Benefits of the exhibitors

For tourism trade fair to happen, it needs organisers, exhibitors and visitors. Organisers get profit and amazing networking opportunities, while visitors get direct access to industry professionals and their products or experience launches of the newest products. But how do exhibitors benefit from the trade fairs?

A list of the possible benefits for the exhibitors is provided below:

· Sales – via a targeted audience of qualified buyers at specialised event.
· Benefits of personal contact in eye-to-eye meetings.
· Opportunities for the audience to see, touch, smell or try before buying.
· A strong brand building environment via product demonstrations, seminars, conferences and sponsorship opportunities.
· The chance to promote brand loyalty via technology displays, hospitality and networking events.
· An ideal platform to launch new products and find sales agents or distributors in new markets.
· The ability to check and evaluate competition.
· Media interaction and press conferences.
· Quality market research opportunities.
· The chance to overcome objections to purchasing decisions.
· Conferencing opportunities to learn more about future industry trends.

Despite all these benefits, exhibitors face huge competition and it is extremely difficult to have a positive return on investment in modern market. Therefore wider research was done and two solutions were found. 

The simple one is to use the consultative service of The International Tourism Trade Fairs Association (ITTFA). The service offers the opportunity to discuss the ins and outs of the business in relation to exhibiting with an industry expert, to look into new avenues, core values, target markets and the inside track on how to exhibit effectively. Experts of ITTFA have deep knowledge and very long experience in the market, therefore their consultative service can transform exhibitors marketing strategy for trade fairs into new, more beneficial one.

Another solution is to use TourismTradeFair.com. It is a new communication channel for the tourism industry as well known as an international tourism trade fair. It is an interactive electronic tool designed specifically to provide the interaction between the company company and its potential customers. Latest internet technologies, innovative communication tools, 24/7 access, reduced costs and availability in 50 languages - these are the additional benefits for innovative companies, who decide to use virtual trade fair as a marketing tool in their strategy. 

As the very first our blog revealed, annual growth of virtual trade fairs and conferences is 56%, therefore tourism trade fairs’ future is expected to turn into the world of technologies and step by step overcome the market of usual trade fairs.

References: (http://www.allworldexhibitions.com/whyvisit.asp) (http://travelworldnews.com/2012/03/21/international-tourism-trade-fairs-association-ittfa-launches-new-consultation-service-for-exhibitors/) (http://www.tourismtradefair.com/about.html)

Asian airlines profits slump

Stiff competition and poor cargo market hit region's carriers

Airlines based in the Asia Pacific region recorded combined net profits of US$2.5 billion in 2013, 55% less than in 2012.
According to the latest data from the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA), intense competition and lacklustre demand for air cargo had a major impact on the result.

Asia’s airline profits fell 55% in 2013

Operating revenues totalled US$171.2bn, 2.1% lower than 2012. This included a 2.2% decline in passenger revenues, to US$131.4bn, which occurred despite a 6.3% rise in passenger traffic (measured in revenue passenger kilometres).
Operating expenses edged 0.4% higher to US$167.4bn, with the region’s fuel bill falling 3.2% to US$59.9bn. Non-fuel expenditure however, increased by 2.5% to US$107.5bn, due to higher depreciation and staff costs.
“Overall, Asia Pacific airlines faced challenging conditions in 2013, and registered a net profit margin of just 1.5%, compared with the 3.2% margin achieved in 2012,” said AAPA director general, Andrew Herdman.
“Intense competition in both the passenger and air cargo business segments led to pressure on fares, and weaker Asian currencies adversely affected costs, even more so for airlines with significant exposure to foreign denominated debt.”
Looking ahead, Herdman added; “Asian carriers are still facing a difficult operating environment marked by continued market competition and volatile currency markets. The focus for airlines remains firmly on strict cost controls and further productivity improvements.
“Overall, however, prospects for a further pick-up in the global economy and expectations of a cyclical upswing in international trade should give some grounds for optimism,” Herdman concluded.

