World Travel Market has named Travolution as its first global media partner for travel technology as it revealed the zone is the annual trade show’s fastest growing and will expand by 30% this year.
The growth follows a 40% increase in 2011 over the previous year and underlines the growing importance of technology to the sector.
The Travel Technology region has moved from its traditional position in the South Hall to the South Hall West Entrance, due to the introduction of a dedicated India region at WTM 2012.
New exhibitors already signed up include travel technology provider Intuitive, revenue management specialist EasyRMS, online payment service World Pay, reservations system GP Solutions, smart phone application m-hospitality, computer consultancy Hostech, website technology company TRABASE and hotel booking firm Journeyful.
WTM Travel Technology sales manager Jo Marshall said: “The interest in exhibiting at WTM’s Travel Technology section is phenomenal, I’m delighted with the new exhibitors we have on board so far, as well as the number of exhibitors which are expanding their stand space following a successful WTM 2011.”
In addition to the new exhibitors a number of firms have significantly increased their stand space including agency Indigo Travel Tech, hotels promotions firm Wihp Hotel, website performance specialist Triometric and German semantic search pioneer Fact-Finder Travel.
WTM will also feature a full programme of travel technology sessions featuring a plethora of high profile speakers.
Those confirmed include Google UK head of travel Nate Bucholz, Microsoft Bing Maps for Enterprise partner account manager EMEA Idit Gazit Berger, lastminute.com head of mobile David Slocombe and LivingSocial Escapes general manager Europe Nick Stafford.
The Travel Technology programme is organised in conjunction with consultancy Genesys whose senior partner Paul Richer will be chairing the conference and hosting his own session on the latest technology trends in the sector.
World Travel Market exhibition director Simon Press said: “The Travel Technology region is the fastest growing area in WTM and I am delighted it is set to grow by a further 30% in 2012.
“Last year we moved the Travel Technology programme to the larger Platinum Suites at ExCeL due to delegate demand. I’m sure this year’s programme will be even more popular with the number of high profile speakers we are already able to announce.”
Speaking about the global media partnership Travolution editor Lee Hayhurst said: “We are extremely happy to have been asked to be the first WTM global media partner for travel technology.
“It has been impossible to ignore how technology exhibitors have grabbed an increasing profile at the event over the past few years and this reflects something that we at Travolution have known since our arrival on the scene more than six years ago – that travel’s future development and prosperity is inextricably linked to technology.”