Under a hotly topical theme: CHALLENGES & RESILIENCE IFTM, like every year, will open the professional tourist activity. After a first year at the head of the show, Laurence Gaborieau has made her mark and revealed the main directions of the show which will be held from October 3 to 5 at the Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris.
If 2022 was the show for post-COVID recovery, the 2023 edition is marked by challenges and the necessary mobilization of the profession. 1,500 exhibitors and co-exhibitors are announced and it is pleased to see that international exhibitors are returning in numbers. The distribution is between 47% French exhibitors and 53% international. If the French presence remains a significant component, one of the ambitions this year, explains Laurence Gaborieau, is to involve the destinations which were not able to come last year and to strengthen the activities launched in 2022 such as the attractiveness and the responsible tourism area.
“Challenges and Resilience” therefore. An inaugural conference will take place at the opening as well as an international panorama in the presence of international Ministers of Tourism. The objective will be to discuss concrete examples of management of divergent situations according to countries and cultures and to draw inspiration from practices and solutions found internationally. The three new spaces launched in 2022 will be maintained as follows: the Conversations, the Responsible Tourism Space and the Attractiveness Village.
NEWS SIDE
The country in the spotlight this year will be Jordan, a destination that is on the rise and which will not fail to take advantage of the show to highlight its assets in terms of accessibility, historical and natural sites. Visitors to the show will also find, this year, a village dedicated to MICE with a unique experiential journey combining business, the unusual and fun intended to promote MICE players.
The France destination zone is also reinventing itself. . Located in the center of the show, a new space will be offered around a concept, Le Bar Central, and numerous activities (tastings of regional products, interactive workshops, conferences, new format “What’s new for sale?” dedicated to agents of travel) will be put in place to create real energy made in France.
As part of its partnership with IFTM Top Resa, the Ty-win platform highlights exhibitor offers free of charge.
Among the other major new features, even if the wish is renewed each year, the 2023 edition wishes to “put the travel agent at the heart of the show by focusing particularly on the reception of the travel agent, by increasing the program of their support (transport by plane or train & accommodation).
The communication and visuals of the show have also been reviewed by sector, and designed to facilitate the reception of all visitors. New products and innovations from exhibitors will be highlighted, particularly through the “What’s new for sale?” new conference format during which exhibitors will present their new products to travel agents through short and practical presentations.
Finally, the Travel Agents Cup has been redesigned. Its new format will further put the expertise of travel agents in the spotlight. A new selection process was offered this year, with registration via a “personality” video made with your smartphone to introduce yourself and your agency. The selection is made on the videos by the juries. At the show, the Arena by Jordan Tourism Board room will be reconfigured to best accommodate the grand final of the Travel Agents Cup and the Travel Agents Cup
Junior.
Let the festivities begin !
