The 2023 travel trade, tourism, attractions and experiences diary is as packed as ever, and kicks off straight after the Christmas break.
So, whether you’re looking to spend time at travel and tourism trade shows to speed-meet with buyers or suppliers, listen to inspiring, informative speakers or just doing some low-key mingling, then we’ve got the most conclusive list of all travel industry exhibitions and events there is.
We’ve missed something?! Whaaaaa. Make sure you tell us – drop a note and let us know, it’s good karma for you!
Without further a-do, these are our highlights of attraction, tourism and travel exhibitions in 2023.
Dates: 12th January 2023
Where: Grosvenor House Hotel, London, UK
Cost: Seat and table prices available on the website
About: Known as the Oscars of the travel industry, this prestigious night recognises the top suppliers in the sector as named by travel sellers. Get the tux out and get ready for polite clapping as you do (or don’t) hear your name read out.
Great for: a good social, selfie moment and a bit of networking of course.
Other events: Travel Weekly also hosts the Global Travel Week (dates to be confirmed) and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council Conference.
Dates: 17th – 19th January 2023
Where: Pavilions of Harrogate, UK.
Cost: from £120 for a day ticket.
About: NFAN, the National Farm Attractions Network, is the group for, you guessed it, farm attractions. A hugely friendly network and the premier way to meet with other farm industry professionals and visit each other’s attractions. The annual conference is the place to listen to keynote speakers, network and visit the trade exhibition as well as enjoy lunch and join a pre-conference fam trip, safari night and the awards gala dinner.
Great for: Anyone running a farm attraction.
Other events: member events and fam trips throughout the year
Dates: 18th – 22nd January 2023
Where: Madrid, Spain
Cost: One day pass EUR 20
About: Dubbed as a global meeting place for tourism professionals across the trade for both inbound and outbound Latin American partners.
Great for: Meeting a mix of providers including tech, travel and accommodation, as well as presentations of new products and a preview of key trends.
Other events: just this one!
Dates: 27th January 2023
Where: Intercontinental O2, London
Cost: Member tickets from £499 (reduced from £699 with a £200 discount for members) via UKInbound
About: The marketplace hosted by ETOA and BIM brings together the best of British and Irish tourism products. Prescheduled appointments will allow buyers to meet with hotels, transport providers and attractions.
Great for: cramming in loads of appointments if you’re looking for new product / new distribution channels.
Other events: for all ETOA events visit https://www.etoa.org/
Dates: 28th February 2023
Where: The Brewery, London
Cost: Register as a buyer or supplier for more information
About: With a theme of #metatravel and the desire to bring together the industry to understand how travel operators need to evolve in order to meet consumer needs, this is an opportunity to stay one step ahead of trends and network with buyers and suppliers.
Great for: A mix of senior travel and non-industry speakers who will share their knowledge and debate the #metatravel topic, coupled with the chance to schedule 1-1 meetings between suppliers and buyers.
Other events: Visit the website for details on the Travolution Awards and Business Breakfast.
Dates: 5th – 7th March 2023
Where: Estrel Hotel, Berlin
Cost: From EUR 519 for small operators and Arival Insider Pro Members
About: Arival is one of the most established and well attended events for attractions, tours and experiences with a mix of three large face to face conferences through the year as well as a series of online and partner meetups as well. Events cover a full agenda of speaker sessions, fireside chats, interviews and workshops as well as exhibitor stands and the opportunity to network with suppliers and buyers. Arival also works closely with OCTO, a relatively new body set up to create a better set of API standards for connectivity across tours, activities and attractions. A members meeting generally forms part of each conference.
Great for: Industry newcomers for it’s friendly, warm welcome, operators large and small seeking out the latest industry news and trends as well as great opportunities through the events and at the after parties.
Other events: Arival hosts three in person events in 2023 – Berlin, Bangkok and Orlando. They also host a number of webinars, education sessions and online member meetups – it’s well worth joining.
Dates: 7th – 9th March 2023
Where: Berlin Exhibition Grounds, Berlin
Cost: Early bird tickets from EUR 60
About: A gathering of global tourism leaders sees a packed event showcasing the best in innovation, tech, knowledge and leadership.
