24 – 26 March 2021
USING TECHNOLOGY TO GROW THE GLOBAL TOURISM INDUSTRY
WHY AN INTERNATIONAL VIRTUAL TOURISM SHOW
The tourism target market is GLOBAL. From Bali to Botswana, tourism by nature is a global industry. Tourists travel across thousands of kilometers to experience exotic locations. But how do tourism role-players across a very large world optimise the way they engage each other – especially during and post COVID.
COVID 19 has shifted the way of doing business. The solution is a virtual platform (accessible via internet) that removes market access obstacles like travel restrictions, alerts, natural disasters and costs but that can even improve the effectiveness of physical exhibitions by offering outstanding interactive features.
New markets await. Choosing which physical tourism shows to attend limits the
marketing function as a result of time and cost constraints of attending these but reduces the possibility of reaching new markets and agreements with truly emerging tourism products that face the same constraints and which are not well represented at physical shows. The Virtual platform creates opportunity for both established and emerging tourism products.
Truly Global. The International Virtual Tourism Show is organised collectively (and is a global partnership) by leading event organisers in 25 countries. This collective ownership is unique and ensures that marketing is keenly focussed in all of these markets.
Moreover the markets of the organising partners have been hand-picked to offer tourism roleplayers the best of both established and emerging new tourism products.
GLOBAL TOURISM IN CONTEXT
- COVID 19 has had the most severe impact on international tourism since 1950 and would put an abrupt end to a 10-year period of sustained growth since the 2009 financial crisis.
- Sentiment expressed by the UNWTO Panel of Experts points to a start of the recovery ofinternational demand mostly in 2021. According to Panel Experts from around the world, domestic demand would recover faster than international demand.
- Considerable challenges remain ahead, starting with the unknown duration of the pandemic and travel restrictions, in a context of global economic recession.
- Countries around the world are implementing a wide range of measures to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak and to stimulate the recovery of the tourism sector.
OBJECTIVES OF THE INTERNATIONAL VIRTUAL TOURISM SHOW
- The International Virtual Tourism Show gives both exhibitors and visiting roleplayers access to global roleplayers, agents and buyers.
- It enables wide participation from the global tourism trade, including emerging products and markets by removing obstacles of cost (travel, stand design, drayage, printing, hours out of office), time contraints, language and cultural barriers as well as travel restrictions or fear of international travel induced by COVID 19
- It offers interactive trade functionality that could even outperform physical exhibitions
- It provides a fresh approach and access to new tourism products and markets.
- It positions exhibitors and sponsors brands in a progressive, tech-savvy and futuristic way that allows for brand innovation, brand equity and that speaks to the needs of the global tourism sector post COVID.
ABOUT THE VIRTUAL PLATFORM
The platform is globally unique and offers interactive, gameplay-like functionality, which ensures that the two key elements of expos are reached: Entertainment and Trade.
Functionality
Being on the platform is an engaging and explorative “sensation” with varied sights, sounds and interactions possible. This aids in visitor experience and duration in the show.
Visitors navigate through the venue, into special areas and through the bespokely designed exhibition venue (yes it looks like a real venue) and can choose to interact with exhibitors by activating the menu at each uniquely branded exhibitor stand to 1 instant voice chat, 2 instant text chat, 3 email, 4 download brochure, 5 view company intro or special message and 6 view company video.
Visitors can also choose to listen to workshops or seminars in the “Conference Room” or experience special sponsored features in the show like “Coffee Bar”, “Cocktail Bar”, “Smoking Lounge” or “Entertainment Stage”.
Accessibility
The exhibition is hosted on a web-accessed hub, which means that it is accessible on any device, including handheld, mac and windows pc running any operating system. All users would be required to register to access and with their permission, their movement and interactions in the platform will be captured and form part of analytical reporting.
