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Green themes dominate travel market

The UK's biggest annual travel trade event - World Travel Market (WTM) - opens in London, with green themes dominating this year.

More than 200 countries and regions are represented at the four-day event at ExCel in London Docklands, with organisers emphasising just how environmentally-friendly tourism can, and should, be.

Events include the launch of the UN World Tourism Organisation's World Responsible Tourism Day on Wednesday.

World Travel Market: Libya and Algeria Set to Boom

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM--(Marketwire - Nov. 12, 2007) - North Africa is to become one of the world's tourism hot spots.

Libya and Algeria are the latest countries predicted to have the potential to share in the boom that neighbouring countries such as Morocco, Egypt and Tunisia are enjoying.

This is the prediction from the World Travel Market Global Trend Report 2007 released today (Monday), and published in partnership with market intelligence company Euromonitor International.

Clement Wong, Euromonitor International's Global Travel and Tourism Research Manager, says: "There is an optimism that both Algeria and Libya can learn and benefit from the successes of Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt.

Nov 12, 2007 found at marketwire.com

Both governments are now embracing tourism development as a means for economic growth and have started to build the necessary infrastructure as well as welcoming foreign investment, particularly from Middle East countries.

The combination of culture with 'sun, sand and sea' has already attracted a number of international hotel groups.

The Corinthia Group operates a five-star hotel in Tripoli, while the Italian company Gruppo Norman is building a resort to accommodate up to 3,800 people on Farwa Island.

Accor Group plans to open 36 hotels in Algeria by 2015, while Marriott International and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide are doing business in Algeria with further development projects submitted to the Ministry of Tourism.

The WTM Global Trends Report 2007 also highlights Ushuaia (u shay a), known as "End of the World," has become an increasingly attractive destination for tourists.

It has been boosted by the media attention the Antarctic region has received over climate change - and this has been enticing travellers to the dramatic landscapes of the Tierra Fuego National Park and further into Antarctica itself.

Popular films such as The March of the Penguins' and more recently 'Surf's Up" have also played a part.

Ushuaia is seeing considerable investment with Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Hilton Hotel Corp and Carlson Companies announcing plans to open luxury hotels in the next three years.

For further information on the above, key concepts and themes during World Travel Market, exhibitor activity and events, please refer to www.wtmlondon.com or contact the World Travel Market Press Office on +44 (0) 1580 201178.