Great for: A great meeting place if you want to network with the most important people across the industry as well as learn about cutting-edge sector developments and keep on top of emerging trends.
Other events: Just the one!
Dates: 22nd – 23rd March 2023
Where: NEC, Birmingham, UK
Cost: Not provided
About: BTTS is the top event for those running trips and tours, showcasing the best the British Aisles has to offer. If you’re looking to discover new experiences and get inspired by different destinations, the show features over 250 exhibitors across hotels, tours and experiences. The show also includes a range of keynote speaker sessions.
Great for: Buyers looking to discover new and unique experiences and destinations and plan their group tours.
Other events: just the one!
Dates: 22nd – 24th March 2023
Where: Birmingham
Cost: Early bird tickets from £199
About: TPC is an educational event with a firm focus on new learning, best practice and innovation in the entertainment ticketing industry. Attendees span entertainment, performing arts, sports, attractions and festivals and is designed for the heads of ticketing/ticketing marketing and box office managers.
Great for: Ticketing providers, events and experiences who want to connect and learn about new innovation.
Other events: Just the one!
Dates: 13th-14th March 2023
Location: QEII Centre, London
Cost: register as an exhibitor, media, sponsor or influencer for prices
About: A two day event with a jam-packed agenda of speed networking across the travel sphere and a great chance to make new connections and catch up with old friends. The primary purpose of TravMedia events is for suppliers to meet with journalists to talk about features and articles, press trips and new launches, making IMM totally unique in the industry. Oh and the breakfast and lunch are pretty good too, as is the evening drinks party.
Great for: Old-timers and newcomers – whether you religiously attend every year or have never been before this is a great opportunity to immerse yourself in the travel and tourism sector. Day 2 includes the chance to meet with influencers and content creators as well.
Other events: Check the website for a full range of IMM events across North America, Australia, Germany, France and Asia during 2023.
Nothing this month! Time to take a well-deserved Easter break.
Dates: 20th – 24th May 2023
Where: San Antonio, Texas, USA
Cost: Registration required to access tickets
About: Run by the US Travel Association, IPW is the showcase event to build existing and make brand new global travel connections. A mix of an exhibitor floor, 1-1 appointments, speaker sessions and networking.
Great for: US Inbound buyers and suppliers from around the world looking to network and do business.
Other events: Just the one!
Dates: 6th – 8th June 2023
Where: West Midland Safari Park, West Midlands, UK
Cost: Not yet available
About: Awaiting information
Great for: BIAZA (British & Irish Association of Zoos & Aquariums) does just that – showcasing the zoo and aquarium sector.
Other events: A wide range of annual education sessions and fam trips.
Dates: 12th – 14th June 2023
Where: Barcelona, Spain
Cost: Early bird tickets from EUR 995
About: Phocuswright are the leaders in industry data, trends and key talking points. Join for a wealth of leading speaker sessions and topics spanning digitisation, sustainability, investment and lots more.
Great for: The data driven, information seeking, innovation driven leader.
Other events: Phocuswright also hosts an annual conference and an Asian market event.
Dates: 12th – 14th June 2023
Where: Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park
Cost: Early bird tickets from $399 for small operators and Arival Insider Pro Access members
About: An Arival Activate event includes a buzzing mix of interactive and educational sessions, 1-1s and informal networking designed to give you the best opportunity to learn, make new connections and establish great new relationships. The event hosts around 400-500 attendees with plenty of opportunity for informal meetings and conversations.
Great for: Those looking for a laid back way to learn and network, with a travel trends across Asia and topics trending across innovation and growth in the sector for 2023.
Other events: Arival hosts three in person events in 2023 – Berlin, Bangkok and Orlando. They also host a number of webinars, education sessions and online member meetups – it’s well worth joining.
Dates: 13th – 16th June 2023 (education) / 14th – 16th June 2023 (show floor)
Where: Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
Cost: Prices to exhibit, advertise and sponsor available online with discounts for members and up to 50% off for first time exhibitors.
