Visit Isle of Wight attended the World Travel Market in London this week. More than 50,000 travel professionals gathered in London to look at destination ideas from around the world.

This was the first time the Island has been represented at this global exhibition for 12 years. Over one hundred new travel contacts were made, from travel journalists in Canada, the USA, India, China and closer to home, along with strong interest from package holiday operators who were keen to hear about “pure island happiness” and what it could do for them.

At the show, hosted by ExCel in London, Visit Isle of Wight launched the new Destination manual and the trade gateway, a new initiative to attract overseas visitors. On Monday, during a busy press day, the new organisation “Destination Cowes” was launched on the exhibition stand by Cowes Town Council and the Cowes Harbour Commission. A promotion to advertise the Chamber of Commerce’s new Destination and Accommodation guide was also launched on Monday with a promotion to win a holiday on the Island by registering to receive a copy of the new guide when it is published in January.

Andrew Turner MP for the Island popped in on Tuesday to see how things were going, and David Thornton, CEO of Visit Isle of Wight plus other members of the team manned the stand over three days to deal with enquiries from companies as diverse as Expedia online, Walking Group Organisers in Wales, Canadian Bloggers and Indian travel agents.

The destination management organisation plan to follow up the interest gathered at the show over the next month and go on to attend EXPLOREGB with Visit Britain next spring in Brighton. This gathering brings tour operators and inbound operators face to face with UK destinations in order to develop new business connections in the future.

If you’re an Island Destination attraction, hospitality business or accommodation provider with a good story to tell the overseas market, get in touch with us today so we can include your information on our new trade gateway when it opens in December. Contact us here.