16
Feature - Interview
Leading by example WTM & IBTM Portfolio Director Claude Blanc offers insight into the rapidly changing tourism scene in the wake of the pandemic and highlights the role that events like ATM play in the sector’s recovery Over the last year, the travel and tourism industry has undergone a huge transformation. As international borders closed, in-destination restrictions tightened and travel became less accessible, the world sought unique methods to adapt to this new way of life. In the wake of the pandemic, not much has remained unchanged but the coronavirus crisis brought with it the opportunity to restructure, reinvent and rebuild. While these sweeping changes affected global industries, the impact on the travel and tourism trade, which relies on people embarking on journeys across the globe, was particularly hard. “2020 and 2021 have been the most challenging years for the travel industry in many decades,” said Claude Blanc, Portfolio Director, WTM & IBTM Portfolios, who, having spent over 25 years in the industry, believes that the sector has gone through a huge learning curve over the last 12 months. “The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global tourism has carried on into 2021. It has impacted countries at different times, in different ways and to varying degrees. 2
“Destinations have shuttered borders while holidays and business trips have been cancelled, significantly reducing flight numbers and wreaking havoc on tourism and travel-focused businesses of every conceivable kind. “But as restrictions start to ease across countries, we need to take urgent and robust action to ensure a brighter 2021 for the global travel trade, on which millions of livelihoods and businesses depend. And that’s where Arabian Travel Market comes in.” Since September 2020, Reed Exhibitions has been sharing its experience of running COVID-safe, faceto-face and hybrid events. And with ATM 2021, the exhibition has become the first and largest in-person travel and tourism event in the world since the onset of the pandemic last year. “Now more than ever, the travel community needs ATM to help the industry recover. And we are excited to be the first show of the WTM Portfolio to provide a hybrid format. “The core in-person element of our business has, in many cases, had to be replaced by a digital component, which has been crucial in allowing
1
1 Claude Blanc 2 ATM 2021 at Dubai World Trade Centre
We know a lot more than we did 12 months ago and now we need to take this knowledge and put it into practice us to continue connecting with our customers and the wider industry. “While in-person events are one of the most effective ways to do business, it is clear that there is a long-term place for high-quality virtual events that will allow professionals from across the globe to connect more frequently – in case they can’t attend in person. Incorporating online methods as part of the mix will allow our community to engage with new markets like never before by offering more flexibility and extra layers of engagement.” Therefore, ATM Virtual will run from May 24 to 26, 2021. The inclusion of this virtual element was essential because many travel professionals aren’t able to attend the in-person event taking place this week, with travel restrictions still in place. The 28th edition of the show was designed to reconnect travel and tourism professionals from
ATM 2021_D2_FEATURE_REED INTERVIEW.indd 16
around the world, whether they are attending in-person or online, and enable recovery for the industry. “Our goals have slightly changed after the pandemic. Before 2020, the WTM Portfolio was dealing with a solid and consolidated industry. And since 2020, industry recovery has become our main focus and we have been providing all tools for that to happen.” ATM 2021, therefore, offers a wide range of opportunities for the industry to reconnect and recover through one-to-one meetings, speed networking, roundtables, in-person and virtual sessions covering future trends and much more. “We know a lot more than we did 12 months ago and now we need to take this knowledge and put it into practice as we safely reintroduce in-person events in the Middle East with ATM 2021 leading the way.”
5/16/21 6:30 PM
