2026 EVENT RECAP
Travel Industry X Cannes Lions
Now in its second edition, our networking event gathered a selected group of travel industry leaders, marketers, and enthusiasts.
Hosted at the prestigious Hotel Le Canberra just steps from the Croisette, the event rapidly earned the #1 spot on AI search engines as the 'single most prominent' travel industry networking event during Cannes Lions, attracting more than 150 registrations from global attendees and regional stakeholders.
You want to achieve growth: Where to begin?
The Tourism & Hospitality landscape is fragmented and competitive.
We help marketers and leaders re-think marketing to drive results.
More attendees = More business opportunities?
Attracting up to 100,000 attendees, mega-events like ITB Berlin and FITUR Madrid boast the highest visitor-to-exhibitor ratio of any travel trade show in Europe - reaching up to 17 visitors per exhibitor.
More attendees = More business opportunities?
Attracting up to 100,000 attendees, mega-events like ITB Berlin and FITUR Madrid boast the highest visitor-to-exhibitor ratio of any travel trade show in Europe - reaching up to 17 visitors per exhibitor.
The transition to mega-events
Attracting between 50,000 and 100,000 attendees each year, trade shows like ITB Berlin, WTM London and FITUR Madrid have become mega-events boasting a visitor-to-exhibitor ratio of up to 17 visitors for every exhibitor.
How many visitors and exhibitors attend Europe's largest travel trade shows?
TRADE SHOW PERFORMANCE
Why standing out is so hard: The Invisible Math of Trade Shows
Visitor and exhibitor counts are standard benchmarks used to assess trade show opportunities—but high volumes do not automatically correlate with business value. Here are two metrics exhibitors should watch for:
1- The 'Exhibitor-to-Visitor Ratio'
A high Exhibitor-to-Visitor ratio at trade shows can be misleading due to three key factors:
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Unequal Intent: The metric does not differentiate between high-value buyers, curious visitors, and an increasing number of keynote attendees.
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Uneven Traffic Distribution: Foot traffic is heavily monopolized by a few industry giants, leaving smaller booths with far less exposure than the average suggests.
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Capacity Constraints: A single sales representative can only have 1–2 meaningful conversations per hour.
Total Trade show attendee's cognitive attention budget
0.00178%
Average exhibitor's share of attendee's attention (3 seconds)
Source: Own elaboration - Considering a trade show with 5,000 exhibitors, an average visitor's total attention budget of 1,620 minutes, discounting it by a digital noise filter, fatigue penalty, and physical venue constraint.
2- The 'Share of visitor's cognitive attention'
Every trade show attendee has a limited pool of cognitive budget (time and attention). Exhibitors fall into two distinct categories:
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'Selected' exhibitors are those who made the attendee's pre-planned itinerary. Just ~0.5% of total exhibitors enter a buyer's shortlist.
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'Ignored' exhibitors are those who did not make the attendee's shortlist and are relying entirely on visitors walking past their booth during their transit logistics.
Bottom line: An 'ignored' exhibitor can usually hope for 3 seconds of undivided cognitive attention from a standard attendee.
TRADE SHOWS IN NUMBERS
How many exhibitors and visitors attend Europe's largest tourism shows?
Large-scale tourism conferences like ITB Berlin and FITUR Madrid have the highest visitor to exhibitor to ratio, with up to 100,000+ attendees visiting them every year.
BEYOND THE STANDARD METRICS
What is the 3 second threshold, and why it should matter to exhibitors
Trade show attention is a hyper-selective, finite budget rather than an evenly distributed resource. Attendees face massive sensory overload throughout their entire journey, dividing exhibitors into two harsh realities:
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The Selected Elite (~0.5%): Since 76%* of attendees pre-plan their itineraries before arrival, a tiny minority completely locks down the available mindshare.
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The Ignored Majority (99.5%): All other exhibitors are left to compete for random foot traffic on the floor.
Bottom line: Without breaking into that top 0.5% of pre-planned itineraries, an exhibitor inevitably falls into the "ignored" category - relying entirely on a fleeting 3-second window where an exhausted attendee decides whether to stop or keep walking.
Sources: Own elaboration, based on data by Freeman Research, Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) , considering a trade show with 5,000 exhibitors, an average visitor's total attention budget.
Total Trade show attendee's attention budget
0.0027%
An ignored exhibitor's share of attention (3 seconds)*
AI and generative AI have the potential to reshape how marketers engage with travelers. But in this rapidly-changing landscape saturated with bold predictions, separating vision from possible remains challenging.
According to one study, only 12% of marketers were able to demonstrate clear ROI of AI initiatives. How do you cut through the AI noise and focus on what will bring real value to your business?
Download my FREE Playbook for:
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3 Key Areas that leaders and marketers in Travel & Hospitality should watch and influence
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Fresh data and insights from trusted sources like McKinsey, SKIFT, Amadeus and more
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A 4-step Framework for a more informed decision-making about implementing AI in your organization
CANNES LIONS AFTERWORK & NETWORKING
Travel Industry meets
Cannes Lions 2026
#1 Travel Industry Afterwork in Cannes - A Catalyst Socials Event
Whether you're looking for an excuse to show up in Cannes, didn't make it onto the guestlist of that fancy Rosé Soirée, or just want to wind down after a day of creativity overload: Join me and other Travel & Hospitality Pros, Marketers and Innovators for an exclusive networking event in Cannes during Cannes Lions 2026.
