Global tourism industry players will flock to Sao Paulo, Brazil, for the World Travel Market Latin America 2015, being organised by Reed Travel Exhibitions, from April 22-24.

Brazil, the most-visited country in South America, received a further tourism boost by the successful hosting of soccer World Cup in 2014.

The country saw a strong influx of visitors from Middle Eastern countries last year, especially at the height of the 2014 Fifa World Cup, with passenger traffic numbers reaching 564,956 - up 27.7 per cent from 2013.

The event has seen increased interest from delegates, including from the Middle East, and promises to focus on key issues related to the regional travel market, says Lawrence Reinisch, exhibition manager, WTM Latin America, in an interview.

Excerpts from the interview:

What is the focus of WTM Latin America? How is it different this year?
World Travel Market Latin America 2015 is poised to be the biggest and the best yet, thanks to a new venue, Expo Centre Norte, and a range of new initiatives which will increase the value of business the event facilitates.

The event that brings the world to Latin America and promotes Latin America to the world, last year generated business deals in excess of $341 million from deals done with exhibitors and buyers.
Known as the most international B2B tourism event for the industry in the Americas, WTM Latin America continues to lead the way with such initiatives for its visitors and exhibitors to do business, ensuring people can really make the most out of their time during the three days with all the relevant inbound and outbound companies in both the leisure and MICE travel sector all under one roof.
Following on from the huge success of the WTM Responsible Tourism Programme which has been a prominent part of WTM in London for the last 9 years and includes the pioneering WTM World Responsible Tourism Day, it is now being rolled out at sister event WTM Latin America.

How many exhibitors, visitors are likely to take part in the show? Is there a large group from the Middle East?

This year we have the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority, global technology company Illusions Online, Emirates and long established destination management company Al Burj Tours & Travel exhibiting at WTM Latin America looking to target the Latin American market.

In your view, how important is the Latin American market for the Middle East travel industry and vice versa?
Brazil has seen phenomenal growth over the last few years, hosting the Football World Cup last year and preparing to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2016. So I’m certain the Middle Eastern market, like many others, will be interested in seeing what Brazil and nearby Latin American countries have to offer.

The same goes for Brazilians travelling to the Middle East. With more and more Brazilians traveling abroad as it becomes easier and more affordable, the Middle East offers the culture, history and luxury to those who wish to travel further afield.

Some inputs on how travel trade will benefit from participating in this show ... especially those form the Middle East?
Exhibiting at WTM Latin America provides companies with a professional platform to meet, negotiate and conduct business with more than 15,000 Latin American and overseas travel professionals.
There are a number of networking events that both exhibitors and delegates can attend during the three days such as WTM Latin America Speed Networking, where exhibitors get the chance to have quick meetings with senior buyers, offering exhibitors the opportunity to build and strengthen their brand, generate new business leads and increase their travel industry network.

What are the special features of the show?
Running alongside the three-day event, we have a wide spectrum of seminars and forums offering the latest opinions, research and insight will also offer the ideal environment for professionals to discuss the challenges and identify the best opportunities in the sector.

Among them are those involving UNWTO (UN World Tourism Organization), Phocuswright and Google.  Also scheduled are Technology Tourism sessions, a Leisure Tourism Forum coordinated by Braztoa and the MICE (meetings, incentives, congresses and exhibitions) Forum, led by the ICCA and MPI.

A session not to be missed will be the unveiling of the WTM Latin America Trends Report 2015.  WTM Latin America has teamed up with leading research provider Euromonitor International to compile the WTM Latin America Trends Report, highlighting emerging travel trends in the Latin American market.