Eliana Willis

Yesterday at World Travel Market (WTM) London, MyTicketPro launched a trustworthy sports ticketing platform by and for the tourism industry. This groundbreaking solution gives travel professionals access to verified live ticket inventory for North American (NA) sports events thanks to involvement from sports executives and proprietary software connections. Global uniform pricing and instant digital confirmations will be available to platform users via myticketpro.com.
According to the most recent US Travel Association (USTA) data, international interest in attending a NA sporting event increased over 10 percent in a single year to ~4 out of 10 overseas visitors. Focus groups conducted by USTA’s sports and tourism ambassadors [Global Tourism, Sports & Entertainment (GTSE)], indicate that despite this increasing consumer demand, travel professionals continue to face selling barriers.

The primary concern travel professionals shared was lack of digital access to verified tickets at competitive prices. MyTicketPro’s introduction solves this and additional pain points.
ADVERTISEMENT“MyTicketPro represents a new standard in tourism sports ticketing and debuts today built upon a software solution I am proud to have developed and tested in the market over the past fifteen years,” said Jonathan Zuk, Founder and President MyTicketPro and Amadeo Travel

Solutions. “Thanks to this foundation, MyTicketPro’s proprietary software connections are already trusted by and familiar to the travel trade, who can quickly and comfortably start selling.”

“I’m immensely proud to launch MyTicketPro for my colleagues across the tourism industry who’ve been wary of selling sports due to past experiences with fraudulent online platforms, illegal brokers and scams. I’m so grateful to introduce trust into the equation thanks to my relationships with executives at world-renowned sports teams,” said Luisa Mendoza, Founder & CEO MyTicketPro and Global Tourism, Sports & Entertainment (GTSE). “MyTicketPro’s unique value is in its ability to automate transactions, increase travel pros’ capacity to sell sports at scale and generate shared economic returns, resulting in increased satisfaction for us all.”

The proprietary software that powers both MyTicketPro and Amadeo is connected to leading Online Travel Agencies (OTA’s) and regional tourism market leaders worldwide. Its robust API meets the tourism industry’s recently established OCTO standard. MyTicketPro complies with all domestic and international data privacy and protection standards and laws, including GDPR.

Partner sports teams at launch hail from top U.S. destinations visited by overseas travelers across all major NA Sports including basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer and beyond.

Currently, NA sports are internationalizing rapidly. Worldwide, new fan bases are emerging due to streaming, foreign investment, games hosted abroad and more. Through MyTicketPro, travel professionals can now reap the economic benefits of effectively selling the NA Sports Market, the value of which PWC estimated would reach a staggering $83.1 Billion USD this year.

Travel professionals attending WTM can visit booth #S4-200 (Visit Florida) to meet with MyTicketPro’s founders, learn about this emerging market segment and discuss onboarding.

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New research from WTM reveals that most major travel markets in the Americas have recovered from the pandemic, apart from the US which is due to get back to 2019 levels next year.
The WTM Global Travel Report, in association with Tourism Economics, is published to mark the opening of this year’s WTM London, the world’s most influential travel and tourism event.
For the current year, the Americas as a whole falls short of 2019 in both volumes and value. The region is expected to welcome 117m inbound leisure visitors, 4% down on 2019’s number. In dollar terms the shortfall is negligible, only 2% shy of pre-pandemic earnings.
When looking at the region country-by-country, it emerges that the other major markets have had a very strong year. The US is by far the biggest market in the Americas, and saw a 17% drop in the value of its inbound leisure market. In contrast, number two Mexico was 128% ahead of 2019 with Canada up by 107%.
However, the US domestic market has performed strongly and is in positive territory, with 2023’s domestic spend tipped to come in at 130% of 2019. All of the major domestic markets are ahead. Mexico is 144% ahead and Brazil, the third largest domestic market, is 118%.ADVERTISEMENTVenezuela is the eighth biggest domestic market in the region. It is predicted to reach levels 325% higher than 2019, the second highest percentage increase of any market registered in the report.
Overall, domestic tourism in the Americas for 2023 will be 31% ahead of 2019 by value.
The immediate future is looking positive, with the report confirming that the US will catch up with pre-pandemic levels in the next year. The findings show that 2024 will end with the US inbound in positive territory, 8% ahead of 2019. Domestically, the US will continue to grow, with the value of domestic tourism tipped to come in at around $1000 billion dollars.
Further out, the report looks forward to 2033 and says that the US inbound leisure market will remain the second largest in the world and be worth 82% more than 2024. This is among the strongest growth of the ten largest inbound markets, with only China (158%), Thailand (178%) and India (133%) registering a bigger increase. The US will also outperform its regional rivals, with Mexico looking at an 80% increase in inbound spend over the next decade; Canada is in line for a 71% jump.
Over the same period, outbound leisure travel from US is expected to grow in value by more than one-third (35%) in value, although this is the lowest of the ten countries analysed for this part of the report.
Juliette Losardo, Exhibition Director, World Travel Market London, said: “The strong showing for this year’s domestic market across the region aligns with what we’re seeing elsewhere – the substitution effect which came into play when international travel was restricted is still relevant, with many more people choosing to explore what is on offer within their own borders.
“US inbound is taking longer to get back to pre-pandemic volumes, but 2024 will see the turnaround completed. WTM London has a positive and long-standing relationship with the US market and the team are proud to be a contributing factor to its recovery.