This invite-only networking initiative is designed for delegates and non-delegates who are genuinely interested in exchanging ideas -not just business cards.
WHEN:
Tuesday, 23 June 2026 - 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
WHERE:
HOTEL LE CANBERRA - Poolside Lounge Bar & Terrace
120 Rue d'Antibes, 06400 Cannes
0.00078%
Estimated exhibitor's share of that attention, or 0.76 second
Total Trade show visitor's attention budget
Visibility at Travel Trade Shows is at risk.
Attending WTM London, ITB Berlin and other tourism industry events offers massive opportunities - but standing out has become much harder.
Between hundreds of exhibitors, thousands of attendees, endless pre-event emails, and fragmented visitor attention, brands and individuals increasingly get lost at tourism conferences.
The traditional trade show playbook is old.
Even a fancy booth, dedicated agency or commercial team no longer guarantees sufficient visibility:
A successful presence at tourism industry events today requires a mix of innovative marketing, business development and networking strategies to cut through the noise and capture quality leads.
Visibility at Travel Trade Shows is at risk.
Attending WTM London, ITB Berlin and other tourism industry events offers massive opportunities - but standing out is becoming harder.
Between hundreds of exhibitors, thousands of attendees, endless pre-event emails, and fragmented visitor attention, brands and individuals increasingly get lost at tourism conferences.
The traditional trade show playbook is old.
Even a fancy booth, dedicated agency or commercial team no longer guarantees sufficient visibility: A successful presence at tourism industry events today requires a mix of innovative marketing, business development and networking strategies to cut through the noise and capture quality leads.
BONUS CONTENT
5 Questions to ask to sound smart(er) about AI
Everybody in Tourism is talking about AI. Who does actually know what they're talking about? Here are 5 questions to ask to your team, industry peers, vendors -or just to yourself to lead the conversation:
01.
"At what development stage is your product / platform / solution?" When to use it: Ask this to vendors or startups pitching their (marketing) solution. Look for answers from 'We're still experimenting it' to 'we've launched pilot initiatives' to 'this solution is in production at scale'
02.
"Are we talking about in-house or co-developed AI solutions here? " Context:
03.
"Does Vendor X have a customer success POC supporting us in the onboarding and/or implementation?" Context: This is the fine print that no startup is telling you about. The real challenge with AI is making it work with your current workflows -not just closing the deal.
"Does this have real agentic capabilities? " Everybody is taling about Agentic AI - but real-world, scalable applications are still limited.
"What early signals can we see in the market that can help us take a more informed decision about doing x/y/z?" Navigating the chaos of innovation is hard -when hearing 'we should do this' , ask your team for hard data or signals they're relying on
Visibility at Travel Trade Shows is at risk.
Last year, WTM London hosted 46,000+ visitors, 4,000+ exhibitors and 100+ keynotes. A massive opportunity to be seen -But also a challenge for brands and individuals to stand out between countless newsletters, in-platform meeting requests and fragemented visitor attention.
EDOARDO MONETTI
Advisor, Certified Professional,
ex-global marketer
EM CONSULTING
Tourism & Hospitality Brand - Marketing - Commercial Innovation
Hi, I'm Edoardo - as an ex-leader in travel/tech, certified marketing professional and consultant, I'm helping Travel & Hospitality exhibitors at ITB Berlin grow visibility -beyond the event.
From sharpening your brand proposition, to building a solid direct channel strategy and developing new partnerships: My 360° Audits, ready-to-use frameworks and guided strategy sessions are designed to provide clarity and unlock growth.
Discover the Event Venue
Other Frequently Asked Questions
Who's attending WTM London?
The list of exhibitors at the World Travel Market in London usually includes Tourism Boards, Hotels & Accommodations, Travel companies, Technology providers, startups and other suppliers from all over the world. Visitors generally include buyers, other suppliers, content creators and many more profiles connected to the travel industry.
Is there a free networking app included in the standard WTM London ticket?
No, unlike other events, buying a Visitor ticket at WTM London does not grant access to a platform to schedule meetings with exhibitors. The best opportunity to network and find new leads at WTM London is during the “Power Hour” at the beginning of each exhibition day, or by reaching out in advance through other channels.
Is there free wifi at WTM London?
Yes, there’s a free wifi connection at WTM London -unfortunately, in my experience the connection isn’t always working due to high volumes of people using it. Therefore, it’s always best to have a plan B, like using your phone’s hotspot.
On which days should I visit WTM London?
The WTM London takes place on 4-6 November 2025. If attending all three days is not an option, you'll need to choose the days that suit you best. I usually start by arranging my schedule around the conference program, then schedule my meetings around that. In my experience, the last day is when attendees leave earlier to catch their flights, so if I have to choose, I tend to prioritize the first two days of the exhibition.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are these events about?