About: This is a great opportunity to attend IAAPA and experience new tech and innovation demonstrations being unveiled at the conference. You’ll also have the chance to attend industry leading speaker sessions and meet with some of the best global suppliers in the attractions industry.
Great for: A combination of innovation, speaker events and networking.
Other events: IAAPA hosts their US expo, IAAPA Expo Europe and IAAPA Expo Asia.
Nothing, it’s time to take a holiday!
Nothing, it’s time to take a holiday!
Dates: 19th – 21st September 2023
Where: New York City, USA
Cost: Single early bird tickets cost $2195
About: Skift is the leading event in defining the future of travel with the trends and innovations in store for the months ahead and has been running in New York since 2014. A great opportunity to connect with industry influencers, learn from the top creative minds.
Great for: Great for industry long-timers as well as newcomers who want to feel inspired to chart a forward thinking path in the sector.
Other events: Skift also runs an online Megatrends event and a further event focussed on lodging.
Dates: 25th – 28th September (education) / 26th – 28th September (show floor)
Where: Messe Wien Exhibition and Congress Center, Vienna, Austria
Cost: Exhibitor, advertiser and sponsor costs available online. Discounts available for members.
About: The largest exhibitor event for the leisure industry in Europe, the Middle East and Africa region and a chance for suppliers to showcase themselves to buyers. This is the leading event to connect attractions with suppliers across the industry from hardware and tech to ticketing and software solutions, infrastructure and new installations.
Great for: Attractions looking to grow, expand, update and innovate. Opportunity to meet with leading suppliers across the full spectrum of industry services as well as attend education sessions covering training, safety, the guest experience and lots more.
Other events: IAAPA hosts their US expo, IAAPA Expo Europe and IAAPA Expo Asia.
Dates: 5th October 2023
Where: Birmingham (TBC)
Cost: Early bird tickets from £199
About: Join senior influencers from attractions and well as suppliers, thought-leaders, local authorities and national bodies for a day of speaker sessions and networking with topics including marketing, safety and legislation, infrastructure and management. Sponsorship opportunities are available.
Great for: those looking get ahead with industry forecasting and trends, get inspired by great speakers from pioneering attractions and bodies such as VisitBritain and VisitEngland.
Other events: just the one!
Dates: 9th – 12th October 2023
Where: Rosen Shingle Creek, Orlando, Florida, USA
Cost: From $719 for small operators and Arival Insider Pro Members
About: This is the Arival showcase event of the year designed for attractions, experiences, tours and activities who want to learn, grow, innovation and find solutions to business challenges. The focus is on innovation, leading-edge strategies and the travel trends to watch out for.
Great for: Anyone who wants to have fun – the networking including the social side are unrivalled in the industry, as well as the chance to stay ahead of the curve with the latest insights and data, and getting inspired by industry leading speakers, this is the event that has it all.
Other events: Arival hosts three in person events in 2023 – Berlin, Bangkok and Orlando. They also host a number of webinars, education sessions and online member meetups – it’s well worth joining.
Dates: 18th – 20th October 2023
Where: Fibes, Seville, Spain
Cost: Not yet published
About: TIS is a great coming together largely of European visitors looking to network and enjoy a wealth of speaker sessions from case studies to trends and innovations.
Great for: A definite lilt towards the Spanish market with some sessions purely in Spanish. A great event to meet tech partners and get inspired hearing stories from attraction, experience and tour companies. The event usually includes a stream hosted by the Arival team which is always popular.
Other events: Just the one global summit.
Dates: 3rd – 4th November 2023
Where: Intercontinental London at the o2
Cost: Early bird tickets from £999 for ETOA members
About: GEM is ETOA’s influential annual travel trade event and is held exclusively for members. This is a lead generation event designed to connect those looking to contract new product. The event also includes insights sessions and social activities.
Great for: ETOA members looking to find a host of new partners or suppliers.
Other events: Visit the ETOA website for their list of six 2023 events.
Dates: 6th – 8th November 2023
Where: ExCel, London, UK
Cost: Free for visitors
About: WTM is the absolute show-stopper of travel, experience and tourism events hosted annually in London. The huge exhibitor show focusses on welcoming buyers to the array of trade stands representing travel and leisure brands from across the world. This is a buyers events and the best place for businesses big and small to trade. The sponsored parties tend to be pretty great too.
