More than half the membership of Antor has voted to lobby against the fourth day of World Travel Market.
A poll of members revealed that the day is no longer achieving the results needed to justify attendance by private sector.
While Antor believes organiser Reed Exhibitions has worked hard to try and reinvent the final day of the show, results have been slow in times when the economic return on investment is key, the organisation representing overseas tourist offices said.
“The results are not substantial enough to justify the extra day in terms of time lost, cost of accommodation and subsistence. As a result, the efforts that WTM are putting in to attract visitors on the final day may leave visitors leaving feeling disappointed.” Antor said.
Members are lobbying for a three-day show as the total cost of time, accommodation and subsistence combined for themselves and their partners make this event a preferred option.
The fourth day of WTM should become a much smaller event maintaining just the Global Village and Technology area, meaning visitors who attend on the final day can still enjoy a busy show.
Antor has set up an online poll to gauge the opinion of the travel trade, with the question: ‘How long do you think WTM should be in the future?’
The poll can be found on Antor’s homepage at antor.com.