- Andalucia wins inaugural accessible stand award
The winners of the WTM London 2026 Best Stand Awards have been announced. This year, judges selected an overall winner from the show floor regions, with some exhibitors warranting a highly commended accolade where the final decision was close.
2026 also featured a selection of general awards open to all exhibitors, including the inaugural Best Stand for Accessibility award. Starting with the strongly competitive Europe regions, after much deliberation the judges chose Uzbekistan as overall winner. Its mix of natural materials, including local wood unique to the region, and an ambitious approach to audiovisual displays, created a distinctive sense of place.
The judges added: “We were struck by the pleasant atmosphere for meetings and liked the confidence of a design whose authenticity shone through, making it a memorable presence on the show floor. Highly commended accolades were awarded to Spain and Morocco.
Across the main boulevard at Excel London, the Asia region was also the subject of much debate, with Indonesia emerging as the winner.
The stand had a distinctive identity as a result of bringing local craft skills to the event - the ceiling filled with hand-stitched fish in an intricately crafted textile knitted coral reef - showcasing the workmanship of local craftspeople, which took over four months to create.
The judges said: “Carefully chosen imagery combined with an open layout created an immersive setting that felt both spacious and welcoming, giving the stand its distinctive identity’. India and China ran the winners close, with both being highly commended.
Elsewhere, Abu Dhabi was a clear winner for Middle East. The judges said: “There was a quality and consistency to Abu Dhabi. Every component had been carefully considered, creating a beautifully designed and coherent overall presentation. The layout proved ideal for both meetings and entertainment. The screens delivered real impact, drawing visitor attention”.
Africa’s best stand award went to Egypt, which beautifully presented the destination’s wealth of cultural experiences with a welcoming, well-organised business environment.
The judges noted: “Egypt got the balance spot on with a combination of ancient heritage and contemporary, immersive technology, backed by a clear layout and easy navigation that supported meetings between buyers and participating exhibitors.”
Elsewhere, the travel solutions category (technology, accommodation, transportation) went to RateHawk.
The judges commented: “We were wowed by its bold, impactful design. The angular look was striking and stood out from the rest of the stands, encouraging visitors to pause. It had a great mix of digital elements and also maximised the footprint really well.” Juniper Travel Technology picked up a highly commended.
Mamma Mia! The Party - created by ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus - was the winner of the best stand for Experiences.
The judges noted how “the stand transported visitors straight into a Greek island setting” and that “its authentic atmosphere brought the experience to life, catching the attention of passers-by and drawing them onto the stand”.
Elsewhere, a number of awards were open to all exhibitors in all halls. The Best Stand for Doing Business category was won by India, which stood out for its strong layout and clear delineation of meeting areas.
Judges responded to “the welcoming, well-organised environment which made it easy for visitors to identify participating exhibitors and navigate the stand, thereby putting productive conversations between buyers and exhibitors at the heart of the design.” Highly commended awards went to Spain and Greece.
The best activation winner – designed to reflect a stand’s ability to attract footfall - went to Egypt. In this context, judges liked the expanded museum-style display bringing the country’s extraordinary heritage to life. A spectacular 360-degree immersive room, floor-to-ceiling audiovisual imagery the country’s landscapes and attractions and replica antiquities were also noted.
The judges agreed that “the stand created a compelling journey of discovery, demonstrating how physical exhibits and immersive technology can work together to bring a destination to life”.
Across the entire event, four other stands were highly commended for their activations - Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Italy and Fujairah.
Andalucia picked up the award for the most accessible stand, courtesy of its deliberate use of flat access supplemented by a choice of seating options.
The judges said: “These practical design decisions, which are often overlooked, shows it is possible and relatively straightforward to make stands easier to enter for visitors and buyers with accessibility considerations.” Guest judge, Dr Shani Dhanda, accessibility specialist, added: “I was impressed with Andalucia as they had a mixture of seating, a ramp to the speaking stage and a sloped edge to the stand itself, meaning that if you’re visiting or working on the stand it was largely inclusive.” Abu Dhabi was given a highly commended for similar reasons.
Jonathan Heastie, portfolio director for RX and head of the judging panel, concluded: “Thank you to all our exhibitors for the enormous effort they put into presenting their businesses and destinations in such compelling and imaginative ways.
“A particular thank-you goes to those who took care to make their stands accessible and welcoming to visitors with different access needs, and to Spain – WTM London’s first ever accessibility partner - for supporting the introduction of the Most Accessible Stand award this year.
“We encourage all exhibitors to continue working with us to build on that progress and make next year’s show even more accessible.”
The other members of the judging panel were:
· Jean Carmela, Editor for Asia Pacific, AeroTime
· Martinique Lewis, President, Black Travel Alliance
· Clara May, Communications Manager, Just a Drop
· James Campion, Sales Director, Excel
· Dr Shani Dhanda, Accessibility Consultant
· Helen Sheppard, Sustainability Manager for RX