Singapore Airlines partners STB for tourism promotion

Two companies to spend US$3.2bn driving more visitors from key source markets

Singapore is aiming to attract more visitors from key source markets (photo by Stanislav Komogorov)

Singapore Airlines (SIA) has penned a new international, multi-million-dollar tourism partnership with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).

Under the terms of the new deal, SIA and STB will embark on a global marketing campaign focused on attracting both leisure and business travellers to Singapore, plus the lucrative cruise market.

The two companies will invest a total of SG$4 million (US$3.2m) in joint campaigns focused on key visitor source markets across the world, including Australia, China, Germany, India, Japan, the UK and USA. SIA and STB said they will also work on the development of new “exclusive and customised experiences” for travelers.

“Through this complementary partnership, SIA and STB will leverage each other’s consumer and trade insights to ensure that travellers have a more in-depth Singapore experience that meets their needs and wants,” said Lynette Pang, assistant chief executive of STB’s marketing group.

“Consumers already have a strong brand affinity to SIA, and would be able to easily relate to new marketing initiatives and products. Together, we can amplify the Singapore story, and attract more quality visitors,” she added.

SIA, along with its regional subsidiary SilkAir, operates over 490 flights per week from the seven target markets to Singapore, including 226 from China and India alone.

The city is often viewed as a transit destination however, and STB has been keen to increase the average length-of-stay among visitors to the city. This focus saw the SIA and STB join forces in 2013 to launch the Singapore Stopover Holiday (SSH), which was intended to encourage transit travellers to spend more time exploring Singapore.

Vietnam arrivals surge in Q1

China and Russia continue to drive international tourism

Tourists relax on a beach in Danang (photo by Peter Stuckings)

International visitor arrivals to Vietnam experienced strong double-digit growth in the first quarter of the year.

Figures released by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) show that the country achieved 2.33 million international arrivals in the January-March 2014 period, up 29.3% year-on-year.

The growth continues to be driven by China and Russia, which both experienced growth in the region of 50% in the first quarter, although all major source markets contributed more visitors during the period.

China (+48.3% to 587,475 visitors) remains by far Vietnam’s largest source market, accounting for more than one in four international arrivals to the country. South Korea (+6.3% to 238,496), Japan (+9.2% to 170,772), USA (+9.7% to 140,051) and Russia (+55.2% to 131,469) completed the top five.

Vietnam welcomed 7.57m international visitors in 2013, a 10.6% increase compared to 2012. And if it continues its strong start to this year, the country is well on track to meet its full-year 2014 target of eight million visitors.

World Travel Market - Educational benefits

World Travel Market (WTM)  



World Travel Market is the leading global event for the travel industry. It is the must-attend four-day business-to-business exhibition for the worldwide travel and tourism industry. This year marks its 35th year and generate more than £2.2 billion of travel and industry contracts.  It it held at the Excel London every November. The event attracts 50,000 senior travel industry professionals, government and international press. The event is the best place to network, negotiate and discover the latest industry opinion and trends. This is a Business to Business (B2B) event where as the TNT travel market is Business to Customer (B2C). 

Educational benefits: 

Travel shows offer educational opportunities for student that are interested in the Tourism industry. Students can attend these events and learn from experienced professionals. Students already studying a degree in Tourism can apply and also get the chance to extend their knowledge from these programmes. 
At WTM they offer student programmes where they offer the ITT Future You conference which features career advice into the industry, ITT Tutor Networking, The Travel Tech session where students can learn about the impacts of social media, mobile, blogging and technology and on how it benefits to destinations and business in the industry. WTM offer a programme on World Responsible Tourism Day, this stimulates, educates and inspires the industry to embrace a year- round responsible tourism. I think it is a great opportunity for students to attend and learn first hand. 


 See more at: http://www.wtmlondon.com/#sthash.opLjHlsN.dpuf