We're pleased to report our team had a very successful 30th annual World Travel Market this week, meeting with lots of current and prospective members and cementing partnerships that you'll see come to fruition on the site soon. The show, held an hour's Tube ride from central London in the Docklands' massive ExCeL complex, was the usual crowded, 4,000-ring circus (unlike last weekend's more consumer-oriented Condé Nast Luxury Travel Fair, which we also attended), and whether it's reality-based or wishful thinking, most of the attendees we spoke with seemed guardedly optimistic that things in the industry were beginning to look up, and we could look forward to a better 2010.
Furthermore, observed tour operator and Tripatini member André Migliarina, who's racked up 20 WTM's, "it's a microcosm; you can always get a sense of what's going on in the world by how different countries present themselves" -- he cited Brazil's big, elaborate stand with the cool swoopy roof and the fact that South Africa's entry was finally manned by personnel that was 80-percent black instead of 80-percent white.
A few random observations and spottings: the usual costumed characters roamed the aisles, from guys in polar bear and dragon suits to a giant inflated British bobby. David embarassed himself slightly trying to blow the alphorn at the Switzerland stand, only to witness a petite Alpine lass toot away merrily immediately thereafter. Spain's presence was as usual massive, its gleaming white corridors sprawling over what looked to be at least 20 percent of one of the mammoth halls. Nearby Israel's was the only area we noticed with security, several sturdy-looking chaps with earpieces strung around the perimeter. We were surprised to find not a lot of music playing, except for the jolly, bouncy pop tunes piped in at Slovenia's (just across the aisle, their former fellow Yugoslavs, the Serbs, looked just a tad annoyed, if you ask me). Finally, as you might expect, whenever food and drink -- the more copious and elaborate, the better -- were served, everybody would rush the stand in question. But we were a bit taken aback to spot the wine liberally being poured by Brunei. Hey, the place is dry, shouldn't they be serving coconut milk or something? Anyway, check out the short video below, with a few random scenes and impressions.
Speaking of alcohol and jollity, "Calvalry cocktails" were the featured libation at our first "official" Tripatini event, a cocktail party held in the Terrace Room of the grand, newly refurbished Royal Horseguards Hotel in Whitehall, right across the river from the London Eye (the hotel property represented, by the way, by Tripatini member Randi Leeds). We had a nice, enthusiasic, and highly international turnout (see second video below). A good omen for the big "official launch" event we have planned for early 2010 -- stay tuned!
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