WTM London 2026 Attracts Africa's Tourism Boards as Show Floor Fills Fast
Excitement is building rapidly around one of the most important dates on the global travel calendar. WTM London 2026, part of RX Global, has reported unusually strong early demand from exhibitors, with businesses from across the international travel industry already securing their space and interest continuing to climb as availability on the show floor tightens. Scheduled to take place at ExCeL London from 3 to 5 November 2026, the event will once again gather travel professionals, tourism boards, airlines, hospitality brands, technology providers and industry leaders from every region of the world, reinforcing its role as the meeting point where global travel business is done.
A total of 43 exhibitors have either signed up for the first time or returned after previous appearances, a strong signal of the event's continued relevance across both established and emerging tourism markets. For African travel trade professionals, the announcement carries particular weight, as several of the continent's key players and neighbouring markets are among the confirmed participants.
The destinations already secured reflect the truly global reach of the event, with tourism organisations from every corner of the world represented. Among the newly confirmed exhibitors are tourism boards and ministries from Brunei, Côte d'Ivoire, North Macedonia, Moldova, Albania, Angola, Uruguay and Panama. The presence of both Côte d'Ivoire and Angola is especially significant for African stakeholders, as these markets continue to invest heavily in tourism development and are actively seeking international partnerships to grow their inbound visitor numbers. Their participation offers African agents, tour operators and destination marketers a valuable opportunity to open direct dialogue with African source and destination markets on neutral international ground.
Beyond destinations, the exhibitor line-up features an impressive mix of major travel brands spanning technology, accommodation, experiences and transport. Companies such as GetYourGuide, Nomad eSIM and RateStellar will be joining WTM Travel Tech, the new co-located event designed to meet the rapid growth of the travel technology sector. The launch of this dedicated tech-focused platform follows strong momentum from WTM London 2025, which saw a 55 per cent increase in participation on the technology side. This surge reflects an industry-wide recognition that digital innovation is reshaping every corner of the travel value chain, from booking systems and payment platforms to connectivity and AI-driven personalisation.
Hospitality is also strongly represented in the new sign-ups. Global operators such as RIU Hotels & Resorts and Serena Hotels, the latter with a well-established African footprint, have secured their presence at the show. For African hoteliers and DMCs, Serena Hotels' participation in particular offers a familiar continental anchor around which productive networking conversations can be built.
New airline exhibitors include Malaysia Airlines and AJet Airlines, further strengthening WTM London's representation across the global aviation ecosystem. Their presence will be closely watched by African agents seeking new connectivity solutions and partnership opportunities linking African markets with Asia and the wider international network. Additional newcomers include TripToGo, a vacation membership platform featuring the AI-powered travel planner Voyada, and Amaala, the ultra-luxury, wellness-focused destination on Saudi Arabia's northwestern Red Sea coast. Both underscore how personalisation, wellness and premium experiences are becoming increasingly central to modern travel product development.
For African travel professionals planning their year-end business activity, WTM London 2026 promises to be an unmissable opportunity. Beyond the traditional exhibition floor, features such as WTM TrendFest and WTM TV will return in expanded formats, delivering insight into the trends shaping the future of the industry. With record-breaking figures from last year's edition, including tens of thousands of attendees and billions of pounds in deals struck, the London show remains one of the most productive investments a travel business can make each year.
The message from London is clear. As the exhibition floor continues to fill quickly, African trade professionals looking to secure meeting slots, prospect new partners or explore fresh product opportunities would do well to plan early and act decisively.
