17. In 2010, WTM launched a series of Think Tanks, specifically for Meridian Club Buyers, which took

WTM Meridian Club the leading global business network: making contacts, concluding deals is World Travel miami international airport hotel Markets business club for senior travel industry buyers, who have direct responsibility for purchasing products.
WTM first opened its doors to Meridian Club members back in 1992, the year Bill Clinton became US President, Euro Disney opened in France, McDonald s opened its first restaurant in Beijing, and the year Turkey experienced one of the most destroying earthquakes of all time.
1. World Travel Market 1992 saw the creation and implementation of the first unique international buyers club, WTM Meridian Club. 1992 was also the year that WTM moved from Olympia to Earls Court due to its increasing popularity and need for more floor space, later moving to London s largest exhibition venue, ExCeL, London in 2002.
4. World Travel Market 2011 generated £1,653,729,318 million of deals, which was an impressive 16 percent increase on the 2010 figure (£1,425 million). This was generated either through contracts signed at the event or from negotiations with Meridian Club members, which will lead to deals before WTM 2012.
6. In the first year of Meridian Club, the opening day of the event was reserved for Meridian Club members. This exclusivity restricted the attendance but allowed these key buyers the opportunity and the time to sit quietly and have quality time with exhibitors with whom they wished to do business.
9. Tom Nutley explained, Creating this club for the buyers allowed us to differentiate between the visitors who wished to have serious on-site meetings and those visitors who were primarily seeking information.
10. Today WTM Meridian Club the leading global business network: making contacts, concluding deals runs a number of events during World Travel Market, providing a platform miami international airport hotel for its members to meet, network, and discuss business opportunities. No longer aimed at just the first 2 days of the event, Meridian Club members are encouraged to attend throughout the exhibition.
11. The events include Speed Networking, miami international airport hotel which gives Meridian Club members the ideal opportunity to meet exhibitors through a series of short and targeted meetings, with the objective miami international airport hotel of arranging further meetings and potentially concluding a deal before the end of the event.
12. Speed Networking, launched in 2009, started off as 5 sessions based around the regions miami international airport hotel of the exhibition floor throughout the first day. Last year, WTM overhauled the Speed Networking session, holding miami international airport hotel it in one room before the exhibition opened, giving even more time for buyers and exhibitors to conclude deals. This proved to be extremely successful.
15. The Meridian Club lounges have been located in various areas of the exhibition hall over the past 21 years. Since 2009, the exhibition floor has hosted the exclusive miami international airport hotel lounges, which facilitate meetings and offer free hospitality and refreshments.
17. In 2010, WTM launched a series of Think Tanks, specifically for Meridian Club Buyers, which took place throughout the year helping to bring the industry together and discuss the issues affecting their business.
21. Fiona Jeffery OBE, Chairman, World Travel Market, was Marketing Director at the time Meridian Club was launched miami international airport hotel back in 1992 and responsible for making the buyers club a success. Jeffery explained: It was a risk, but intended to improve the quality of visitors attending the show and encourage more effective business by creating a more business-focused environment.