ANTOR members are calling for a three-day event at World Travel Market in line with other travel trade shows like WTM Africa and WTM Latin America.
The Association of National Tourist Offices and Representatives, together with Reed Exhibitions, attempted to boost numbers on day 4 this year with a new event involving TV producers after complaints last year that many stands were left unmanned.
But a poll of ANTOR, PATA (Asia), LATA (Latin America), ATTA (Africa) and SKAL members following the exhibition has shown a strong preference for the event to be reduced to three days.
The association claims that the first two and a half days of World Travel Market 2014, experienced an impressive 7% unaudited, increase in visitors, including buyers, a total 82,213 visits compared to 78,035 at 1pm on the third day of the 2013 event.
But 60% of respondents to the survey said they did not meet the contacts they had hoped to see on the Thursday and of these respondents 80% added that the exhibition would be even more successful run as a three day event.
Survey results claimed an average of one-third of total exhibiting partners attended on the Thursday with some respondents reporting less than one-fifth.
Nigel Vere Nicoll Chief Executive of ATTA (The African Travel & Tourism Association) said: "The first three days were well attended but the anticipated improvement in attendance on Thursday did not materialise.
"Africa was dead, with no sign of buyers and sparsely manned stands; indeed the pictures circulated across the web tell the tale. Many of our exhibiting members, across differing stands in the Africa section commented that the cost and waste of this fourth day, giving no return whatsoever, is substantial and in no way sustainable.
"Indaba, Africa’s leading tourism event held in Durban, reduced to three days last year, a move that the industry welcomed. Our members urge the organisers of WTM to do the same or face an erosion of exhibitors to other more cost effective options".
Chris Lee Chairman of PATA UK, said: "Only 3 of Thailand’s 80 co-exhibitors attended on Thursday with just a handful of appointments between them – with this in mind, many of our members will not be able to justify keeping the stand open if they continue with a 4th day next year".
A poll by TravelMole in April showed that 70% of readers believed it would be better if the show was only three days long.
WTM organisers have not responded to requests for a comment.
