WTM London 2026 runs 3–5 November at Excel London. Ticket prices, buyer rules, Connect Me meetings, stations and what to print before you go.
Cover image: The City of London skyline, the city that hosts WTM London at ExCeL — photo by David Illif with image-alignment and Photoshoping by User:Colin and Kim Hansen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
WTM London 2026 runs from Tuesday 3 to Thursday 5 November at Excel London, and for the first time there is no free early registration: trade visitor tickets cost £79 plus VAT if booked by 2 November, then £99 plus VAT on the show days. World Travel Market is the three-day trade show run by RX where destinations and travel suppliers meet the buyers who source and contract travel, along with media and tourism ministers.
There are no public days. With the show opening on 3 November, this page covers the right ticket, access to the meetings system, what to print and which station to use.
Who exhibits and who attends WTM London?
The 2025 edition, held at Excel from 4 to 6 November 2025, recorded total attendance of 46,500, including 5,500 buyers, with 182 countries represented, according to the organiser. Exhibitor numbers rose 5% year on year, led by the Travel Tech area, which grew by more than 55%. RX's press releases cite more than 40,000 confirmed meetings (its buyer page says 39,389), and it advertises 4,000+ exhibitors for 2026.
Exhibitors are destinations and travel suppliers; the Egyptian Tourism Authority is Premier Partner for the first time in 2026. Technology providers have their own co-located WTM Travel Tech area. WTM defines a buyer as a professional responsible for sourcing, purchasing or contracting travel products and services for their organisation, and buyer status is subject to vetting. The rest of the audience is trade visitors, media and ministers: the WTM Ministers' Summit, held with UN Tourism and WTTC, returns in 2026.
How to attend WTM London: tickets, buyer status and age rules
Admission is by advance online booking only, and each ticket needs its own email address. A standard visitor ticket covers all three days, the conference, the WTM Global Travel Report, WTM Travel Tech, TrendFest and two networking receptions.
| Ticket | Price | What it adds |
|---|---|---|
| Trade visitor | £79 + VAT to 2 November; £99 + VAT from 3 November | Three days, conference, two receptions |
| Buyer | Free if approved | Entry from 9:00, buyer lounges, Connect Me matchmaking |
| Trade Plus upgrade | From £499 + VAT | Connect Me access, up to 30 meeting invites, entry from 9:00 |
| Business Class upgrade | £199 + VAT | Business Class lounge, high-speed wi-fi, refreshments |
| First Class upgrade | From £499 + VAT | First Class lounge, high-speed wi-fi, all-day catering |
| Media and ministers | Complimentary | Media applications are vetted; ministers apply separately |
Buyer applications were still open on 25 October 2026: choose the Buyer ticket type when booking; applicants who meet the criteria are approved automatically, and the rest can register as visitors. Upgrades are paid on top of a visitor ticket unless you hold a free Buyer pass, and exhibitors can invite selected clients free with an invitation code. The organiser's buyer pages do not describe flights or hotel stays, so budget for your own travel. Media badges are restricted to journalists, broadcasters, content creators and others working in travel media. The ticket page lists no student category.
Is it open to the public? No. Under the admissions policy, entry is open to professional and business visitors and exhibitors with a direct connection to, or interest in, the travel industry. No one under 16 is admitted without the organiser's prior written approval.
Before you travel: badges are emailed about two weeks before the show and are not printed at the venue, so print yours at home.
Networking at WTM London: Connect Me, stages and receptions
Meetings run through WTM Connect Me, the official meeting-booking platform. Access is limited to exhibitors, vetted buyers, media and Trade Plus holders, so a standard trade ticket does not include it. Trade visitors who want pre-booked appointments need the Trade Plus upgrade, which allows up to 30 meeting invites. The organiser urges buyers to book before exhibitor slots fill up. The free WTM London app carries an interactive floorplan with wayfinding.
The conference runs on four stages under the theme "Resilience, rebound & reinvention: the next era of global travel". New for 2026 is the WTM Wanderlust Headliner Stage, whose announced speakers include Sir Michael Palin, WTTC chief executive Gloria Guevara and VisitBritain/VisitEngland chief executive Patricia Yates. The Trends Stage, Experience Hub and Future Stage complete the line-up, with sessions grouped into six tracks: access, growth, destination, innovation, trust and resilience.
