Spa & Wellness has become a very important segment of the luxury travel market and the hospitality industry is increasing its focus on the segment. Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE) who are now better known as the organizers of International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) have caught on to the trend and are launching an event dedicated to the spa and wellness segment called “Spa & Wellness by ILTMâ€. The event scheduled for 10th to 12th September 2012 will take place in Seefeld, Austria. The five-star Interalpen-Hotel Tyrol has been selected as the venue of the event.
Dedicated Event for Spa & Wellness
Alison Gilmore, ILTM Exhibition Director was talking to the media while announcing the launch of the new event. She explained that the decision to launch the dedicated event had come out of research findings by ILTM. They had done extensive research among exhibitors and buyers and it clearly indicated that a spa and wellness event was the need of the hour for both business and education. It will help the travel industry to keep themselves informed about the latest spa destinations and the exclusive experiences they offer. These exclusive spas are always designing new and exciting treatments, programs and therapies. The event will be designed on the same lines as ILTM but will be relatively small in scale and size.
Trends and Issues of the Industry
Reed Travel Exhibitions is working on getting up to 40 exhibitors to participate in the event and preparing another list of buyers who will consist of specialist tour operators represented by their senior decision makers and some individual planners who specialize in designing bespoke spa and travel itineraries. These buyers will be personally invited by the event managers to participate and do business with the participating exhibitors. The event will run for two days with a conference session each morning that can be attended by all the buyers and exhibitors. Issues related to spa and wellness will be taken up with special focus on trends, marketing of a brand and how to leverage the social media for the purpose.
Business and Networking
The afternoon sessions will be dedicated to hardcore business. The event managers will co-ordinate and fix up appointments between exhibitors and buyers. These are the sessions that will result in business opportunities beneficial to both parties. The exhibitors will also get a better picture of what exactly the buyer wants and will be able to tailor their offerings according to the changing needs and demands of the luxury traveler. The five-star Interalpen-Hotel Tyrol is gearing up already for the event which is sure to develop into a major international event for the industry in the coming years. The hotel which is a member of the Leading Hotels of the World is the appropriate choice for the venue as it will provide the right setting for the event. Guy Burke, Spa Manager, Interalpen-Hotel Tyrol is really excited to be the host for the first Spa & Wellness by ILTM. He is confident that that they will be able to provide the perfect platform for conducting business and also a conducive environment for networking with friends and colleagues.