Security
The hub is secured against phishing, cyber attack and unwarranted content using global security protocols
EXHIBITOR PROFILE
| • Accommodation • Airline • Airport • Apartments • Bed & Breakfast/Guest House • Business Tourism and Events (International AGM’s, conferences etc) • Tourist Attraction & Entertainment • Trade Association • Trains/Rail • Travel Agency • Venues • Villa • VIP Inbound • Boutique Hotel • Camping/Caravans • Car Rental/Hire • City Convention Bureau • City Tourism Organisation • Tour Operator |
• Coach Company • Conference & Meeting Venue • Cruise Line • Destination Management Company • Destinations • Distribution Systems • Event Management Company • Event Support Services • Golf Resort • Ground Handling Supplier • Group Travel • Heritage Site • Hotel Chain • Hotel/Resort • Inbound/Receiving Tour Operator • Individual 5*/5* Deluxe/6* Hotel • Incentives and Rewards • IT/Technology Company • Museums • National Tourism Organisation |
• Land Travel • Luxury Hotel Chain • Marketing Services Agency • Outbound Tour Operators • Press/Media • Private Gaming Reserve • Private Villa • Professional Conference Organiser • Regional Tourism Organisation • Reservation Systems • Restaurants • Retail • Serviced Apartments • Software Solutions • Spas • Special Interest Tours • Sporting Venue, Sports Events, Sports Tours • Suppliers and Services • Theme Park • Tickets |
An estimated 1500 companies will participate in the International Virtual Tourism Show – via 25 country pavilions
VIRTUAL EXHIBITOR BENEFITS
1. Uber interactivity trade and branding tools, including
- Video display (TV Screen)
- Brochure/Prospectus download (Brochure Holder)
- email through the hub
- instant voice chat
- instant text chat
- branding of your stand
- customised stand options
- additional branding options eg feather banners, banner walls etc
2. Access to influential buyers and roleplayers in new, under-developed tourism markets and products as well as established markets. 20 000 visitors/buyers expected.
3. Comprehensive visitor interaction analysis and reporting. Database of visitors to your stand.
4. Massive cost reductions. You do not spend on printing, travel, time out of office, drayage, branding, furniture hire etc.
VISITOR PROFILE
Travel trade professionals from across the globe attend to meet new and existing contacts, gain industry insight and keep up to date with the latest travel trends, particularly to gain early mover advantages on new or developing tourism products in the Show’s unique exposition of these “hidden gems”. They do this without incurring costs or safety risks pertaining to COVID or other natural disasters.
A buyer is a senior decision-maker in the travel industry who has purchasing responsibility for doing business and developing new markets and products. Registered buyers will be recognised as a quality buyer by exhibitors, suppliers and other travel industry leaders.
Whereas traditional shows require expensive hosted and other buyer programs, the International Virtual Tourism Show gives unrestricted access to buyers across the globe. Buyers are however incentivised to register their interest for exclusive material, previews and post event follow-up.
There is no cost for pre-registered visitors to attend the International Virtual Tourism Show.
VISITOR BENEFITS
1. Access new and exciting tourism markets and products
2. Meet the key roleplayers and activate relationships and agreements
3. Massive attendance cost savings (no travel, time out of office etc)
4. Enjoy uber, personal, interactivity with exhibitors, incl instant voice chat
5. “Experience” the show in unique first person view, game-play mode, navigate the decored venue and explore the unique visitor experiences and areas like “Entertainment Stage”, “Cocktail Bar”, “Seminar Room” and “Coffee Bar”.
MATCH-MAKING
A world-class virtual match-making program is a key aspect of the International Virtual Tourism Show.
How it works:
All exhibitors and registered participants, namely buyers and visitors will be given access to a personal electronic meeting link which will enable participants to:
1. Request a personal meeting during the show with another registered participant (exhibitor to visitor/buyers or visitor/buyers to exhibitor);
2. Accept or decline invitations to meet
3. View their personal show meeting diary
4. Be reminded of appointments.
All meetings will be held virtually in the assigned chat room in the virtual show and will be processed through instant voice and or text chat mechanism.
