World Travel Market comes around again

WTM 2013

Is it really a year since we were last at Excel for WTM?

Monday was a beautiful autumn day and like last year we drove the 60 or so miles round the M25 from Surrey. And just like last year, we got lost at the very same spot when we took a wrong turn on the final roundabout! Finding our way back to Excel, we drove into the ‘free’ section of the vast car park. Last year we parked in the orange section and incurred a hefty parking fine, which because of a lack of signs, I successfully appealed. There were few signs this year either, but we were wise to the situation and made sure we were purple parked!

WTM was every bit as interesting and exhausting as ever – I must have walked miles between stands in the north and south halls and my feet ached more than my hip at the end of the day. No other event provides such an opportunity to garner so much travel and tourism information or to meet so many interesting new contacts from around the world.

Alec and I went our separate ways with lists of the stands we planned to visit, but met up for a coffee break and the Croatian press conference. As well as making useful new contacts, I was delighted to meet up with several friends and colleagues during the day, including Spa Wellbeing contrbutors Lynn Houghton and Lucy Daltroff.

When the show ended at 6pm, we had invites to an evening reception courtesy of the Hungarian tourism office. The food and wine was delicious and filling and we had the pleasure of sharing a table with Raisa and Natalia, two charming trade visitors from Russia.

Alec with Raisa and Natalia

Now we’re home enthused and inspired to see more of our wonderful world – and a case filled with business cards, brochures, press packs, memory sticks, pens, key rings and DVDs to sort out.