UKinbound has signed a partnership agreement with the European Tour Operators Association so its supplier members can attend Etoa’s British and Ireland Marketplace event.
The hybrid trade show will take place in-person on January 28, 2022, at InterContinental London – The O2, followed by an online day on February 1.
More than 350 delegates are expected to attend the two-day, business-focused event.
A B2B workshop will enable more than 10,000 meetings between key decision-makers from international tour operators, transport providers and travel organisers, who want to meet representatives from historical landmarks, tourist attractions, hotels and tourist boards.
This latest agreement is part of a wider collaboration between the two associations, which has included joint lobbying activity to support members facing unprecedented challenges due to Covid-19.
In September, Etoa chief executive Tom Jenkins attended UKinbound’s annual convention in Manchester.
Joss Croft, chief executive of UKinbound: said “Looking to 2022 and the revival of the UK’s tourism industry, collaboration will be the key to success, and I’m therefore delighted that through this partnership, UKinbound supplier members will have the opportunity to attend BIM, which will provide them with a range of both commercial and networking opportunities.”
Jenkins added: “The industry works in advance: for sales to take place in North American and Asia, they need a 12–18-month lead time. BIM 2022 will take place in the middle of planning for 2023.
“150 top product buyers who are members of Etoa and UKinbound will attend the in-person event. At the online event we will have a world-wide audience, with operators joining us from Seattle to Shanghai. With over £1 billion of spend on offer, BIM 2022 marks the start of the return to business.”