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WTM Global Report: China holds back APAC’s recovery but bumper growth to come over next decade More

New research released today by WTM reveals that while Chinese tourism has yet to recover from the pandemic, growth will return and by 2033 Chinese outbound by value could be “double the size” of the United States.
The WTM Global Travel Report, in association with Tourism Economics, anticipates that the growth in the value of outbound travel from China between 2024 and 2033 will be 131%, by far the largest increase for any major market.“There is potential for China to become double the size of the United States as a source market in terms of spending,” the report claims.
The number of Chinese households earning enough to be able to afford to travel will “roughly double” by 2033, with an additional 60m-plus households in the market.
Elsewhere, Indonesia and India will also see significantly more households able to afford to travel over the next decade.
For 2023, APAC tourism is still lagging behind 2019 levels. Overall, the region will welcome 149m leisure arrivals this year, 30% fewer than 2019 levels volumes. In terms of value, the region as a whole will end the year at only 68% of 2019’s return.ADVERTISEMENTBy country, China’s inbound leisure is only 60% recovered by value, with other big markets also behind – Thailand and Japan are at 57% of 2019. India is the region’s strongest performer and is only 6% shy of matching 2019.
Domestic tourism is proving more resilient. China and Japan, again, are the only countries in the region’s top ten underperforming 2019 levels, but the gap is closer, with China at 93% and Japan at 82%. Australia tops the regional charts for domestic with 2023’s value coming in a 124% of 2019.
APAC’s tourism market will continue to improve into 2024, although the picture is mixed. China will end the year slightly ahead in value, as will India and Australia. Thailand and Japan will still not have got back to 2019 levels.
In contrast, domestic travel in 2024 will be stronger than 2019 for almost all countries in the region. Many travelers “substituted” domestic trips for international ones during the pandemic and this trend is now established, despite the lifting of restrictions. Japan is the only exception, “reflective of the historical downward trend in domestic leisure and domestic travel demand more generally within Japan”.
Juliette Losardo, Exhibition Director, World Travel Market London, said: “The WTM Global Travel Report proves essential reading for anyone in the industry wanting a first glimpse of future opportunity. The global perspective on how regions and countries are faring after the pandemic, and the prospects for next year and the longer-term are not to be missed.
“APAC is a critical driver of the world’s inbound, outbound and domestic tourism sectors, and the growth profile for China and other countries in the region is extremely positive news for us all.

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WTM Global Report: Domestic and inbound travel revive Middle East’s tourism economies

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Research released today confirms that the strong performance from Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates is behind the Middle East tourism industry’s full recovery from the pandemic.
The WTM Global Travel Report, in association with Tourism Economics, is published to mark the opening of this year’s WTM London, the world’s most influential travel and tourism event.The number of leisure visitors to the region in 2023 is expected to reach 33 million, compared with 29 million in 2019. This 13% increase means that the Middle East is the only region fully recovered from the pandemic in volume. When measured in dollar terms, the Middle East leads the way, in growth terms, with a 46% increase in inbound spend compared with 2019.
The Middle East is also outperforming all other regions for domestic travel, which has grown by 176% since 2019, albeit from a low base.
The success of the region’s recovery from the pandemic is driven by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, with their commitment to tourism showing signs of success. The report notes that “both countries are investing heavily in tourism infrastructure, viewing tourism development as a key strategy to diversify away from hydrocarbons reliance.”
Inbound and domestic in both markets is fully recovered from the pandemic. For Saudi, inbound is outperforming 2019 by 66% in dollar terms, with the UAE registering a 21% increase. For domestic visits, the countries are ahead by 37% and 66% respectively.ADVERTISEMENTThe next year is also looking good for the region’s overall inbound and domestic market as well as its two major markets. “Saudi Arabia will lead growth due to new visa arrangements and continued capacity development,” the report says, also noting Dubai’s “ability and desire to attract and host large-scale events of all types…” The picture is similar for domestic, with Saudi and the UAE reinforcing their leadership position in 2024.
The long-term picture is also positive for the region and Saudi in particular. Over the next decade, the value of inbound leisure tourism to the country will increase by 74%, comparable with the growth profile for established markets such as Spain (74%) and France (72%).
Juliette Losardo, Exhibition Director, World Travel Market London, said: “The Middle East is one the most exciting and dynamic regions for tourism. The positive findings from WTM Global Travel Report show that the initial investments made in developing new tourism infrastructure are already paying dividends.
“The WTM team continue to work closely with our sister event, Arabian Travel Market, to ensure continued support to the region in its ongoing endeavours.”

