Opening Speech by Fiona Jeffrey at World Travel Market

Baroness Morris of Bolton, President of World Travel Market’s Advisory Council, Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, Distinguished Guests and Friends.

30 years ago when World Travel Market took its first tentative steps, it was a very different world. All of us felt privileged to be involved in an industry that was, without a shadow of a doubt, going places.

Yes, inevitably, there were vast mountains to climb - but in those early years, it was exciting and invigorating.

True, the pace of change was swift and as the industry was changing, so were our customers.

They were demanding new thrills and experiences; they wanted cheap flights and an ever growing array of choice and budget options. Weekends away, holidays in far flung places, luxury, special interest breaks, gap years, adventure, extreme sports, remote islands.

Even the over 50s, fitter and more active then ever before, were choosing trips to Antarctica and journeys around-the-world.

There was an unquenchable thirst for everything new and different.

As the right to travel became almost a fundamental principle to millions across the world - regardless of background, class, creed or culture - World Travel Market played a crucial role. The event became the ever growing backdrop for increasing co-operation and integration between destinations and operators, conducting business and showcasing a widening range of services and products to a global marketplace. We wanted to create an atmosphere that generated dynamism and energy while at the same time fostering flexibility, understanding and above all, trust.

We embraced the immense opportunities of travel technology, the biggest revolution since the days when Thomas Cook first organised package holiday tours. A development that completely re-engineered distribution strategies, bringing new entrants to the travel industry and increasing competition.

As an industry we’ve faced pandemics, natural disasters, escalating fuel prices and of course 9/11.

It triggered a new, challenging era; the industry momentarily lost confidence; people, fearful of their lives and that of their staff and customers, even questioned whether World Travel Market should go ahead.

But it was also a time of extraordinary strength, a remarkable illustration of the industry coming together for the common good.

We united that year in a way that we’ve never done before or since, proving to ourselves as much as the rest of the world, that whatever was thrown at the industry we would remain steadfast.

As I remember that terrible time, it makes me realise that World Travel Market’s ability to mirror the industry in its many moods, is perhaps one of its greatest strengths. In times of difficulty, its good to have a focus that binds the industry while at the same time, delivers business and an opportunity to talk and debate.

However, it’s over these past two years, amidst the worst global economic downturn in living memory, that World Travel Market has strived even more to help the industry with a different mountain to conquer.

There’s an old saying here in the UK that every cloud has a silver lining and I hope we‘ve assisted business to ride out the storm more effectively by stressing the need to improve efficiency, introduce new skills, new markets and encourage creativity, innovation and, above all, supreme customer value.

In these difficult times, the private sector needs resolute public sector support, investment, forward thinking leadership and direction, cementing a fundamental relationship between business and government and introducing greater understanding and strong co-operation.

Tomorrow is the UNWTO Ministers’ Summit, hosted by World Travel Market, when more than one hundred Ministers and senior aides will face the challenges of the Road to Recovery and addressing issues such as climate change and poverty reduction as part of that pathway.

The idea of an annual summit for Ministers came from our determination to get to the heart of the matter, regardless of its complexities, embracing every level of decision making - from boardroom to government mandate.

We’ve spoken out too on the hot topics of the day. Responsible Tourism is one of those areas which targets the core of our industry and our 3 day programme at World Travel Market reflects this belief.

This is not a new issue for World Travel Market – we started this particular lobby in 1994, born from a simple belief that we have a responsibility to protect the very product we seek to promote.

WTM World Responsible Tourism Day is now in its third year, bringing together destinations and operators in what we hope is an inspiring way, educating and spurring the industry on to positive action.

Spotlight, World Travel Market’s colour magazine, champions what’s new and innovative in responsible tourism, revealing inspiring stories to preserve and protect the world, making better places for people to visit and better places for people to live.

Only you can judge whether we’ve achieved our aim to support industry business in every way we can, but at the same time, we’ve tried to keep World Travel Market fresh, productive and enjoyable.

Now we must look to the future - not the past.

Confront it and relish it.

Take a look at this….
(30TH ANNIVERSARY FILM)
As you see from our film, the future and the next 30 years are there for the taking.

There’s no shortage of ideas, no lack of vision for the long term forecast of travel and tourism.

But there’s a noticeable difference in the thinking behind the industry now compared to even a few years ago.

Consumers are becoming more caring, thoughtful and considerate. It may be the credit crunch, of course, and the need for everyone to ‘tighten their belts’. It might just be a universal response to such pressing issues as climate change or pictures of the sickening tide of third world poverty that floods into our living rooms and offices every day of the week that’s triggering a quiet revolution.

There’s a growing realisation that sustainability is absolutely integral to the industry’s future success. I make no apologies for sounding over dramatic when I say that the industry will not have a future at all unless it takes responsible tourism as seriously as customer service, value for money and comfy beds.

World Travel Market is also trying to put its house in order.

Let me say right away that we do not pretend to be perfect! But like thousands of others in this industry, we’re doing our level best to make positive change happen.

With the support and encouragement of Reed Exhibitions and our parent company Reed Elsevier, we’ve committed to a more sustainable event management system by being certified for BS8901, the internationally recognised British Standard for Sustainable Event Management.

Our commitment to support local communities close to ExCeL with The Richard House Hospice, providing care for terminally ill children, is complemented by our work with the international water-aid charity Just a Drop, launched by World Travel Market 11 years ago, and is now, helping more than one million children and their families in 28 countries.

Just a Drop could never have achieved this much without the help of so many companies and individuals, especially my own organisation Reed Exhibitions who have encouraged and supported us over the years with resource, office back-up and wise counsel.

Now as we look to the future to identify new opportunities, it’s apparent that sports tourism is one of the industry’s fastest growing sectors and this year, for the first time, World Travel Market is highlighting the business potential that sports tourism offers the industry.

Our guest of honour this morning is Boris Johnson, Mayor of London and when Boris memorably invited the world in Beijing to come to London for the 2012 Olympics, he was referring to what will possibly be the most frequented sports tourism event the world has ever known.

And right here at ExCeL London, you can already get a glimpse of what the London Olympics will look like. The £168m expansion of ExCeL will not only be the first stadia completed as part of the Games, but also forms part of World Travel Market’s spectacular ‘new’ home in November 2010.

The newly completed London ICC ExCeL increases space by 50%, including a 5,000 seat convention centre, and will become a focus for spectators around the world who watch the 2012 Olympics either on television or in person.
The prospect is a compelling one and World Travel Market has many exciting plans to lift the event into a dynamic and innovative era reflective of further industry progress.
Ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm travel industry welcome to Boris Johnson, Mayor of London.