The most artistic, ingenious and striking stands at WTM London have been announced, with destinations such as the Canary Islands, Ireland and Saudi Arabia among the winners.

A panel of four expert independent judges unveiled the winners at the WTM London 2021 Best Stand Awards on Wednesday 3 November.

The judges were Paul Richer, Senior Partner at Genesys Digital Transformation; Kim Thomson, Publishing Director at Travel & Tourism News Middle East (TTN); Bill Richards, Senior Partner at Tourism Research & Marketing (TRAM); and Martin Fullard, Editorial Director at Mash Media.

A sixth category – the People’s Choice – will be voted for by WTM delegates via Facebook and LinKedin.

The winner of the Best Stand Design was the Canary Islands (EU600), which was hailed for “the right mix of tech and people”.

Judges praised the illuminated wave design on the ceiling of the stand and LED circles on floor, marking out meeting areas.

“The touchscreens were good for engagement and it flowed well,” commented the judges.

Barbados Tourism Marketing (CA220) was highly commended for its “good use of colour which gave a real feel for the country”, added the judging panel.

Tourism Ireland (UKI200) won the award for the Best Stand for Doing Business, as judges said it represented the destination “beautifully” while creating a “busy B2B atmosphere”.

The Ireland stand looking superb at World Travel Market in London today. @WTM_London @TourismIreland pic.twitter.com/A7C2vHyKYW

— Niall Gibbons (@NiallGibbons) November 1, 2021

“It was easy to navigate and tables were well labelled. The cobblestone area really made you feel you were in Dublin,” said the judges. “The layout was well planned.”

Variety Cruises (TP101) was the winner of the Best New Stand honour, thanks to a model of a boat, good use of space and a video outlining the product clearly.

“It took full advantage of a good location and the design was a soft curve that invited you into the stand,” commented the judges.

The Best Stand Feature was won by the Saudi Tourism Authority (ME550 – ME450 – ME400).

.@WTM_London has kicked off and our #DiscoverSaudi, #Mawasim and COE teams are ready to welcome you!#Seera #WTMLDN #IamgoingtoWTM #London #IdeasArriveHere pic.twitter.com/rsk6eyTebv

— Seera | سيرا‎ (@Seera) November 1, 2021

Judges said: “A winding road takes you on a journey through time. It felt like a walk through history from Bedouin days to a more modern era that represented their 2030 vision.

“It was an impactful stand with eye-catching features that encouraged visitors.”

Online payment specialist Ecommpay (TT300) won the Best Stand Design at Travel Forward – the travel technology exhibition that is co-located with WTM London.

The verdict from the judges was that the stand was “warm and welcoming”, thanks in part to its bar and floral displays.

“The metal structure was innovative and it was very clear and easy to understand exactly what they do”, commented the panel of judges.