Navigating the Future of Global Tourism: An Exclusive Interview with WTM London Event Director Chris Carter-Chapman

As the global travel and tourism sector continues to navigate a landscape defined by rapid innovation, economic shifts, and evolving consumer demands, industry leaders are gathering to chart the path forward. 

In this exclusive interview, Chris Carter-Chapman, Event Director for WTM London, shares vital insights into the upcoming event, highlighting groundbreaking technological integrations like real-time translation headsets and the expansion of the WTM Travel Tech Hall. 

From addressing critical industry challenges such as sustainability and overtourism to unveiling key findings from the upcoming WTM Global Travel Report 2026, this discussion underscores the nitty-gritty strategies driving resilience and rebound across the international travel trade.

WTM London is one of the world's leading travel trade events. Why is it a must-attend event for destinations, hoteliers and tour operators looking to expand their international business?

WTM London has always been where the most influential voices in travel and tourism come together. We welcome everyone from government ministers and CEOs to strategists and the next generation of industry leaders.

Whether you’re shaping policy, hoping to close deals, or expanding your global reach, being at the heart of that rich travel and tourism ecosystem will give you the connections and opportunities you need. Besides being able to schedule meetings and make new contacts at networking events, those who can take time away from the stands can also find inspiration by diving into our packed conference programme, covering everything from sustainability to customer service to technology.

What opportunities will WTM London 2026 offer exhibitors to connect with international buyers and build meaningful business relationships?

Last year’s show was our biggest and most successful to date with a total attendance of 46,500. We welcomed 5,500 high-quality buyers (up 8% year-on-year), while confirmed business meetings surged 16% to more than 40,000, and we’re keeping that momentum going for 2026.

The best way to ensure you build targeted new relationships is to reach out to buyers and pre-schedule meetings through our Connect Me platform. And don’t forget to use your profile in the Exhibitor Directory to explain what you do and what you’re seeking from the show to draw others to you. You can also capture data from stand visitors for later follow-up using our Lead Manager technology. There are also relaxed peer-to-peer networking meetups each morning at the Experience Hub and further drop-in networking sessions at the tech-focused Future Stage and elsewhere.

“Whether you’re shaping policy, hoping to close deals, or expanding your global reach, being at the heart of that rich travel and tourism ecosystem will give you the connections and opportunities you need.”

This year's edition introduces real-time translation headsets. How do you expect this technology to enhance the experience for international exhibitors, buyers and members of the media?

We’re pleased to be offering the headsets in conjunction with our 2026 technology partner Vox Technologies. Real-time translation will be available at the Future Stage which is where the WTM London Travel Tech sessions will be taking place. Eight languages will be offered as standard, including English, French, Spanish, Arabic and Mandarin – with others available on request. 

The technology uses AI-powered smart transmitters to deliver simultaneous commentary. It operates completely offline so there’s no need for data roaming, an app or even a smartphone to use it. There will also be access to the session outcomes in all languages via the rozy.AI platform. We hope this means our international visitors can attend more conference sessions and come away with a deeper understanding of the topics covered.

Headsets without the translation facility will meanwhile be available for sessions on most of the other stages to help reduce external noise, which should be particularly helpful for members of the media taking notes.

What are the key travel trends and industry challenges that you expect will shape the conversations and business meetings at WTM London 2026?

It has been a tough year for many, with global conflict affecting fuel prices and consumer spending, causing unforeseen shifts in geographical travel patterns (though the latter may have benefited your region). The return of wildfires in Europe has also concentrated minds on sustainability and seasonality, while overtourism continues to be an issue in some well-established destinations.

The opportunities and challenges presented by AI as both a business aid and travel search tool are also bound to be a key topic of conversation. These discussions will be held on the Future Stage, in our dedicated Travel Tech Hall, which is the place to be for anyone interested in learning more about the future of travel technologies.

The theme of this year’s show is ‘Resilience, Rebound & Reinvention: the next era of global travel’ so you’ll see plenty of pertinent sessions, many on our new Wanderlust Headliner Stage. 

For instance, we have the World Travel & Tourism Council presenting ‘The Future of Travel and Tourism in Turbulent Times: The View from WTTC’ on Tuesday, when you can also catch ‘The Message and the Moment: Promoting Destinations in an Age of Disruption’. On Wednesday you can hear how Guatemala moved into Regenerative Tourism and on Thursday attend ‘Built to Last: Destination Resilience in an Uncertain World’.

“The theme of this year’s show is ‘Resilience, Rebound & Reinvention: the next era of global travel’ so you’ll see plenty of pertinent sessions, many on our new Wanderlust Headliner Stage.”

Innovation, AI and sustainability are transforming the tourism sector. How is WTM London helping the industry embrace these changes and prepare for the future?

We have launched WTM Travel Tech in direct response to demand, with more than half of our visitors telling us they’re actively seeking meetups with travel technology companies. This show-within-a-show is set in a dedicated hall with its own entrance to accommodate an expanded range of exhibitors from this sector, total tech stand floor space having increased by 55% year-on-year in 2025.

Besides arranging meetings, those interested in learning more about AI and other innovations should make time for some of the tech-related conference sessions on the Future Stage. Meanwhile, we continue our commitment to foregrounding sustainability with several key sessions across the show covering topics such as overtourism and regenerative travel, including some inspiring case studies from destinations and companies making a positive difference.

Looking ahead, what do you see as the biggest opportunities for the global travel industry over the next few years? How will WTM London continue to evolve to support destinations and tourism businesses in this changing landscape?

We’ll be launching our full WTM Global Travel Report 2026, produced in conjunction with Tourism Economics, on the first day of the show. So, this is a very good place to pick up insight into the consumer travel behaviour that’s going to be affecting us over the coming year and beyond. It includes shifts in geographical travel patterns and spending, and which sectors are on the rise. Last year, increasing lengths of stay and a boom in city and event-led tourism were among points of interest.

Conference sessions on the Trends Stage will also be addressing how travel is evolving. There’s also the WTM TrendsFest, a dedicated area of the show floor, which returns after a successful debut last year to bring travel trends to life via exhibitor activations and interactive experiences.

And of course, the Ministers’ Summit will debate important global issues affecting our sector. We always listen to feedback from our exhibitors and visitors, which is why for instance, we have introduced WTM Travel Tech to embrace the growing importance of technology for our industry. You can be sure we’ll continue to adapt and innovate as needs arise.