Great for: Brands looking to exhibit and showcase their destination or attraction (there are also stands for tech suppliers), and for buyers looking to contract new product. It’s fun, where flat shoes and plan your calendar so you don’t have to trek back and forth from one end of ExCel to the other.
Other events: WTM also hosts events for the Arabian, Latin American and African markets, and also host discussions around sustainable tourism. WTM also includes the ITT (Institute of Travel and Tourism) Future You event, aimed at students and graduates and designed to inspire the next generation of travel professionals.
Dates: 13th - 16th November 2023 (education) / 14th-17th November 2023 (show floor)
Where: Orlando, Florida, USA.
Cost: Registrations open July 2023 with a 30% discount for advance bookings and discounts for members.
About: Attended by global representatives from theme parks, family entertainment centres, zoos, aquariums, museums and visitor attractions, this is the premier place to meet with suppliers across infrastructure, tech, design and innovation as well as network with industry leaders and influencers.
Great for: Attractions looking for suppliers across the whole spectrum of the industry from hardware and software to ticketing or new rides and attractions.
Other events: IAAPA hosts their US expo, IAAPA Expo Europe and IAAPA Expo Asia.
Dates: 13th – 16th November 2023
Where: Ft. Lauderdale, Hollywood, Florida, USA
Cost: Early bird tickets from $3299
About: If you’re looking for atmosphere and excitement this is for you. A heady mix of the most insightful content, industry leaders and influencers as well as the chance to learn, meet and socialise with the most talked about people in the sector. Oh, and the late night parties…
Great for: Everyone! It’s an investment that you won’t regret. With it all thrown in including breakfast and lunch, industry roundtables, young leaders summit, start up program, breakout sessions and of course an exhibitors showcase.
Other events: Phocuswright also hosts a European conference and an Asian market event.
Dates: 15th – 16th November 2023
Where: NEC, Birmingham
Cost: Free
About: This is one of the most popular events for attractions looking to grow and innovate. With nearly 12,000 visitors, a huge exhibitor floor and hundreds of seminars, it’s a packed two days.
Great for: attraction and leisure venue specific content and networking.
Other events: just the one
Nothing! Just your Christmas parties!
BALPPA: The British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers and Attractions has a range of member events throughout the year including an annual dinner and AGM, conferences and regional meetings, seminars, trade shows and webinars. They also hold specific FEC (Family Entertainment Centre) meetups.
Full details of the BALPPA summer conference in June coming soon.
Visit the website for all member meet ups, fam trips, webinars and AGM details.
The National Attractions Marketing Conference: This event is crammed full of marketing tips from expert speakers from across the sector. The one day event is hosted by The Tourism Business and everyone is eagerly awaiting a post-Covid date for the next event.
UK Theme Park Awards: Voted for by the UK public and won by Alton Towers in 2022 with over 200,000 votes cast in total, we’re awaiting details of the 2023 awards. Judges include representatives from the UK Roller Coaster Club of Great Britain and BALPPA.
The Digital Marketing Travel Conference: Widely attended by tour operators, DMOs, travel agents and OTAs, we’re eagerly awaiting a 2023 date for this event which covers trends, multi-platform marketing, customer-centric social and digital travel marketing strategies and lots more.
AWTE (Association of Women Travel Executives): a membership group for, you guessed it, the ladies. Events include an annual Christmas party which is much talked about, as well as awards. Dates to come.
ATAS Conference: Awaiting dates for 2023 after the successful 2022 event hosted at the British Motor Museum in Warwickshire. Attended largely by tour operators and travel agents, the agenda includes speaker and breakout sessions, networking and an awards ceremony.
Tiqets Remarkable Venues Awards: A much anticipated awards events showcasing the best venues across the world from tourist spots, to museums and attractions.
ALVA (Association of Leading Visitor Attractions): the group represents the views of the attractions industry to government, the wider tourism community, the media and the general public. Members collaborate and network, lobby and influence for change with industry bodies and organisations and government.
