October was a busy month for Umi Digital, with the Annual Hotel Conference (16-17th) and Independent Hotel Show(30-31st), as well as four days World Travel Market (WTM) (4-7th Nov) at the ExCel Exhibition Centre. To find out how we got along with WTM, click here.
The World Travel Market (WTM) is the leading global event for the travel industry where you can meet over 5,000 exhibitors, representing 184 countries and regions. From Cuba to New Zealand, Iceland to South Africa. You can see all cultures and nationalities in just a one hour walk! (That is, if you walk fast and don’t get tempted by tasting every chocolate and cookie that each country has to offer).
The days at the WTM were long, filled with speaking to different clients, listening to interesting talks and walking all the way to the Caribbean and back to find that one person you wanted to have a chat with. However, looking at the hundreds of business cards Josie has collected, we can already tell that exhibiting at the WTM has been a huge success.
Once the exhibiting hours at the WTM ended (around 17:30 pm), the true networking began. On Wednesday (6th Nov), there was a unique Caribbean party to attend, with lots of rum punch, delicious chicken, great music and a picture with the best cricket player alive: Brian Lara! Following the Caribbean party was the ILGTA event at the Radisson Blu Hotel penthouse.
We will definitely be back next year. See you then!
Some pictures to get the WTM feeling back:
For November and December we also have some events on the agenda. We are attending the Institute of Hospitality (20th Nov), the BETA BYTA awards in (5th Dec) and the HMA awards (16th Dec).