UK - Business analyst Lord Digby Jones is to head up the newly-launched World Travel Market (WTM) Business Day on Thursday 11 November as part of the four-day travel industry exhibition at Excel London.
World Travel Market chairman Fiona Jeffery says Lord Jones will help Britain’s struggling small- and medium-sized (SMEs) travel businesses with practical information. Jones was director-general of the Confederation of British Industry between 2000 and 2006.
“Experts are predicting that up to 20 travel companies will go to the wall by the end of the year in the UK alone, far more than usual, with three going bust in just one month this summer,” says Jeffery. “As we face the challenges of the future for SMEs in the UK and Europe, it is essential that we do everything possible to help travel companies address the problems, maintain market share and bottom line.”
Lord Jones will also be part of a panel of senior executives from Hoseasons holiday company, Travel Counsellors, Getabed.co.uk and Barclary, to discuss how SMEs can survive and grow in such a difficult economic climate.
WTM 2010 is to be held at the London venue from 8 to 11 November.
Caption: Mayor Boris Johnson at last year’s WTM
