

From South America I went to the Asia pavilions at the World Travel Market. While there, I chatted with the Brunei tourism board and a resort in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

World Travel Market: Middle East

Close to Asia was the Middle East, where I got to pose for a photo with a falcon at the Abu Dhabi pavilion.

I heard rumors that Dannii Minogue was somewhere around the area as well, but I have no idea what she looks like (or who she is, for that matter…actress? singer?), so I couldn’t be sure.

Either way, there was a plethora of other entertainment at the World Travel Market, including people dressed in various animal costumes, traditional craft and food displays, and live music.

World Travel Market: Africa

Heading south, I couldn’t help stopping by the South Africa pavilion. I was excited to meet people there and start planning my next trip back to the country.

Nearby were large pavilions for Botswana, Mauritius, Mozambique, and a number of other countries in Africa that are high on my list of places to visit.

WTM Seminars

When I wasn’t walking all over the world, I attended some World Travel Market seminars about the industry and travel blogging.

WTM Events

Speaking of events for bloggers, on Monday night I went to a dinner with the Bermudian tourism board. They took a number of writers, journalists, and other guests to a restaurant in Canary Wharf called Plateau.

During the evening we listened to a great Bermudian band and heard presentations from the heads of the tourism board and other members of government.

After my two great trips to Bermuda for Cup Match, it made me want to go back again.

On Tuesday night I went to another World Travel Market event. This one was at the Melia White House Hotel in London. It featured the same amazing Spanish food as the last event I went to there.

As I sampled everything from paella to jamon, I learned about both the ME London hotel and the Gran Melia Rome Hotel.

World Travel Market: United States

Back at WTM, I made the rounds at the California pavilion, including stops at the Yosemite and Mammoth booths.

I also hopped over to the Florida pavilion, where there was a travel blogger meetup, and passed by the New York booths to get some ideas for my trip to New York City next week.

World Travel Market: Europe

The same went for European pavilions like Andorra, where I head tomorrow for a weekend getaway in the mountains.

World Travel Market

After walking all over the globe for three days, I still left the World Travel Market wishing I was back in the summer sunshine in Johannesburg.

So when a friend invited me to a post-WTM event called Seeing Africa Differently, I jumped at the chance.

The evening was packed with everything from fashion to comedy, and there was a plethora of African food and South African wine for our enjoyment.

If I couldn’t be back in Johannesburg, the World Travel Market and Seeing Africa Differently were certainly the next best things.

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