Over recent years World Travel Market’s dedicated focus on the meetings, conference and incentive travel sector has grown in stature and importance.

This has been highlighted this year with the announcement that the Greek National Tourism Organisation has signed up as the Day’s first ever sponsor.

Commenting on the sponsorship GNTO said: “The phenomenally successful 2004 Olympic Games has acted as a springboard for increased investment in all aspects of the travel industry from both Government and the commercial sector. Greece, with its thousands of years of mythology, history and culture, is in a strong and dynamic position to significantly grow the meetings, conference and incentive travel sector.”

“Following the Olympics Greece is now considered as a natural choice for many large scale events and conferences. That has all changed as the country and in particular Athens has become one of the most popular world destinations for corporate events and conferences. Thessaloniki - the country’s second largest city - Rhodes, Crete, Kos and Corfu and are also making their mark with companies recognising the ‘Greece effect’.”

“There is no better place for Greece to highlight its meetings, conference and incentive travel offer than World Travel Market and on a dedicated day to the sector. We know that as a Meridian day, the top buyers and suppliers are visiting the event looking to do business. And Greece is now ideally placed to do more business than ever.”

As well as a first time sponsor in GNTO, the Day has the support of key associations – ABPCO, BACD, MIA, MPI UK – and meetings exhibition EIBTM.

Taking place on Tuesday 7 November the day builds on the programme initiated last year, highlighting the airline and hotel sectors.

The day commences on the World Stage at 11.00 with leading airline analyst and broadcast commentator John Strickland going ‘head to head’ with Emirates President Tim Clark.

Set to be a fascinating insight into the world of airlines topics of discussion will include the continued impact on low cost carriers, new generation aircrafts; differentiation, customer loyalty, security and lessons that can be learnt from other travel and tourism sectors.

A ‘Hotels 2006’ panel discussion chaired by MPI UK President Peter Haigh will take place on the World Stage at 14.00.

The panel will represent some of the hotel big hitters including Kip Horton, Vice President Sales EMEA Starwood and representatives from Cendant and Triaena Tours & Congress S.A.

The seminar programme features “Successful meetings guaranteed” highlighting return on investment case studies and the Greek National Tourism Organisation detailing key learnings from the Olympics 2004 in Athens.

Fiona Jeffery, Managing Director World Travel Market comments: “The growing importance of the meetings, conference and incentive travel sectors at World Travel Market is reflected in the involvement of the Greek National Tourism Organisation as our first ever sponsors, the number of official association supporters and through the calibre of chairpeople and panellists from hotels and airlines.