Business Booms at Travelweek Sao Paulo by ILTM 2016

450 agents representing the highest net worth Latin American travellers have discovered the world in Sao Paulo.

“Travelweek works commercially, educationally and most importantly, as a seal of approval to the industry”

The sixth edition of Travelweek Sao Paulo by ILTM closed on Friday 6 May, welcoming the world’s most elite travel experiences, luxury destinations and newest brands in almost 20,000 meetings with discerning luxury travel agents from Brazil and Latin America.

Event Manager Simon Mayle comments: "The number of meetings and extensive networking that took place during Travelweek Sao Paulo by ILTM this year has built core business, as well as long term business opportunities for those brands present. We have seen many new experiences as well as established brands at this year’s event, showing the importance of the high spending Brazilian tourist for the world of luxury travel."

In its third year as part of the ILTM Global Portfolio, Travelweek Sao Paulo also hosted a number of the world’s most exclusive luxury travel editors and social media influencers to meet with participants.

Brazil currently has 168,000 millionaires, predicted to grow to 229,000 in 2020 - an increase of 37%. Across Latin America, the number of millionaires is expected to grow by 52% before 2020, with significant opportunities to expand the luxury travel market.

Luxury travel buyers from across the region were delighted with their experience at Travelweek Sao Paulo by ILTM.

Tomas Perez of Teresa Perez tours said: “As always, Travelweek Sao Paulo is about reinforcing relationships, building trust with new partners and connecting with the industry. It is essential to see and be seen.”

Cathy Worms of Special Trip in Sao Paulo commented: “Travelweek is the perfect opportunity to meet with new clients and build relationships. It is an ideal forum to find the suppliers that will be so important to my clients and therefore my business.”

Doug Easton of Los Angeles’ Celestielle added: “We love Travel Week. For the last three years, it's been the only travel show we attend and this year was easily the best yet. We met with dozens of exceptional hoteliers and it would be difficult to overstate how enormously productive participating in Travel Week has been for our agency.”

Exhibitors too – from luxury destinations and established brands to new, boutique properties – were enthusiastic in their praise.

Eduardo Gaz, founder of SkiBrasil and Selections said: “Travelweek works commercially, educationally and most importantly as a seal of approval to the industry – we wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Wilbert Das, designer and founder of Brazil’s UXUA Casa Hotel & Spa, a new partipant commented: “Brazil is still in the early stage of a huge potential growth in the tourism industry but we are ‘followers’ as a nation and have the advantage that we can learn from the rest of the world. It has been great to meet with international travel designers and decision makers during Travelweek Sao Paulo.”

Adelaida Borg, Head of Sales in Latin America for Oetker Collection added: “Travelweek is the best opportunity to create brand awareness in Brazil and Latin America, especially now that we are launching a hotel in São Paulo, the Palácio Tangará.”

Simon Kerr, Chief Marketing Officer of Yoo Hotels & Resorts said: “Travelweek is the perfect environment to launch the Yoo2 brand with the opening of our hotel in Rio de Janeiro. The show has a great quality of buyers and media, and has really set out some incredible opportunities for us.”

And Filipe Silva, member of the Board of Portugal Tourism added: “Our participation in Travelweek reinforces the importance of the Brazilian market for Tourism of Portugal. We have brought the largest ever international delegation - 37 Portuguese partners to participate in the event - and they were able not only to meet existing business partners, but also identify new business opportunities. It is clear that Travelweek is very important for the market mainly because the networking does not end here. The event continues to support us in building a deeper relationship with potential Brazilian partners.”

ILTM Americas is the next event in the ILTM portfolio to take place, taking place in Riviera Maya, Mexico from 26 – 28 September and welcoming North American buyers to meet with global suppliers. Travelweek Sao Paulo by ILTM 2017 returns to the Bienal Pavilion, Sao Paulo from 25 – 28 April.