Up to 2,000 agents and operators are expected to attend the
UK’s only travel trade show dedicated to Spain when it opens
in London at the end of this month.
The Spanish Tourism Exchange for Professionals – STEPs for
short – is in its fifth year and has signed up around 130
exhibitor representatives from all sectors of the Spanish travel
industry including airlines, hotels and regional tourist
boards.
The aim is to provide them with easy access to UK buyers, and to
give British buyers an overview of what’s on offer in
Spain.
Spanish Tourist Office UK director Ignacio Vasallo said: “These
companies all attend World Travel Market but they are competing
with every other destination in the world. We have a 30% share of
the UK holiday market and are the leaders for packages and
independent tourism. We need an exclusive fair for our
products.”
Vasallo said 1,600-2,000 operators and agents are expected to
attend – slightly more than last year, reflecting major
changes in the holiday industry in the UK.
“Three years ago hotels sold all their allocation to operators
and didn’t need to do any marketing,” he said.
“That has changed and now they have to go to the market. Also,
destinations such as Santander have been opened up by the low-cost
carriers and they need to promote themselves in the UK.”
A seminar programme has been organised for each day of the show.
Vasallo said these are based on less familar products so British
buyers will not hear things they already know. Subjects lined up
include golf, meetings and incentives and on-line bookings. “That
will be useful for suppliers to see what is happening in the UK
market,” added Vasallo.
Discussion involving Cosmos overseas purchasing and operations
director Hugh Morgan and Co-operative Travel Trading Group chief
operating officer Mike Greenacre is on the first day of the show,
while Gonzalo Pascual, president of Viajes Marsans – one of
the largest travel agencies in Spain – is answering questions
in a later session, to give British buyers an overview of what is
happening in Spain.
