Meet the Travel Trade at B2B events

Exhibit at one of the large Travel Trade shows and meet the buyers direct…

The Travel Trade has a vast selection of products and destinations to choose from, so it is up to you to meet and do business with them. Before you do so, it’s best to identify what you want to get out of the market and those you'd like to potentially do business with.

The Travel Trade is about growing relationships with those who will suit you and your business. Not all will suit and you won’t always be the right product for them. Identify potential contacts and invite them to speak with you. Remember – it’s best to have a few good relationships that you keep going rather than lots of relationships you don’t follow-up on.

It is also about time. This is not a market where business happens overnight. Remember they work to a long time frame. Typically European and US operators will look to learn about new products from September to March by visiting exhibitions and going on familiarisation trips. They then compile this information during the spring and summer and put in their new brochure, working at least 1 - 2 years in advance.

There is a wide range of B2B events that target different geographical regions and audiences.

Sign up to the industry e-newsletter to keep up-to-date with our event recruitment details.

Visit Wales generally attends the following events and there are some opportunities to partner with us.  Find out more about each event below.  If you are interested in attending any of the ones listed please email traveltradewales@gov.wales

Britain & Ireland Marketplace (BIM), London – January  

VisitBritain Nordics Workshop, various locations – February (event takes place alternate years)

VisitBritain France Workshop, various locations - February (event takes place alternate years)

Coach Tourism Association (CTA) – Members only – various events throughout the year

ITB Berlin – March 

British Tourism & Travel Show (BTTS), Birmingham – March

AdventureELEVATE Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), various locations in North America – Spring (members only)

Student & Youth Travel Association (SYTA) Annual Conference, various locations in North America - August (members only)

Destination Britain North America, various locations in North America – September

UKinbound Annual Convention – various locations in the UK - September (members only)

World Travel Market London – November

USTOA Annual Conference & Marketplace, various locations in North America - December (Members only)

For further information about each event see below:

AdventureELEVATE Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA)
This is a three-day conference held in different locations across North America with roughly 35 pre-set meetings. There are usually around 250 travel professionals in attendance. Buyers are based around the world and sell to multiple markets and mostly already sell UK and Ireland. 

Britain & Ireland Marketplace (BIM)
This is a one day workshop held in London in January and organised by European Tour Operators Association (ETOA) with up to 32 pre-set appointments. The buyers in attendance will be those who already sell UK and Ireland and looking for new products to sell. Buyers will predominantly be based in UK (or at least have offices here) but sell to markets in Europe and beyond. There will also be outbound operators from Europe and North America. 

British Tourism & Travel Show (BTTS)
This is the UK’s leading domestic tourism event and brings together up to 300 exhibitors and up to 3000 targeted buyers – held in March at the NEC Birmingham. Opportunity to exhibit at the 2025 show.

Coach Tourism Association (CTA) events
The Coach Tourism Association has a selection of networking events throughout the year for its members at different locations in the UK and focusses on the domestic market. Key events include the CTA Conference & Workshop and CTA Spring Networking & AGM.  Both events include workshops, speakers and networking opportunities with UK suppliers and domestic coach operators. 

Destination Britain North America
This is a three day event that will be held in various locations across North America, hosted by VisitBritain with up to 45 pre-set meetings. There are roughly 50 buyers in attendance who already sell the UK and Ireland. Buyers will be based in North America and sell to North Americans. 

ITB Berlin
ITB Berlin is a three day event and is the world's largest tourism trade fair, held in March. With approximately 10,000 exhibitors representing every sector of the tourism industry. Approximately 25 per-cent of the trade visitors come from countries other than Germany (a large part from the emerging Eastern European markets).

Student and Youth Travel Association (SYTA) Annual Conference
SYTA annual conference is a five-day conference that is held in different locations across North America, organized by SYTA with up to 114 pre-set appointments. With roughly 700 buyers in attendance, which is likely to keep growing, not all selling outside of North America, however some looking to expand into the UK. Buyers are from around the world, but mainly from North America. 

UKinbound Annual Convention
This annual event is open to all UKinbound members and is their flagship event with around 250 businesses from across the UK’s diverse inbound tourism sector. It is held in different locations across the UK and takes place over two days. Highlights include seminars, one-to-one business meetings, panel debates focussing on key issues facing the inbound industry and networking opportunities.

USTOA Annual Conference & Marketplace
This is a four day event that is held in various locations across North America by USTOA with roughly 40 pre-set meetings. There are usually over 800 travel professionals in attendance from around the world that sell to markets around the world and mostly already sell UK and Ireland.

VisitBritain France Workshop
This is a one day workshop for UK suppliers to meet French buyers. 

VisitBritain Nordics Workshop
This is a one day workshop held in different locations across Scandinavia organised by VisitBritain each year. The event consists of pre-booked 10 minute meetings allowing the opportunity to meet with operators from Norway, Denmark and Sweden.  There are also networking opportunities to meet both buyers and UK based suppliers. 

World Travel Market London
Staged annually in November at ExCeL in London. This B2B event presents a diverse range of destinations and industry sectors to UK and international travel professionals. It’s an opportunity for senior travel industry professionals, government ministers and international press to network, negotiate, do business and discover the latest industry opinions and trends.

Find out more about VisitBritain events and register your interest.