New formats are built for networking: facilitated "campfire" discussions in the Experience Hub and meet-ups hosted by associations for groups including Women in Travel and start-ups. Buyers and Trade Plus holders enter at 9:00, half an hour before the general opening, and Thursday closes at 17:00, so plan your last meetings accordingly.
Getting to Excel London and where to stay
Excel sits on the northern quay of Royal Victoria Dock, between Canary Wharf and London City Airport. Two step-free stations sit beside it. Custom House, on the Elizabeth line and the DLR, is about 200 metres from the West Entrance. Prince Regent, on the DLR, is about 200 metres from the East Entrance and is the stop WTM tells DLR passengers to use. The entrances are around 600 metres apart inside the building, so pick the station nearest your first meeting.
The Elizabeth line runs direct from Heathrow and Paddington, calling at Liverpool Street and Canary Wharf. On the Jubilee line, change at Canning Town for a Beckton-bound DLR train. London City Airport is less than a mile away. The cable car from North Greenwich is an alternative, with 50% off the standard fare for attendees who show their WTM registration email. Excel's Orange Car Park takes pre-booked drivers only during the show.
The organiser's accommodation partner is HotelMap, linked from WTM's venue and travel page, which searches hotels near the venue and in central London.
How does WTM London compare with ITB Berlin and IBTM World?
WTM London and ITB Berlin are both three-day travel trade shows with no public days. WTM London reported 46,500 total attendance and 182 countries in 2025; ITB Berlin's organiser, Messe Berlin, reported 5,601 exhibitors from 166 countries and nearly 97,000 attendees at its 2026 edition, and the show returns from 16 to 18 March 2027.
The autumn sequence is tight: ITB Asia ran in Singapore from 21 to 23 October 2026, closing 11 days before WTM opens. Two weeks after WTM, RX's IBTM World (17 to 19 November 2026, Barcelona) serves the meetings, incentives and events trade rather than leisure travel. All three are listed in our travel trade show calendar.
Frequently asked questions
When is WTM London 2026?
WTM London 2026 runs from Tuesday 3 to Thursday 5 November 2026 at Excel London, 1 Western Gateway, Royal Docks, London E16 1XL. It opens at 9:30 each day, closing at 18:00 on Tuesday and Wednesday and at 17:00 on Thursday; approved buyers and Trade Plus holders enter from 9:00.
Is WTM London open to the public?
No. WTM London is a trade show for professional and business visitors and exhibitors with a direct connection to the travel industry, and there are no consumer days. Children under 16 are not admitted without the organiser's prior written approval. Tickets must be booked online in advance.
How much does it cost to attend WTM London?
A trade visitor ticket costs £79 plus VAT if booked by 2 November 2026 and £99 plus VAT during the show, from 3 to 5 November. Entry is free for buyers who pass the organiser's qualification checks. Upgrades, paid on top of the ticket and subject to VAT, are Business Class at £199 and Trade Plus and First Class from £499. Media and ministerial passes are complimentary, subject to approval.
How do I book meetings at WTM London?
Meetings are booked through WTM Connect Me, which is open to exhibitors, vetted buyers, media and Trade Plus ticket holders. A standard trade visitor ticket does not include it, so visitors who want pre-arranged appointments need the Trade Plus upgrade, from £499 plus VAT on top of the ticket, which allows up to 30 meeting invites. Without it, you can still visit stands.
What is the nearest station to WTM London?
Two step-free stations serve Excel London. Custom House, on the Elizabeth line and the DLR, is about 200 metres from the West Entrance. Prince Regent, on the DLR, is about 200 metres from the East Entrance and is the stop WTM recommends for DLR passengers. Elizabeth line trains run direct from Heathrow.
Sources
- WTM London, Help and visitor FAQs
- WTM London, Tickets
- WTM London, Visitor ticket booking
- WTM London, Buyer programme and qualification
- WTM London, Admissions policy
- WTM London, Conference overview
- WTM London, Registration opens for WTM London 2026 (22 June 2026)
- WTM London, Venue and travel
- Excel London, Getting here
