A Visit to the WTM 2014
For the previous two years I have been aiming to get to the World Travel Market. Well, third time lucky! This year I made it to WTM 2014.
Getting up at 5.15am isn’t always my idea of fun (especially when Ross had been out the night before and didn’t arrive home until 3.10am!) but it didn’t matter to me. Travelling on South West trains isn’t the loveliest experience in the world but first class definitely helps!
Arriving at the Prince Regent station on the DLR, I was pleased to see just how helpful all the rail staff were in directing you to your destination. I entered the exhibition through the Prince Regent entrance as I knew that this was closest to the Blogger Speed Networking area – somewhere I needed to be at 10am.
My first port of call was the cloakroom to drop off my extra bags and coat so that I could walk round in comfort. At first glimpse, the enormity of the exhibition was overwhelming so I decided to save that for later….once I’d had the opportunity to meet lots of the exhibitors at the Blogger Speed Networking event which was due to run from 10.30 until 11.30am.
I checked, found my table and looked round to see lots of familiar faces from the blogs Mums Do Travel, Who’s the Mummy?, Globalmouse Travels, Cherished By Me, Maris World, A Residence, Actually Mummy, Mummy Daddy Me and Not Another Mummy Blog (the last four ladies have collectively formed a brand new travel blog called Space in Your Case).
I had sensibly chosen to bring some A5 sized media packs tucked away in their own plastic wallets together with some business cards and set up shop ready to speak to the companies interested in approaching me.
I found it an absolute please to chat to people. There were a number of representatives from Ireland, some from Spain, Italy and the Middle East. I also had a great chat with the lady representing Sandals and Beaches resorts.
It was the first time I had done anything like this but I found it totally invaluable. It was far easier than trying to approach people in a large exhibition hall. I knew that they wanted to give me their undivided attention for 5 minutes.
Following the speed networking, Sally and I decided to do some networking of our own before I went off to meet up with Stephen and Steph from Propellernet and Sally set off for her train home – she had already spent a large amount of time at WTM and had given a talk on the Tuesday.
It was great to meet Stephen in person, along with Steph. I was grateful for the cup of tea that they bought me and we had a good chat about all things travel.
I was then left to walk round the rest of the exhibition on my own, taking in the sights and sounds and making more contacts for work purposes. This was interspersed by a small meeting up with Alison, Penny and Katie. Then a bit more walking around before suddenly realising that I had best get the tube back to Waterloo if I wanted to miss the rush hour and get back in time to see Grace before her bedtime.
I thoroughly enjoyed WTM 2014. People had put so much time and effort in presenting their stands and themselves. I will definitely be back next year – but next time I intend to go for longer!
With thanks to Oliver Gradwell, Paul Nelson and Sally Whittle for including me in the Blogger Speed Networking Event.
Hi Vic, firstly, congratulations on your 1000th post. Brilliant! It’s amazing how it all mounts up. The WTM looks great. If you think it is worth it then it is certainly something I’d look into going to in the future. Hope you picked up some invaluable contacts. Xx #pocolo
Wowee! This looks AMAZING! Ok, if you get to go to these places, pleeeeease sneak me in your suitcase – Florida, Menorca, any Royal Carribean Cruise 😉 x #PoCoLo
Sounds like a great day. That chocolate at the Brussels stand looks tasty!
Sounds like a great day. Did the chocolate sculpture last the day? I can see how, it looks too tasty!
Wow this looks like such an amazing experience and the speed networking is such a good idea x #PoCoLo
This must have been such a useful event for you – I am glad you found it so useful! I still had to have a little chuckle to myself at the idea of Blogger Speed Networking but I imagine it’s a great way to make new contacts.
Wow hon that chocolate model is utterly incredible! Sounds like an amazing day and really great opportunity for you xx
Oh wow. I saw so many travel bloggers going to this and thought: ‘one day I must pop along too’. Maybe next year… once I get my first blogging conference over with 🙂 It looks like a great place to meet the top industry hitters though. I’ll have to practise my smile!
What an amazing experience, I’m sure you will generate a huge number of new contacts and work from it.#PoCoLo
What a great opportunity for you, I’m sure you came away with lots of useful information and contacts.
The speed networking looks a little intimidating but as you say, they all actually want to hear what you have to say so it’s actually just a great chance to meet people.
I’ve never heard of WTM before but I’ll definitely look into it in the future as I do more travel posts.
Thanks
Xx
Wow this looks amazing, what a fab thing to be involved in. Plus, look at that chocolate sculpture, amazing. I always crack up when we visit Belgium and chocolate is available at the breakfast buffet! #PoCoLo
That looks like a fantastic place to advertise your blog! You’re really brave for going and speaking to all those people, that would freak me out lol. Love the A5 media packs, great idea #PoCoLo
Wow this all looks very exciting!
Were you nervous at all doing so much networking?
Things like that always make me so nervous!
x
It looks you presented yourself very professionally with those little folders all prepared. I sounds like an amazing event.
Looks like an interesting day out. I’d never heard of it until I saw a few tweets about #WTM. Although I think I’d be too jealous of all the lovely places I’d want to visit!