WTM Latin America 2023 closes its doors today

Discover, innovate and learn were the slogans chosen as the mottos of WTM Latin America 2023, which took place from Monday the 3rd, in the North Center of São Paulo, and comes to an end today. The event was attended by the most important tourism authorities in the country, more than 500 exhibitors and 40 countries.

Busy corridors and packed audiences. This is how it was seen from the pavilion on the second day of WTM Latin America, the largest and most important B2B tourism event in the region. In the three thematic theaters - Explore Technology, Explore Transformation and Explore Trends - what was seen were debates on trends, challenges and essential issues for the day to day of the tourism trade.
 

The afternoon began with a training course on Mato Grosso do Sul for the participants of the Agente Estrada program. One of the highlights was the gastronomic route of the Pantanal, an extra attraction for those who visit the Pantanal, and the Serra do Amolar region, the "deepest" in the entire biome, where you have the most real contact with wildlife. . The unique landscapes of the biome, the practice of sport fishing, horseback riding and the night safari were also addressed by the state that celebrates the record of visits in 2022.
 

To obtain even better results in 2023, the state brought to WTM Latin America a caravan with dozens of local businessmen. 

"WTM is a great showcase for us, and we are taking advantage of the fact that travel agents, operators, national and international influencers, the main players in the market, are here to reinforce the attractions and present the news", said Bruno Wendling, general director of the Mato Grosso do Sul Tourism Foundation.
 

The rest of the day was marked by current debates on various topics, from accessibility in travel to
hotel demand in Latin America. The last session of the second day of the event highlighted the 17 initiatives from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Ecuador that won the Responsible Tourism Award. 

Accessibility and inclusion

 “The Technology that Transforms - Accessibility and Functional Inclusion in Travel” was the theme of a panel with the participation of Jéssica Paula, journalist and creator of the Accessible Passport platform and with a physical disability since she was a child; Ricardo Shimosakai, wheelchair user, travel agent and specialist in accessibility and inclusion focused on Tourism; and Janaína Bernardino, visually impaired and specialist in inclusive design. Shimosakai highlighted some personal experiences of establishments not being prepared to receive them. Such as bathrooms with poorly placed bars, small elevators that are difficult to use instead of simple ramps to access the premises, and adjustments in hotel rooms that, although they have benefited accessibility, have eliminated comfort elements from the room to have more free space. , making it difficult to host less profitable. “It is necessary to know the habits of those who travel, including those with special needs. This avoids bringing 'solutions' that actually hinder rather than help,” he warned.
 

Travel trends

From the Explora Tendencias stage, Roberto Nedelciu and Marina Figueiredo, respectively president and vice president of the Brazilian Association of Tour Operators (Braztoa), anticipated the perspectives of the yearbook that will be launched next week. The data points to nine traveler trends, collected in surveys of the 56
associated operators. One of the highlights is the search for collective experiences, that is, trips in groups of
people with particular interests. "This movement is beneficial for everyone, since the client obtains
more competitive prices and the market has an easier and more profitable sale," defended Roberto.
 

The list also includes immersive experiences, comfort and relaxation, family trips, itineraries for mature audiences, responsible trips, priority trips and experiences for the whole year. "Destinations have a new look
on seasonality, creating events and attractions in alternate periods, a trend that came during the
pandemic and is still active," added Marina.
 

Google's new Head of Travel, Débora Bonazzi, presented data on “A Nova Jornada do Viajante”, with
trends in travel demand that differ from the pre-pandemic period. The data was optimistic, as Google found that there are around 10% more regular travelers in 2023 compared to 2019, judging by the searches they perform on the platform. Additionally, hotel searches nearly doubled for the same comparison.

There was an important change in the mode of transport: while searches for plane tickets fell by 3%, the search for bus trips grew by 26%. Data was also presented on the travel habits of
Generation Z, which should become the most numerous within a few years. According to Google, this traveler is less attached to brands and more eager for authentic experiences and close contact with local cultures, as well as being more concerned with sustainability. Its most popular destinations for international travel are in Latin America and Asia.
 

