World Travel Market announced a new admission policy designed to benefit both exhibitors and visitors alike. The new policy includes changes to the structure of the daily format at WTM with Monday 10 November Opening Day admission by exhibitor invitation only, Ministers, and international press. 

The following three days, Tuesday 11 November - Thursday 13 November, will be open to all Meridian Club members, Travel Trade professionals, and press giving participants more flexibility over the days they wish to visit the exhibition.

WTM remains a trade only exhibition. A full programme of conferences, seminars, B2B meetings, and industry initiatives will run across the three days, Tuesday 11 November - Thursday 13 November, including the UNWTO Minister's Summit, WTM World Responsible Tourism Day (WTM WRTD), along with a number of new initiatives on Thursday 13 November to contain an extended Responsible Tourism programme and exhibitor to exhibitor networking initiatives.

Speaking about the new policy, Exhibition Director, Craig Moyes said, "The new admissions policy is a very exciting step for the future of World Travel Market. It underpins the value of WTM as a four day business to business forum for the travel and tourism industry and re-enforces the significance of delivering buyers to exhibitors."

The new policy will facilitate better business across all four days of WTM. Exhibitors have been given more flexibility and control over who they want to see and conduct business with on Opening Day. Travel Trade professionals are eligible to pre-register and attend WTM from Tuesday-Thursday instead of the Wednesday and Thursday as in pervious years. Meridian Club members will continue to receive all of their membership benefits, be identified as buyers, and are eligible to pre-register and attend WTM from Tuesday-Thursday. Both Travel Trade professionals and Meridian Club members who receive an Exhibitor Invitation for Opening Day will be eligible to pre-register and attend WTM over all four days.

Along with the Exhibitor Invitations, WTM will invite members of the international press, Ministerial delegates, and key travel association heads to attend Monday 10 November giving participants the opportunity to take advantage of the press attendance and interview opportunities.

The Opening Day Exhibitor Invitation process will be managed by WTM. Allocations for Exhibitor Invitations will be calculated in accordance with stand size and the number of registered exhibiting partners. The deadline for submission is 18 August 2008. All Opening Day Exhibitor invites will be contacted directly by the WTM.

The new admissions policy separates the Meridian Club brand from the admission policy structure and eliminates previous misuse of the brand purely to gain access to WTM during the first two event days. Moving forward the Meridian Club will be defined as its own brand to truly identify senior industry buyers. Members will continue to benefit from the exclusive use of the Meridian Club Lounge, the special exhibitor networking opportunities including the M Bar and meeting room facilities, welcome packs and Meridian Club badge, allowing exhibitors to identify buyers on the show floor.