UK tourism on agenda as minister leads Cyprus team to London expo
Deputy Tourism Minister Kostas Koumis will lead a delegation to London on November 5-7 for the World Travel Market (WTM), according to an official announcement.
The objective of participating in the event is to strengthen ties with top global tourism players, airlines, and travel firms in Cyprus’ largest tourism market.
The Deputy Ministry of Tourism said that Koumis, accompanied by the ministry of director general and other officials, will meet with leading companies in the global tourism sector.
His schedule includes discussions with prominent airlines and travel organisers, alongside participation in a Ministerial Session focused on ‘AI – Boundless Opportunities for Change in Travel’.
Joining the delegation are over 50 Cypriot tourism businesses and organisations, including travel agencies, hotel companies, Etap, the Cyprus Hoteliers Association (Pasyxe), he Association of Cyprus Tourist Enterprises (Stek), and Hermes Airports, among others.
The Cypriot pavilion will showcase traditional dishes, in collaboration with the Cyprus Chefs Association, while commandaria-based drinks will be offered with the support of the Cyprus Bartenders Association.
As the Deputy Ministry noted, “the UK market has traditionally been the largest source of tourism for Cyprus in terms of arrivals.”
In the first nine months of this year alone, arrivals from the UK reached 1,129,000, marking a 5 per cent increase over the same period last year. In 2023, UK arrivals totalled 1,302,000.
The event, set at ExCel London, is regarded as the world’s leading travel and tourism event.
Last year, WTM London attracted over 40,000 professionals from 184 countries, and this year exhibitor numbers have risen by 7 per cent, with over 4,000 global tourism boards, hoteliers, transport services, technology brands, associations, and experiences expected to participate.
Emphasising the event’s role, WTM remarked, “WTM sees the largest gathering of global media under one roof for the travel trade annually,” stressing its place as a hub for cutting-edge developments in leisure travel.
The exhibition serves as a central venue for travel professionals to develop “unique and competitive world-class travel experiences.”
Commenting on WTM’s broader impact, Juliette Losardo, Exhibitor Director at WTM London, stated, “While the travel trade is busy curating that £2.2 billion worth of travel and tourism deals during World Travel Market, we’re proud that WTM also has such a significant impact on our host city of London.”
She further noted that London’s variety of accommodation, world-class dining, and attractions make it “a real draw for our attendees, many of whom use WTM London as an opportunity to tag on leisure days and, in doing so, boost spend for the economy.”
Attracting exhibitors and visitors for both networking and business, the event is projected to generate over £2.2 billion in deals and contribute approximately £200 million to the UK economy.
According to VisitBritain, international delegates spend an average of £352 daily, with around 82 per cent of attendees traveling from abroad.