China Outbound Travel & Tourism Market (COTTM), which took place last month, saw an astounding 235 exhibitors from 55 different countries showcase their destinations and travel services to 3,300 leading outbound tour operators from all over China. The 7th edition of the show confirmed COTTM's undisputed status as the leading b2b outbound travel event in China and has made COTTM a recognized and respected brand name.

COTTM 2011 welcomed brand new destinations such as Malaysia, Morocco, Sicily, Turkey and Zambia. Other countries that were also represented for the first time at the show included Canada, Portugal, Spain and South Africa, demonstrating the truly global reach of the show.

One of the many highlights during the show was the high-caliber seminar program, for both visitors and exhibitors. Visitors could find out more about exhibitor products and services while exhibitors learned about outbound tourism trends, future challenges, commercial opportunities and government policies. A key topic this year was using social media and digital marketing to reach out to and engage affluent Chinese consumers.

Matt Thompson, Project Director of COTTM, said, "We are very pleased with the feedback from the show. COTTM exceeded expectations by attracting worldwide destinations in greater numbers and from more countries than before, emphasizing the strong growth in the region. The large number of serious outbound tour operators who attended the show is very encouraging and a sign of good things to come."

With the success of the 2011 edition, COTTM is now a fantastic brand name in the marketplace, both for the international exhibitors as well as the Chinese outbound buyers. A representative of the USA National Tourism Association commented: "The NTA were very pleased with the show. There was an increase in visitors and we collected more business cards, the show continues to be well regarded as a B2B event."

Related News in Chinese:
2011中国出境旅游交易会（COTTM）参观人数创新高