ETOA (European Tourism Organisation) has signed a partnership agreement with UKinbound inviting UKinbound members to attend one of the biggest gatherings of the UK & Ireland travel industry in the sector’s calendar – Britain & Ireland Marketplace (BIM). BIM 2020 will take place on 28 January at the London Hilton, just three days before the UK is expected to leave the EU.
Members of UKinbound can book a place for BIM (at the ETOA member rate) via this unique link.
The annual full-day B2B workshop facilitates more than 6,500 meetings between international tour operators, transport providers and travel organisers who want to meet with the most prestigious UK & Ireland historical landmarks, tourist attractions, hotels and tourist boards.
In January, BIM is expecting representatives to attend from over 250 organisations and delegates will hear a joint welcome address from both organisations.
In return, ETOA will attend UKinbound’s Annual Convention in Bristol the following week to continue the united front in support of British and Irish business.
One of the main areas of shared concern for UKinbound and ETOA members is the impact of Brexit on Freedom of Movement – and both organisations are asking the next Government to recognise the importance of language skills and rethink the proposed salary threshold for non-British nationals wishing to work in the UK tourism industry post-Brexit.
Tom Jenkins, CEO of ETOA said: “We are delighted to partner with UKinbound to support the industry in the UK and Ireland. With the backdrop of Brexit uncertainty and currency fluctuations, it is more important than ever that we extend the networking opportunities afforded by BIM to as many businesses as possible. UKinbound members will bring a fresh perspective to this well-established event”.
Joss Croft, CEO of UKinbound said: “Whilst long haul markets are performing well, bookings from European markets have softened during 2019 and uncertainty from Brexit continues to impact industry confidence, so we are delighted that we can partner with ETOA for BIM to offer members a great opportunity to expand their network and cut new deals.”
