We attended WTM LONDON 2023

WTM London 2023 – what an experience.

If you’ve never been, it’s hard to describe just how electric the energy is when tens of thousands of travel professionals from all over the world gather under one roof.

Held from November 6th to 8th at ExCeL London, it was the biggest I’ve seen—and the numbers back that up. Over 43,700 people attended, which is a 22% jump from 2022. You could really feel that buzz—corridors were alive with conversation, booths were packed, and every meeting room seemed booked solid. And speaking of meetings, there were a staggering 29,077 pre-booked business meetings throughout the three days. We even managed to sit in on a few, and you could tell people weren’t just talking—they were sealing deals for 2024 and beyond.

There were 3,875 exhibitors from every corner of the globe, making the show floor feel like a living, breathing map of the world. From national tourism boards and global hotel brands to quirky local startups, the variety was incredible. You could hop from Morocco to Malaysia in just a few steps.

We were also impressed by the use of WTM’s digital tools. They made networking so much easier—every handshake seemed to be followed by a scan or tap, and those efforts paid off: over 99,000 business connections were recorded. It’s clear tech is playing a bigger role in how we network and do business at events like this.

Day one – WTM London 2023

One highlight for us was attending the Ministers’ Summit on Day One. It’s not every day you find yourself in the same room as 53 tourism ministers, all talking about the future of travel, with a strong focus on education and transformation in the industry. It really set the tone for the rest of the event.

Day two – WTM London 2023

Day Two shifted focus to the future workforce with the ITT Future You Conference, and it was inspiring to see how much emphasis is being placed on preparing the next generation of travel professionals. And of course, there were plenty of new features this year—based on feedback from 2022. One of our personal favourites was the Networking Party held in the Community Hubs. It was more relaxed and informal, which made it easier to have real conversations without the rush of back-to-back meetings.

There were over 70 conference sessions held across three newly named stages: Discover, Elevate, and Innovate. We managed to catch talks from big names like Hilton, TUI, and Virgin Atlantic, as well as some fascinating niche destinations and start-ups that are doing really cool things.

Sustainability was a hot topic again this year, with WTM’s Responsible Tourism Advisor Harold Goodwin highlighting innovations and renewed concerns about over-tourism now that global travel has bounced back. Some big deals were made too—like the agreement between Jet2.com and the Moroccan National Tourism Office, and a partnership between Brazil and South Africa aimed at boosting collaboration. It was exciting to witness those announcements live. To top it all off, the event closed with a keynote from Louis Theroux. His reflections on the value of cultural connections through travel were a perfect way to wrap up three intense days of learning, networking, and inspiration.

See you next year?

As someone who’s passionate about this industry, being there in person reminded us why travel matters. Yes, there are challenges, but the sense of optimism was undeniable. If anything, WTM London 2023 reaffirmed that travel and tourism are back, and evolving faster than ever.