WTM London 2026 runs 3-5 November at ExCeL London, one of the two global flagship travel trade shows alongside ITB Berlin.
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 3 to 5 November 2026 at ExCeL London. Together with ITB Berlin it forms the pair of genuine global flagship travel trade shows, and it is the most important date in the year for suppliers selling into the UK and northern European outbound markets.
What WTM is for
WTM is a pure B2B exchange running on pre-booked appointments. National and regional tourism boards take the largest stands; hotel groups, airlines, DMCs, technology suppliers and tour operators fill the rest. The buying side is dominated by UK and European tour operators, OTAs, travel management companies and media.
Its distinguishing feature is breadth of destination representation — close to every country marketing itself to travellers has a presence, which makes it unusually efficient for a buyer scouting new product.
Timing within the trade year
Early November places WTM after the northern summer season has been analysed and before contracting closes for the following year. Deals discussed at WTM typically land in programmes for the summer after next, which is why the conversations skew strategic rather than transactional.
It also sits three weeks after ITB Asia, so Asian suppliers targeting both European and regional buyers often run the two as a single autumn campaign.
Practical notes
- ExCeL is in London's Docklands, well east of the centre. The Elizabeth line and DLR both serve it; hotels on site and in Canary Wharf save considerable commuting time.
- Early November London weather is cold and wet — irrelevant indoors, but it affects evening networking plans.
- Appointment diaries fill weeks ahead. Attending without a booked schedule wastes the trip.
WTM or ITB Berlin?
If you must pick one, choose by market. WTM skews toward UK, Irish and northern European buyers; ITB Berlin — 16–18 March 2027 — skews toward German-speaking Europe and carries a larger overall exhibitor count. Suppliers with genuinely global ambitions generally do both, in different halves of the year.
The media dimension
WTM attracts a concentration of travel trade and consumer media that few other shows match, and it functions as a launch window as much as a marketplace. Destination campaigns, route announcements and product launches are routinely timed to the week.
For suppliers with genuine news, that is an opportunity worth preparing for properly — a scheduled briefing programme rather than a press release left on the stand. For those without news, it is a reason not to over-invest in a press push that will be drowned out.
Responsible tourism and policy
WTM has given sustained platform space to responsible tourism, and its policy and sustainability sessions carry weight with European buyers in particular. Operators selling into that market increasingly find that credible sustainability positioning is a commercial requirement rather than a marketing preference, and the show is a reasonable place to gauge how the expectation is evolving.
Cost management
London in early November is expensive and ExCeL's on-site hotels sell out early. Booking accommodation as soon as dates are confirmed, rather than after stand space, routinely saves more than the stand discount for early registration. Docklands and Canary Wharf are the practical alternatives to central London, both with direct transport to the venue.
Frequently asked questions
When is WTM London 2026?
3-5 November 2026 at ExCeL London.
Is WTM London open to the public?
No. WTM is a business-to-business trade event for travel industry professionals, running on pre-booked appointments.
Should I attend WTM London or ITB Berlin?
Choose by target market. WTM skews to UK and northern European buyers; ITB Berlin, on 16-18 March 2027, skews to German-speaking Europe and has a larger exhibitor count.
Part of our 2026–2027 travel trade show calendar, which carries verified dates for 40+ shows and roadshows worldwide.