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New research from World Travel Market London 2023, the world’s most influential travel & tourism event, has revealed that “affordable luxury” is becoming more popular – despite the squeeze on many holidaymakers’ budgets.The exclusive WTM Global Travel Report – compiled in association with renowned researchers at Oxford Economics – has revealed that consumers generally remain determined to go on holiday and plenty are still prioritising upmarket options.
The report, unveiled at WTM London on 6 November, says “affordable luxury” is becoming more popular “amid promising sentiment overall”.
It explains that this growth area in travel aligns with a broader trend for consumers to seek out new and unique experiences on holiday.
“After the pandemic and restrictions on travel, many have wanted to upgrade their experience…as consumers proactively catch up on missed tourism experiences,” says the report.
Some of this demand may be the result of continued pent-up demand and savings accumulated during lockdowns – and relatively low unemployment rates in most countries.ADVERTISEMENTThe report notes: “Consumers unaffected by economic downturns are likely to continue opting for luxury destinations.
“Meanwhile, those in lower income groups might increasingly feel the impact of squeezed personal incomes and seek out more budget travel options or reduce their travels overall.”
The report cites United States consumer data from MMGY which suggests that the cost of living is having more of an effect on households with annual incomes under $50,000.
However, those earning more indicated a “high likelihood” of future travel.
Nonetheless, the report warns that some of the post-pandemic drivers of travel demand may have “gone into reverse in recent months”, posing a risk to continued expansion.
It points to persistently high costs and the recovery of sterling and the euro, which is making the purchasing power of the US dollar weaker in Europe.
The price of jet fuel is significantly higher than at the start of the year, putting pressure on air fares.
Meanwhile, the travel industry continues to face supply side problems, amid geopolitical events such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – and staff shortages still affect many markets because large numbers of workers switched to other sectors during the pandemic.
Consumers’ personal disposable income is also under pressure as their own transport and other living costs rise.
Despite these headwinds, the report notes: “Higher costs have not yet been a significant deterrent to growth and travellers appear willing to pay higher prices.”
Juliette Losardo, Exhibition Director at WTM London, said:
“Commissioning the WTM Global Travel Report demonstrates our commitment to helping attendees at World Travel Market make informed decisions about up-to-date trends.
“We are witnessing a remarkable resilience as people are still prioritising travel and many are seeking ‘affordable luxury’, such as higher rated accommodation or premium economy and business cabins instead of economy.
“This offers those in the travel industry a chance to help consumers who want simple travel hacks to get more bang for their buck, such as being more flexible with departure dates or finding destinations that offer better value for money.
“Savvy travel firms can capitalise on this tendency for consumers to value comfort over saving money by providing top tips for clients, loyalty schemes or added extras, for example.”
Dave Goodger, Managing Director EMEA at Tourism Economics, said:
“Findings show how consumers have a seemingly insatiable demand for travel despite a complex economic backdrop.
“We hope this report sparks useful conversations over the course of WTM London and empowers tourism organisations to make better decisions about their strategies for 2024 and beyond.”

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WTM Global Report: Domestic tourism leading Africa’s post-pandemic recovery

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Major destinations and source markets across Africa are expected to end 2023 ahead of pre-pandemic values in terms of value, with domestic tourism performing strongly, reveals new research published today.The WTM Global Travel Report, in association with Tourism Economics, is published to mark the opening of this year’s WTM London, the world’s most influential travel and tourism event.
For 2023, the report predicts that African international inbound leisure will be down in volumes but up in value compared with 2019.
This year an estimated 43 million people will visit the continent, a 13% drop on the 49 million guests welcomed in 2019. However, despite the drop in volumes, the value of these trips is 103% ahead of what 2019’s business was worth.
As the report states, “the range of diverse countries has resulted in a varied picture” across the continent, and the inbound return for the three biggest markets illustrates the differences.
Market leader Egypt is slightly ahead, with 2023 at 101% of 2019 in value terms; Morocco “has made a strong recovery” and will end the year 130% ahead of pre-pandemic levels. South Africa is the region’s third largest inbound market and the one taking longest to recover – 2023 will come in at only 71% of 2019.ADVERTISEMENTDomestic tourism for the region in 2023 is positive across the board, with all the top ten domestic markets, other than Nigeria, ahead of 2019 for value. South Africa is the biggest domestic market, and is ahead 104%. Number two Egypt is 111% up; third placed Algeria 134% up with Morocco completing the top five domestic markets, registering a 110% increase. Nigeria, which comes in at number four, is at 93% of 2019.
Next year will see the region build on its post-pandemic recovery although South African inbound will continue to fall short of 2019.  However, the long-term picture for the region’s biggest market is positive. By 2033, the report expects that the value of inbound leisure to South Africa will be 143% ahead of 2024.
It also identifies Mozambique, Mali and Madagascar are high-growth markets, with increases of 161%, 167% and 162% respectively in the value of inbound leisure travel by 2033.
Juliette Losardo, Exhibition Director, World Travel Market London, said: “Africa has so much to offer domestic and inbound visitors and its importance as a source market for outbound visitors to other destinations is growing all the time.
“WTM London has always supported the region’s tourism industry, and we’re determined to step up our efforts across the board and to reinforce our message that tourism can be a global force for good, and nowhere is this truer than for Africa.”

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