London`s newest purpose-built exhibition centre will become the home of World Travel Market in 2002 (11-14 November), a decision that underpins World Travel Market`s long term strategy to deliver better business opportunities to the international travel and tourism industry.
The decision to move to ExCeL was reached after extensive research of the travel and tourism industry, and exhaustive discussions with industry representatives on the
Inevitably we will all be very sad to leave Earls Court after this year and I want to thank everyone there for their support and assistance over the years, said Group Exhibition Director, Fiona Jeffery who, with her team has been working on the ExCeL project for nearly three years.
However, this is a really positive move. Travel and tourism is a `people`s business` where the importance of business-to-business trade exhibitions cannot be underestimated. World Travel Market is a world class event and we need a world class venue and location that provides the backdrop for the event`s development.
ExCeL opened it`s doors in November 2000 and has since hosted over 200 events with leading international trade shows, newly launched consumer exhibitions, conferences, product launches and political events. A factor in the decision to move World Travel Market to ExCeL in 2002 was to allow the ExCeL management team to fully test the venue and it`s service suppliers for operational problems during the first 2 years of operation across a variety of events.
Central to World Travel Market`s transition strategy is ensuring every aspect of the move to ExCeL is researched and planned in detail well before the doors open for business next November.
One of the attractions of ExCeL is it`s setting, adjacent to Royal Victoria Dock in the very heart of London`s Docklands. ExCeL lies 2 miles east of Canary Wharf and a further 4 miles from Trafalgar Square. London City Airport, providing access to 26 European destinations is a mere 5 minutes drive from ExCeL`s eastern entrance.
Ensuring good accessibility and transportation for visitors and exhibitors to ExCeL next November is the biggest challenge facing the management teams of both WTM & ExCeL. Although there are good road, rail and air links to ExCeL, the WTM team is working with the London Transport authorities and all local transport providers ensure that travel to and from the venue for World Travel Market is convenient and simple.
ExCeL is located five minutes away from London City Airport, offering 200 flights a day and access to 26 European destinations. Check in time is 10 minutes.
Stanstead via the M11 is 35 minutes journey time outside rush hour. By rail ExCeL can be reached via Liverpool Street and the Central Line via Bank connecting with the Docklands Light Railway direct to Custom House. Actual travelling time is approximately 60 minutes.
Heathrow can be accessed by rail using the Heathrow Express to Paddington followed by London Underground via Bank, picking up the Docklands Light railway direct to Custom House Alternatively, using the Jubilee Line via Baker Street to Canning Town followed by Docklands Light Railway to Custom House.
Gatwick – By rail, 30 minutes on the Gatwick Express to Victoria then 31 minutes to Custom House for ExCeL via Circle or District Line to Westminster then Jubilee Line to Canning Town followed by Docklands Light Railway to Custom House.
Luton – By rail, 35 minutes on Thameslink to Kings Cross the 37 minutes to Custom House for ExCeL via Northern Line from Kings Cross to Bank then Docklands Light Railway to Custom House.
The journey to ExCeL may be slightly longer than Earls Court, but the impressive range of facilities, developed in close consultation with the UK exhibition and events industry, more than compensate.
Most significantly, ExCeL has 65,000 square metres of hall floor space, more than Earls Court, but with significant advantages in that the two exhibition halls, the south and north halls, offer a flat, column-free exhibition space with multiple access points for both visitors (via the central boulevard that runs the 397m length of the venue) and contractors via 30 vehicle access doors off the a 3 lane lorry way surrounding the halls. Visitor access & flow around World Travel Market will be vastly superior with a smoother build-up and break-down.
Another major plus is an additional 13,000 sq metres of breakout, seminar and conference space, directly accessible from the exhibition halls. The 55 meeting rooms (33 facing south over Royal Victoria Dock & 22 facing north over East London) have been designed with flexibility in mind. Meetings, receptions, product launches, parties, private lunches, workshops and conferences can all be accommodated, with delegate numbers ranging form 15 to over 200.
ExCeL also boasts an impressive Conference Centre with 11 individual conference suites that can be configured into a variety of layouts. The four largest suites can be combined to form one large conference facility with capacity up to a thousand people and up to 800 for a banquet.
Catering is certainly one area that visitors and exhibitors to World Travel Market 2002 will notice a significant difference. A host of restaurants and bars including Leith`s The Olive Tree & The Reef cafe Bar will provide quality and variety throughout the venue. The central Boulevard is lined with a variety of catering outlets, providing grab-and -go options including Costa Coffee, Birley`s Sandwiches, Soup Opera, Fat Jackets, Oi! Bagel & Juicepiration. Sixteen hall entrances (8 for each of the 2 halls) will take visitors directly into World Travel Market.
ExCeL`s `smart` Business Centre, mobile business centres and web kiosks will ensure immediate help for World Travel Market`s visiting executives and exhibitors so that they can continue their work while away from their desks.
Moving World Travel Market to Docklands will also have an effect on where exhibitors and visitors choose to stay. Although plans are well under way for the construction of six new hotels with nearly 1,500 bedrooms and more than 850 apartments due for opening in time for World Travel Market 2003, there will be limited on-site accommodation available for 2002, apart from a 227 bed hotel and a floating cruise liner moored beside ExCeL that will also offer a novel venue for a conference, dinner or private business meetings.
For exhibitors wanting to be closer to ExCeL, neighbouring boroughs provide an additional 3,500 bedrooms including The Tower Thistle Hotel at Tower Bridge, the Four Seasons at Canary Wharf and The Holiday Inn at Canada Water.
The launch of Reed Travel Services -an online `one stop shop` for travel and accommodation services- will help exhibitors and visitors secure flights and accommodation.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
