With the international luxury travel industry still seriously affected by the restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic, ILTM events has announced a global virtual solution to bring the industry together before the end of the year.

Meanwhile, ILTM Cannes has been postponed to 2021, it said.

Entitled ILTM World Tour – access all areas, this virtual event is set to unite the entire global community of buyers and suppliers of luxury travel.

A new one-off digital opportunity with a creative difference, ILTM World Tour – access all areas will compensate for the postponed ILTM events in 2020 and provide an environment for international luxury travel brands and regional buyer communities to virtually meet to connect and build their businesses, a statement said.

“Whilst we know that virtual events will never replace our love to meet and share stories in person, we know right now that what counts the most is getting business lined up for 2021. We cannot predict the timing of when growth will come back, but we can be ready for whenever it happens,” said Alison Gilmore, ILTM Portfolio Director.

ILTM World Tour – access all areas, will take place across three consecutive days, over three consecutive weeks, reaching three buyer source regions.

• Starting with sunrise in Asia Pacific (17/18/19 November)

• Moving north to Europe, Middle East and Africa (23/24/25 November)

• Crossing the Atlantic to both North and South America (1/2/3 December)

All participating suppliers will have the opportunity to consider whether they wish to do business in their core markets or also discover new ones. For example, a luxury travel brand from Europe that wants to meet with Asia Pacific buyers would select the first week that will run from November 17-19 and arrange appointments during that buyer’s time zone.

Similarly, if any supplier is looking to meet with buyers from Europe, Middle East and Africa they would select week two from November 23-25; and if they are exploring the buyer community in North and South America it would be week three and December 1-3. Alternatively, exhibitors can attend all three weeks and meet the world!

Describing how ILTM World Tour was created, Gilmore said: “We have created this one-off event to design a truly global business opportunity for all our ILTM suppliers and buyers and planned it so that we respect all time zones. With a 3-week time frame, everyone can create their own strategy and arrange meetings that will work for them.

“We know that the unprecedented events of 2020 have meant the luxury travel industry has had to adapt their business strategies. With target markets shifting as some borders remain closed, we want the objective of the ILTM World Tour to offer a global proposition to open up opportunities for all participants and be a time to bring people together, uniting through shared experiences and business, whilst we plan for our return,” concluded Gilmore.