SEMINAR
A seminar will be broadcast to run concurrently with the tradeshow and match-making meetings.
Presentations will be delivered by the national tourism authority of the partner countries and is designed to market that country’s tourism hotspots or strengths.
Day 1 the pre-recorded seminar will be run live for 4 hours and feature 12 partner country presentations with the possibility of viewers to rewind, fast forward, pause or jump to a specific presentation.
Day 2 the pre-recorded seminar will be run live for 4 hours and feature the remaining 13 country presentations with the possibility of viewers to rewind, fast forward, pause or jump to a specific presentation.
Day 3 the full seminar recorded video will be run for 8 hours with the possibility of viewers to rewind, fast forward, pause or jump to a specific presentation.
SHOW FORMAT
| Wed 24 March | Thu 25 March | Fri 26 March |
| Virtual Tradeshow | Virtual Tradeshow | Virtual Tradeshow |
| Match-making | Match-making | Match-making |
| Seminar Day 1 | Seminar Day 2 | Seminar Day 3 |
Click here for a recent video review of an exhibition hosted in the same virtual platform:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vjyJPN3hwk&feature=youtu.be
Click here for a short video preview of the Virtual Exhibition Platform:
https://youtu.be/C49H8Zf42sU
The International Virtual Tourism Show is highlighted by a unique selection of country partners from Africa (South Africa, Ghana, Rwanda, Zimbabwe), South America (Mexico, Brazil), Europe (Poland, UK, Greece, Portugal), Middle East (Turkey, Iran) and the East (Russia, South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, Phillipines, Singapore, Malaysia, India and China). This unique selection of destinations and roleplayers represents the emerging and most exciting opportunities to the global travel buyer and will be marketed as such.
Unique tourism products from across the globe are welcome to join this collective.
For information about how to become a country agent for the International Virtual Tourism Show – email Andrew Binning (andrew@inkanyezi.co.za)
EVENT DETAILS
|
Auckland Sydney Seoul Kuala Lumpur Jakarta Rangoon Dhaka Delhi Karachi Tehran Dubai |
22h00 – 04h00 20h00 – 02h00 19h00 – 01h00 18h00 – 12h00 17h00 – 23h00 16h30 – 22h30 16h00 – 22h00 15h30 – 21h30 15h00 – 21h00 14h30 – 20h30 14h00 – 20h00 |
Istanbul Moscow Athens Nairobi Doha Sofia Damascus Kiev Addis Ababa Helsinki Bucharest Moroni
Windhoek Barcelona |
13h00 – 19h00 13h00 – 19h00 13h00 – 19h00 13h00 – 19h00 13h00 – 19h00 13h00 – 19h00 13h00 – 19h00 13h00 – 19h00 13h00 – 19h00 13h00 – 19h00 13h00 – 19h00 13h00 – 19h00
12h00 – 18h00 12h00 – 18h00 |
Johannesburg Amsterdam Lilongwe Oslo Stockholm Valletta Budapest Brussels
London Sao Paulo New York
Havana Mexico City Los Angeles Honolulu |
12h00 – 18h00 12h00 – 18h00 12h00 – 18h00 12h00 – 18h00 12h00 – 18h00 12h00 – 18h00 12h00 – 18h00 12h00 – 18h00
11h00 – 17h00 07h00 – 13h00 06h00 – 12h00
06h00 – 12h00 05h00 – 11h00 03h00 – 09h00 12h00 – 06h00 |
CONTACT THE ORGANISERS
For enquiries, a more personalised Quotation and Bookings contact your country representative.
Host, Partner and Event/activity Sponsorship options exist for early movers. These include naming and branding rights to the event or specific activities or areas including “Entertainment Stage”, “Matchmaking”, “Coffee Bar” etc.