The WTM Global Trends Report, in association with Euromonitor International, has successfully predicted global travel trends for eight years running.
The launch of the WTM Global Trends Report 2012, taking place on Monday November 5 at the World Travel Market, will be no exception when the next key industry trends to hit the sector will be shared with the international media.
The WTM Global Trends Report 2011 correctly predicted some significant trends in the travel and tourism industry, including;
UK: Rent-a-garden
The Global Trends Report 2011 predicted that the rent-a-garden concept would provide a significant source of accommodation for holidaymakers looking to enjoy the Olympic Games in London.
The prediction proved correct with several hundred people advertising alternative accommodation during the Games on Campinmygarden.com during the London 2012 Olympic Games. With high household debt, this website provides homeowners with the opportunity to rent out their garden as a campsite to visitors seeking to save money and also experience the local community.
Asia: China’s Growing Influence
The Global Trends Report 2011 predicted hotel companies would customise their brands in China, partnering with Chinese companies and creating programmes to cater to the Chinese abroad, on the back of the increasing spending by Chinese travellers on travel accommodation.
The prediction proved correct with many hotel chains expanding in China and using their experience in the Chinese domestic market to feed best practices to properties abroad in key destinations for Chinese travellers. For example, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has three projects under development in China, while Marriott International Inc unveiled its “Li Yu” welcome programme that features a suite of customised amenities and services tailor-made for Chinese outbound travellers.
Technology and Online Travel: Gamification
The WTM Global Trends Report 2011 also tipped Gamification, or the integration of gaming dynamics in non-gaming environments to create brand awareness and loyalty, as a key industry trend for travel companies. The prediction proved correct with the launch of several loyalty programmes. For example, InterContinental Hotels Group launched the "Win It In a Minute" programme to improve loyalty among younger consumers, while MyMarriottHotel allows players to take on the role of a hospitality manager in the kitchen, where players must cook, buy supplies, and get dishes to the counter.
The results of the WTM Global Trends Report 2012 will be launched at a press conference for the world’s media at World Travel Market on Monday 5 November at 1 pm, Platinum Suite 5 and 6.
A session for WTM exhibitors and visitors takes place on Tuesday 6 November at 2pm, South Gallery Room 25 and 26.
Reed Travel Exhibitions Chairman Fiona Jeffery said: “The WTM Global Trends Report is one of the travel and tourism industry’s most anticipated reports due to its high success rate at predicting trends for the sector.
“Last year was no exception with a number of the trends coming to fruition, particularly the rent-a-garden trend in the UK, literally in WTM’s back yard.”
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About World Travel Market
World Travel Market, the leading global event for the travel industry, is the must-attend four-day business-to-business exhibition for the worldwide travel and tourism industry.
Almost 48,000 senior travel industry professionals, government ministers and international press, embark on ExCeL - London every November to network, negotiate and discover the latest industry opinion and trends at WTM.
WTM, now in its 33rd year, is the event where the travel industry conducts and concludes its deals.
WTM 2011 will generate £1,653 million of travel industry contracts, revealed independent research by Fusion Communications.
WTM is owned by the world’s leading events organiser Reed Exhibitions (RE), which organises a portfolio of other travel industry events including Arabian Travel Market and International Luxury Travel Market.
In 2010, RE held more than 460 events in 36 countries bringing together more than seven million people from around the world generating billions of dollars in business.
About Reed Travel Exhibitions
Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE) is the world’s leading provider of exhibitions in the travel and tourism industry. Its wide-ranging portfolio of events around the globe covers leisure travel, luxury travel, business travel and the meetings and incentives industry.
In 2011 RTE 13 events were the catalyst for £2,807 million worth of travel and tourism business deals.
The 13 events are; World Travel Market (WTM), Arabian Travel Market (ATM), International French Travel Market (IFTM), La Cumbre, International Golf Travel Market (IGTM), International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM), International Luxury Travel Market Asia (ILTMA), Asia-Pacific Incentives & Meetings Expo (AIME) (owned by Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau), Global Exhibition for Incentive, Business Travel, and Meetings (EIBTM), Gulf Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings (GIBTM), Americas Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings (AIBTM), China Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings (CIBTM) and Business Travel Market.
April 2013 will see RTE launch World Travel Market Latin America in São Paulo.
RTE is a business unit of Reed Exhibitions. In 2011, six million participants attended RE’s 500 events in 39 countries covering 44 industry sectors from aerospace and aviation to beauty and cosmetics to sports and recreation.
Reed Exhibitions is owned by Reed Elsevier, the world’s leading provider of professional information and online workflow solutions.