Hotel & Tourism SMARTreport #32

ELITE TRAVEL TRENDS
Brought to you by
LUXURY TRAVEL PROS FLOCK
TO THE CITY OF STARS
The French city of Cannes is the annual Mecca
for luxury travel professionals - at ILTM
ILTM Cannes, the global flagship event
of the ILTM portfolio of trade-only events
returns to Cannes, 5 – 8 December 2016.
ILTM is truly a not-to-be-missed global
event for the luxury travel industry,
introducing global travel buyers to an
incredible collection of international travel
experiences. The organisers indeed describe
themselves as “the relationship brokers that
provide a platform for you to do business
and build relationships”.
Last year, the show generated over 60,000
business appointments, resulting in business
estimated in the hundreds of millions
of Euros. With around 100 countries
represented, the 3,000 attendees (both
buyers and suppliers) at the show are 100%
international.
While ILTM is largely based on face-to-face
meetings, a number of networking events
enable attendees to build even stronger
relationships.
The strength of the show echoes the solid
growth in the luxury travel segment. Indeed,
an exclusive report released at ILTM in 2015
underlined the fact that luxury travel is
expected to see more buoyant growth
across the globe with highest growth seen
in the Americas, Asia Pacific and the Middle
East and Africa, thanks to increasing income
and a growing middle class. Germany and
the UK were found to be the top source
markets from Western Europe. Europe
will remain a popular destination, with a
weaker euro currently providing good value
for money for US tourists. Worldwide, the
report reveals that the number of affluent
households is expected to grow between
2015 and 2030. North America will
continue to have the wealthiest number
of households, but despite the economic
slowdown Asia Pacific is still expected to
see the fastest increase, posting a predicted
113% growth between 2015 and 2030.
ILTM is also an annual media showcase
for luxury travel brands that increasingly
leverage the event to announce new
openings, strategies and campaigns. This
THE RELATIONSHIP
BROKERS THAT
PROVIDE A PLATFORM
FOR YOU TO DO
BUSINESS AND BUILD
RELATIONSHIPS
year will no doubt see even more news
coming from the Palais des Festivals in
Cannes.
Last year’s edition of ILTM was also a
platform for US-based Virtuoso to increase
its footprint in Europe, having launched
in this territory only in 2014. “Virtuoso, in
partnership with our global agency members,
is co-creating this network to position each
region for success while simultaneously
building a powerful international brand,”
said Virtuoso Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer, Matthew D. Upchurch •