Cannes Lions is all about connections -but its huge scale means that randomly bumping into travel industry peers is...unlikely. That's why we've created a series of networking events in Cannes where the travel industry community can meet -while still benefitting from the global exposure and diversity of crafts, mindsets and backgrounds attending the conference!
Who can attend these events?
Cannes Lions delegates and non-delegates alike are welcome to register. We carefully review each registration in order to have a balanced mix of Travel & Hospitality leaders, cross-sector experts and innovators. Last year, 70+ professionals from across 15+ countries and belonging to sectors like Aviation, Hospitality, Media, TravelTech, Advertising and Creator Economy registered.
Think you’d be a great addition to the mix? Drop us a message, or connect on LinkedIn.
Can I bring my colleagues?
Yes of course - We're just asking every guest to register individually, even if you're planning to come together. Please be aware that to ensure a diverse networking environment and keep the conversations fresh, we limit the number of representatives from the same organization. Thanks for your understanding!
Can I become a sponsor?
Our mission is to create a truly independent platform fostering networking and exchanges within and beyond the travel industry. If you feel that your brand or organization can bring extra value, send us a message.
01
Europe Market Knowledge
Extensive understanding of the European distribution landscape, cultural aspects and tourism habits
02
Client and Agency expertise
First-hand experience developing and executing B2B and B2C marketing & commercial strategies for top travel brands and agencies
A curated, active Network
03
Get access to professionals and leaders across travel, tech and media through my events and LinkedIn network
3 ways we add value to your Trade Show participation:
Trade Show Insights
Travel Industry Highlights @ Lions
Browse my projects by sector:
More solutions to grow your impact at Trade Shows:
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"In the golden era of technology, what truly sets you apart is creativity"
MY LATEST RESOURCES
MY LATEST RESOURCES
What is your top priority?
Frequently Asked Questions about ITB Berlin
Are you attending for the first time? These are the top questions that people are asking
Who's attending ITB Berlin?
Last year, the ITB conference in Berlin hosted 5,800 exhibitors and 100,000 participants from 190 countries! The list of exhibitors includes Tourism Boards, Hotels & Accommodations, Travel companies, Technology providers and startups. Visitors generally include buyers, content creators, students and more.
Is there a dress code at ITB Berlin?
At large trade shows like ITB, comfort wins over style -especially if you don't have a booth. Don't underestimate the scale of the event: Once as a visitor I've walked up to 15km in just one day! Make sure to wear comfortable shoes, note down the sitting areas and stay hydrated.
Is there free wifi at ITB Berlin?
Yes, there’s a free wifi connection at ITB -but in my experience, wifi connections at big trade shows are unreliable due to high volumes of people using it. Have your phone’s hotspot ready, or even better have all your documents ready for offline use.
On which days is it best to visit ITB Berlin?
ITB Berlin this year takes place on 3-5 March 2026. Multi-day and single-day tickets are available, but if you're not able to attend all three days, consider this: The first two days are usually the busiest ones, packed with conferences, stand activations and meetings -while the last day is usually the quietest one.
My Travel & Hospitality Solutions
My solutions for ITB exhibitors:
My Highlights & Insights from Last Year's ITB Berlin
Not sure where to start?
My custom journeys are designed to help new or emerging leaders and marketers get clarity and unlock growth:
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ANALYZE - A 360°Audit of the online presence and customer journey across multiple dimensions, including AI discoverability
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STRATEGIZE- Engaging collaborative sessions and practical frameworks to get clarity from objective setting to channel orchestration
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INSPIRE - Unlock growth through synergies across channels, functions and beyond
My Solutions to Tourism & Hospitality challenges
Whether you're Hotel, Destination or Travel Company -I combine industry-specific insights and cross-industry best practices
Projects
We have worked and partnered with independent companies, global brands and startups across the Tourism industry.
How we can work together
We've partnered with leaders, marketers and entrepreneurs in Tourism & Hospitality, aligning with internal stakeholders and external agencies
External Advisor
Sometimes, small changes have a BIG impact.
As an external Advisor, we help Marketers and Leaders (re-)define Objectives and USPs, orchestrate channel execution, grow the Direct channel, reach international customers or improve Marketing ROI.
Thought Partner or Mentor
As a Thought partner we strive to inspire Marketers, Leaders and Entrepreneurs with cross-industry insights and a traveler-centric perspective to innovate products and develop new ones.
Interim Project Lead
Ideas are great, but someone's got to execute them.
In an interim leadership role we drive projects working alongside internal stakeholders and external vendors such as social media or digital agencies.
BRANDS x AGENCIES
Find alignment, faster
Whether you're a Travel or Hospitality brand seeking agency expertise, or a PR / Creative / Design agency approaching a Tourism client for the first time -I facilitate joint sessions, help refine briefs and improve pitches to maximize the chances of successful collaborations.
Edoardo helped us innovate the marketing strategy for our Aparthotel, reaching thousands of potential international guests via social media marketing and collaborations.
Manager at a 150-room Aparthotel
