Independent Hotel Show

• DatesOctober 5–6, 2026
• LocationLondon, United Kingdom
• CategoryTravel & Hospitality
• Official websiteindependenthotelshow.us

About Independent Hotel Show

Independent Hotel Show is a travel and hospitality trade show that took place October 5–6, 2026 in London, United Kingdom. It ran for two days, from Monday to Tuesday.

Shows like this one typically draw tour operators, travel agents, hotel and destination marketers, event planners and hospitality buyers. For registration, exhibitor packages and the floor plan, go to the official website, independenthotelshow.us.

ShowFloorTips is an independent guide and is not affiliated with the organizer. Dates, venues and rules can change, so confirm the details with the organizer before you book.

What to expect at Independent Hotel Show

Travel and hospitality shows are built around appointments. Many attendees run back-to-back scheduled meetings, while others browse destinations and suppliers between them.

Two days go by quickly. Book your most important meetings for the first morning, when visitors are fresh, and keep the second afternoon for follow-up conversations at the booth. At events like this, expect most visitors to be tour operators and their colleagues, often with a short list of suppliers they want to see.

How exhibitors should prepare for Independent Hotel Show

Most exhibitors start planning four months before a show: booth space and hotels first, then booth services and graphics about eight weeks out, freight and meetings four weeks out, and a final check of devices and staffing the week before.

Preparation tips for travel and hospitality shows

• Use the show's appointment system early; the best slots fill weeks ahead.
• Prepare rates, availability and commission details for buyers who ask on the spot.
• Bring visual material about the destination or property in a digital format.

Booth tips for Independent Hotel Show

• Keep meetings on schedule; buyers often have their next appointment minutes later.
• Ask what markets and client types the buyer serves.
• Make it easy to save your contact and your offer digitally.
• Give every person on the booth a clear role (greeting, demos, qualifying) so nobody waits for someone else to start a conversation.
• Capture every conversation the moment it ends: scan the badge or card, add a one-line note about what the visitor needs, and rate the lead hot, warm or cold. Notes written that evening are already half forgotten.

For a full list of what to bring, use the free booth checklist, and plan the money side with the trade show ROI calculator.

Following up leads after Independent Hotel Show

Most of the value of a trade show is created after it closes. Travel buyers build programs months ahead, so follow up with concrete offers and dates.

1. Within 24 hours
   Send a short personal email to every hot lead, mentioning one detail from your conversation.
2. Within 3 days
   Send what you promised at the booth and log every lead in your CRM with its rating and notes.
3. After two weeks
   Make a second, useful touch: a case study, a short video or an answer to their question.
4. After a month
   Review results: meetings booked, cost per lead, and whether the show is worth repeating.

Ready-to-edit messages for each step are in our trade show follow-up email templates.

Getting to London

London has several airports: Heathrow (LHR), Gatwick (LGW) and London City (LCY), which is the closest to ExCeL London in the Docklands. The Elizabeth line stops at Custom House for ExCeL and links Heathrow with central London. Contactless bank cards work on the Tube, buses and trains. Many visitors now need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before traveling to the UK, so check the rules for your passport.

Hotels closest to the venue sell out first during show week, and many organizers offer discounted room blocks that close weeks before the show, so book early. Our city travel guides cover hotels, transport and budgeting for the busiest show cities.

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