Afrotourism

A strong team took the stage at the Explore Transformation Theater to address a topic that still needs to be addressed with a lot of learning from the trade. “Afrotourism and the travel agent: what should I know?” The
content focused on the sales chain and the participation of Bia Moremi (Brafrika Viagens), Guilherme Soares Dias (Black Guide), Heitor Salatiel (manager of cultural and tourist experiences) and Nilzete dos Santos (Afrotours).
“Our proposal is to show the true history of a city through experiences that add value.
We want to teach what is not learned in school and it is totally possible to offer an experience like this as a complement to the tourist package. The tourist trade needs to open its mind to this offer”, says Nilzete,
and adds that his company receives requests from travelers from Russia, Japan and several European countries.
 

incentive trips

A survey by the Latin American Association of Corporate Travel and Event Management (Alagev) showed that the
incentive travel market returned from the pandemic with promising trends. The study evaluated the most important aspects of this type of travel, both for the companies that send employees and for the agencies
that are in charge of the trips, both with expectations of increasing the volume of budgets in the near future.
 

According to Alagev, return on investment (ROI) is now the main factor considered to prove the
value of incentive travel. Companies also value the professional development of traveling employees
, while agencies believe that being able to promote unique experiences and quality service
are the main attractions to convince customers to use incentive trips. The most frequent destinations and the concerns of the companies when making them were also considered. “The domestic market looks hotter, although the international one is also growing. But it is something dynamic and highly motivated by specific issues such as the exchange rate and the queue for United States visas, for example”, evaluated Sandra Roscito, from BWH Hotel Group. “One aspect that is here to stay is social responsibility, which we see more and more in the requested budgets. It is the ESG policy that is here to stay, and now everyone needs to have it”, added Anay Gremaud, from Enjoy Punta del Este Resort & Casino.
 

hospitality demand
 

Another study featured came from OTA Insight, which collects data from more than 60 hotels around the world. The company's team leader for Latin America, Ricardo Souza, pointed to an increase in demand for accommodation in 2023 compared to 2022, such as music festivals. The second semester should not be so exorbitant, but it will still be better than last year, ”he analyzed. In São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, the demand for accommodation in January and February of this year grew by over 20% over the same period in 2019. Other markets, such as Salvador (BA), Fortaleza (CE) and Gramado (RS), they also showed positive expectations for the high season.
 

The recovery trend of profit margins was also observed. For accommodation in Rio de Janeiro, the value is up to 180% higher than in 2019, according to OTA Insight. Northeast destinations also saw consistent price increases. Porto Alegre was the exception, still offering lower prices than in the pre-pandemic period.
 

Responsible Tourism Award

The day was also marked by the presentation of the Responsible Tourism Award, created to recognize progress, allow for the replication of successful cases and the joint construction of a more sustainable world. The organization
celebrated 66 subscribers and highlighted the 17 winners in the edition dedicated to Ariane Janér. “She paved the way
for ecotourism in Brazil,” said Gustavo Pinto, coordinator of the award.

The award is part of the Global Responsible Tourism Awards family, created eight years ago to validate good practices within the tourism industry. The finalists in the six categories were judged by eight professionals from different areas of the continent, according to three criteria: originality, impact, and potential for replication within the tourism industry. Meet the winners:
 

1. Category: Best Solutions for the Management of Plastic Waste
Gold – Sustainable Development Raíces
Gold – Preserve Pipa
Silver – Wilderness Patagonia
 

2. Category: Best Significant Connections
Gold– La Moya
Gold– Mobiliza SLZ
Silver– Quinti Ecuador
Silver– Ype
 

3. Category: Best models of local shopping, handicrafts and food
Gold- Antioquia is Magic
Silver- Rota do Enxaimel SC
 

4. Category: Addressing climate change
Gold- Say Hueque
Silver- Mato Grosso do Sul Tourism Foundation
 

5. Category: Best solutions for promoting diversity and inclusion
Gold- La Unión Coffee Farm
Gold- BATUC Network – Bahía Community Tourism
Silver- Diaspora.Negra
 

6. Category: Best initiatives for nature conservation
Gold- Las Torres Patagonia
Gold- Toca do Kaynã
Silver- Wilderness Patagonia