Following our highly successful first ever SPOTLIGHT VIRTUAL TRAVELEXPO on 30 September which attracted 40 Exhibitors and 162 Buyers from 25 countries, we are pleased to announce that our next Spotlight Virtual TravelExpo will be held on Wednesday 04 and Thursday 05 November
As Africa gradually opens up for Inbound Tourism and more and more airlines are re-launching their flights into and around Africa. Regional and Domestic Travel is already seeing a re-bound in Tourism
Spotlight Virtual TravelExpo will promote:
- Inter-regional travel within Africa (from Southern Africa to East & West Africa and vice versa)
- Outbound Travel from Africa to Indian Ocean Islands and Overseas Destinations (Europe, The Gulf etc.)
- Inbound Tourism from Overseas Countries to Africa
While nothing can beat a face-to-face Workshop – VIRTUAL for the moment has become the new normal and very important way to communicate with your Trade partners within Africa and overseas.
Spotlight Virtual TravelExpo is designed to create a real Exhibition experience with B2B meetings and Pre-scheduled Appointments.
How will Spotlight Virtual TravelExpo work?
- Travel Trade buyers will register online like a normal workshop and then receive a login and password. They can then visit the TravelExpo from their laptop or mobile device (Chrome/Firefox/Mozilla or Opera are the best browsers to use – do not use Internet Explorer)
- Match-making and Pre -scheduled Appointments: A week before the start of the Expo (28 October) the Pre-scheduled Meetings Platform will open allowing Buyers and Exhibitors to request appointments with each other. The platform also suggests the Top 10 Buyers that Exhibitors should meet based on the Buyer Profile. Note: the buyers have same facilities as outlined above to request appointments with Exhibitors
- On the days of the TravelExpo buyers are able to attend presentations, attend meetings with the exhibitors, view exhibitor videos, download their brochures and chat to exhibitors using the Multi-chat facility
- The duration of the Virtual Expo will be two full days – See programme below
- All Exhibitors are sent full contact details of the Buyers after the Expo.
How will Buyers be invited to attend Spotlight Virtual TravelExpo?
- Houston Travel Marketing will send email invitations to all previous Spotlight attendees from all our workshops – over 2000 people!
- The GSA Travel Magazine & The GSA Galaxy will be the Official Media Sponsors and will be sending invites to their databases of Travel Trade in Southern Africa
- We will also invite Tour Operators from our Nordics & Eastern European Roadshows – Spotlight Virtual TravelExpo will therefore have a global Travel Trade audience. Buyers from 14 Overseas Countries registered for Spotlight Virtual TravelExpo in September
- HTMS will use all our social media platforms to invite the trade to attend. We will also post invitations on various other Travel Trade social media platforms
- HTMS will embark on an extensive PR campaign sending press releases to various Trade Associations and Travel Media in Africa & Overseas.
- Registration details will include full contact details, type of company; countries /products they are interested in meeting
- Frequent updates will be sent to registered buyers with details of Exhibitors etc.
How Many Buyers will attend?
For the September 30 Virtual TravelExpo 162 Buyers from 25 countries registered to attend from Kenya, Australia, USA, Zambia, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Italy, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Czech Republic, Romania, Ethiopia, Hungary, Poland, Sweden, UK, Netherlands, Nigeria, Finland, Israel, India, Uganda, Canada and Mozambique.
145 of these buyers actually attended on 30 September / 01 October – so only 18 “no shows”
Who will attend as Buyers
- Managers and staff of Travel Agencies throughout Africa (IATA and Non-IATA) and Independent Travel Consultants)
- Africa Inbound Tour Operators
- Outbound Wholesalers from Europe especially Nordic countries; UK & European countries, Asia Pacific, North & South America
We estimate that 60% of the buyers will be Africa trade and 40% will be from overseas countries.
Who should participate as Exhibitors
- Hotels
- Resorts & Safari Lodges
- Cruise Companies
- Car Rental
- Inbound & Regional Tour Operators
- International & Regional Airlines.
- Provincial & City Tourist Offices
- Tourist Boards
We expect 25 Exhibitors to participate: This would allow for a maximum of 64 Appointments of 15 minutes each over the two days.
Provisional Programme
Wednesday 04 November
- 08h00 – 08h15: Welcome Presentation: Derek Houston (Meeting schedules blocked for 15 min)
- 08h15 – 10h00: Scheduled meetings – early start to accommodate Asia Pacific & Australian Buyers
- 10h00 – 10h30: Presentation by Dirty Boots – Gold Sponsor (Meeting schedules blocked for this half hour)
- 10h30 – 15h45: Scheduled meetings
- 16h00 – 16h30: Presentation by One Horizon (Meeting schedules blocked for this half hour)
- 16h30 – 18h30: Scheduled meetings (last meeting therefore from 18h30 – 18h45)
Thursday 05 November
- 08h00 -09h45: Scheduled meetings- early start to accommodate Asia Pacific & Australian Buyers
- 10h00 – 10h30: Presentation by Onomo Hotels (Meeting schedules blocked for this half hour)
- 10h30 – 15h45: Scheduled meetings
- 16h00 – 16h30: Presentation by Robinson Maldives & TUI Zanzibar (Meeting schedules blocked for this half hour)
- 16h30 – 20h00: Scheduled meetings to accommodate North and South American buyers (last meeting scheduled for 20h00 – 20h15)
This would allow for a maximum of 64 Appointments of 15 minutes each over the two days.
Booth costs: R2,800 + SA VAT / USD205
Includes:
- Exhibitor booth with graphic banner or video (YouTube or Vimeo), detailed profile, brochure, presentation, multiple chat functionality, live chat, your social media links
- Each exhibitor is allowed one diary for meetings over the two days allowing a maximum of 64 Meetings with buyers. Extra diaries allowing 64 extra meetings can be purchased at a cost of ZAR400/USD30
- Buyers can schedule meetings (before & during the Expo) and chat directly with Exhibitor staff – up to two pictures of exhibiting staff will be displayed – only one of the exhibitors will have a Meetings schedule
Additional options & sponsorships
Gold Sponsorship ZAR5,500/USD375
Includes
- Complimentary Exhibitor booth
- Banner and scroller on Reception Screen
- Booth highlighted on Exhibitor Hall screen
- News feed announcements throughout the Expo
- Banner on buyer attendee registration profile page & on email invitations
- One 30-minute Seminar
Seminar Room – 30 Minute Presentation (USD150/ZAR1,800)
- Ideal for Tourist Boards etc. to do a 30-minute Webinar or Live presentation to up to 50 Buyers. The Seminar Screen will be branded with your logo and your time slot can be viewed on the Programme highlighted on the Reception Screen
- We will advertise the Various Seminars on our Event News Feed Platform. Your Exhibitor Booth will be highlighted on the Exhibitors screen
- There will only be 4 presentations during the two days and meeting slots will be blocked to ensure maximum attendance at the Presentation
Scrolling Banner on Virtual Platform (USD40/ZAR500)
A rotating banner that will run throughout the TravelExpo in the event header on all the platform halls and screens except the individual exhibitor pages and the meeting interface where people are conducting their meetings.