New Virtually Yours Travel Show offers travel companies an estimated million pounds in marketing support

A new online travel show plans to help struggling travel and tourism companies with the promise of an estimated £1 million worth of marketing in 2021.

The new Virtually Yours Travel Show (VYTS), which launches on 1 February, aims to provide consumers with up-to-date information on border openings, destination-specific entry requirements and relevant travel information for hotels and resorts, restaurants and sightseeing options.

Created by Los Angeles-based travel technology and content provider OmniTourism in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on the travel industry, VYTS will act as a global online marketplace connecting holidaymakers with travel agents, tour operators, destinations and suppliers.

There will be a year-round daily schedule of shows in the UK, the US and Asia focusing on all international and domestic destinations, as well as travel markets and niche segments including luxury, family and adventure travel.

Attendees will gain the most up-to-date travel information relating to Covid-19 direct from travel industry suppliers, the latest news from global destinations and travel suppliers, as well as special offers.

VYTS will be led by Charlie Kao, Chairman of OmniTourism, who has 25 years’ experience in travel content technology and distribution.

He said the marketing assistance – worth an estimated £1 million – that will be available to travel companies struggling from the devastating impact of the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent travel bans and government-imposed quarantines, will help them showcase their destinations, products and services.

"Those travel and tourism-dependent companies which have not yet shut down are struggling and need a helping hand to survive and recover," said Kao. "This especially applies to the small and medium hospitality providers, airlines, tour companies and restaurants. They have been instituting health and safety protocols but no longer have any funds for marketing."

The £1m support package includes an online VYTS exhibit booth or stand, advance one-to-one appointments and small group meetings with travel agents and travellers, expert panel and networking session speaker opportunities and promotion on the VYTS newsletter.

The launch of VYTS will be supported by a mid-five figure social media and trade marketing campaign.

Under its ‘Together we are GoodToGo’, and following the guidelines of the World Travel & Tourism Council, UNWTO Guidelines for Tourism Recovery, and G20’s Travel & Tourism Recovery Plan, the VYTS will select travel companies who are struggling to stay in business and through the support of VYTS marketing, help them recover.

A select group of destination marketing organisations will help select qualifying travel and tourism companies, which will have to meet certain requirements. They will have to provide valuable tourism-related products, demonstrate they are a local employer with their profits remaining in the country, prove they are not considered a ‘start-up’ business and provide evidence that they lack access to working capital.

VYTS is partnering with the official government tourism and visitor bureaux around the world to help identify and recommend these companies.

"It is very important that governments provide support for what remains of the struggling travel and tourism industry, but that travellers, the largest voluntary contributors to the industry and local economies, can travel again," said Charlie.

For inquiries click one of the following: Travel supplier Exhibitors or DMO and Trade Group Sponsors.

Travel Agents can register for free now to participate in the Free Travel Agent Consumer Referral Programme.

Travellers looking to learn more about the new global travel marketplace should click on https://virtuallyyourstravel.com/ and sign up for free advance registration and for the chance to win a trip.