World Travel Market will showcase an impressive ten new exhibitors from the UK and Ireland at the 2008 event. With over 5,000 participating companies and the largest press attendance of any event in the UK, World Travel Market is expanding across every sector, but the considerable growth in new UK exhibitors reflects the strength of the domestic travel trade.
 
The ten new UK exhibitors promoting themselves to the over 47,000 industry professionals and 3,000 international media at this year's exhibition include attractions, hotels, tour operators and travel technology companies and cut across all spheres of British tourism, from the classic and cultural to the cutting edge and contemporary.

Amongst the classic attractions, World Travel Market has announced the arrival of the Cutty Sark. Housed in Greenwich, the Cutty Sark is the world's sole surviving tea clipper ship, and has been designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. For over 50 years, the ship has been at the cornerstone of Greenwich's maritime magic, and the area now attracts over six million visitors each year. The ship is currently undergoing an extensive multimillion pound restoration programme, which is due for completion in 2010. Alongside the Cutty Sark, the other UK cultural offerings making their debut at World Travel Market this year are Gardens to Visit, Cornwall Tourist Pass and The Ambassador Theatre Group, the largest theatre company in the West End.

Amongst the contemporary offerings, World Travel Market has announced the arrival of Folio Hotels.  The company operates 37 three-star and four-star hotels across England and Scotland, in locations from Falmouth to Fort William. Each hotel is individually designed and uniquely British, with many located in listed buildings and landscaped gardens. Folio Hotel is also a major player in the development of the UK hotel scene. Recent acquisitions include the Heywood Building in Liverpool City Centre, which will open as the boutique Heywood House hotel in the same month that Folio makes its World Travel Market debut.

Alongside Folio Hotels, other contemporary offerings making their World Travel Market debut are translation solutions company Iko Eko and technological innovator Wandrian, which is developing solutions to simplify the planning and purchasing of train travel worldwide. Wandrian's inventive systems connect global train operators together and power online rail bookings. As rising fuel prices and environmental concerns make train travel the mode of the moment, Wandrian's transactions have grown by 65% in the last quarter.

Also at World Travel Market this year are Anderson Travel, a London-based fleet of low-emission coaches and minicoaches offering tours, short breaks and environmentally-friendly car rental, and Westex, a direct marketing, mail handling and product distribution company.

The new UK and Ireland exhibitors are: Ambassador Theatre Group, Anderson Travel, Cornwall Pavillion, Cutty Sark, folio hotels, Gardens to Visit, Iko Eco, Sevenstar Aviation, Wandrian, Westex Ltd.

In addition to ten new exhibitors from the UK and Ireland alone, World Travel Market is delighted to welcome 12 new additions from across Europe and five from the Asia and Pacific region including Fiji, Vail Resorts and the Association of Bhuatanese Tour Operators.

More than 50,000 travel professionals, senior management, buyers and opinion formers from regions, countries and industry sectors throughout the world are expected to attend this year's World Travel Market at ExCeL, London. The event takes place from 10-13 November 2008.