Fitting It All Together: Value-Driven Travel Exhibitions
When Jonathan Heastie describes the feeling of an event opening day, his analogy is simple-but powerful. “It’s like completing a giant jigsaw puzzle,” he says. “You spend the year placing the individual puzzle pieces together one by one until that opening morning when you can finally see the fully-finished picture, and the impact it has. The doors open, the visitors pour in, and everything comes together. That’s the buzz.”
Appointed in April 2024 as Portfolio Director for RX’s global travel events, Jonathan has spent his first year working with the travel team to not just deliver growth - but also to elevate the value and purpose of our exhibitions. From Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai to WTM Latin America (LATAM) in São Paulo & World Travel Market London, his leadership aims to augment how these trade shows act as strategic platforms for the travel industry’s future.
More Than Business: Exhibitions as Global Infrastructure
Jonathan sees exhibitions as vital connective tissue for global industries. “Events are where buyers, sellers, destinations, and disruptors all collide - sometimes unexpectedly,” he says. “They’re strategic infrastructure.”
This isn’t abstract. The metrics show real momentum: unique visitor numbers at the recent Arabian Travel Market event, held in Dubai, in May climbed by 7.95% to over 37,329 attendees and media attendance jumped over 22%. Exhibitor investment has followed suit, with larger, more elaborate stands, especially in tech, where travel technology stands alone grew by 17%.
But the impact goes deeper than numbers. “In Latin America, there’s this extraordinary sense of generosity and culture,” Jonathan reflects. “In the Middle East, the tone is more polished - more luxury - but both are meaningful in different ways.”
“Events are where buyers, sellers, destinations, and disruptors all collide - sometimes unexpectedly, they’re strategic infrastructure.”
A New Chapter in a Global Career
Jonathan’s move into travel followed successful tenures across RX’s aerospace, energy, and marine portfolios. But this shift brought a new level of purpose. “In travel, the product is often a country’s culture, history, or identity,” he says. “That brings with it a real responsibility - and a real sense of pride.”
That pride is evident in the way he talks about destinations. “There are so many places I’d love to go now – I've been continuously inspired by visiting all of our travel events this year – who wouldn’t be. This industry opens your eyes to the world in a way few others can.”
"In travel, the product is often a country’s culture, history, or identity, that brings with it a real responsibility - and a real sense of pride."
The True Value of Exhibitions
For Jonathan, exhibitions are far more than a meeting place - they’re a high-impact mechanism for global storytelling, market-making, and cultural diplomacy. “There’s something magical about seeing a nation bring its best face to the world,” he explains. “Destinations aren’t just selling hotels or packages - they’re inviting the world to experience their people, their stories, their identity.”
He sees exhibitions as an unparalleled channel for brand building and business acceleration. “You can have the best website in the world, but nothing beats standing on a show floor, building trust in real time, and watching conversations spark into deals.” For governments, startups, and global brands alike, exhibitions offer something uniquely tangible: a chance to be seen, remembered, and connected.
Jonathan also notes their role in levelling the playing field. “Even the smallest businesses, when given the right tools, can stand shoulder to shoulder with giants. That’s the power of a well-designed show - it’s democratising.”
“There’s something magical about seeing a nation bring its best face to the world. Destinations aren’t just selling hotels or packages - they’re inviting the world to experience their people, their stories, their identity.”
Making Events Smarter, Fairer, and More Experiential
Under Jonathan’s direction, the portfolio is evolving to meet modern audience needs. At WTM London this November, RX will launch TrendFest, a dynamic new zone spotlighting key travel trends including sports tourism, adventure travel, wellness, gastronomy, and set-jetting (TV and film-location travel). “These aren’t just content themes,” he explains. “We’re building immersive activations. It’s a way of bringing the future of travel to life.”
He’s also focused on equity within the event experience - especially for smaller sharers on national or regional stands. “You might be a boutique hotel sharing space with your country’s tourism board,” he says. “You still deserve to leave with qualified leads and a clear ROI.” New tools like smarter QR codes and off-stand activations are designed to solve just that.
“We’re building immersive activations. It’s a way of bringing the future of travel to life.”
Commitment to Culture, Sustainability, and Inclusion
Jonathan is not just shaping events - he’s helping shape RX’s internal culture, too. He sits on the Sustainability Council, helping to align RX’s global travel events with the net-zero carbon pledge by 2040. Practical initiatives include reducing printed materials, promoting digital-first engagement, and building stands using recycled materials.
He also plays a leading role in RX’s Gender Equity Employee Resource Group, advocating as a male ally and supporting initiatives like menopause awareness. “You can’t talk about the future of events without also talking about the future of the workplace,” he says. “Inclusion and sustainability aren’t side projects - they’re fundamental.”
“You can’t talk about the future of events without also talking about the future of the workplace,” he says. “Inclusion and sustainability aren’t side projects - they’re fundamental.”
Looking Ahead: The Next Frontier
Jonathan believes exhibitions are not static - they must adapt. “We’re not running events for the sake of it,” he says. “We’re building platforms for global connection, for business, and for imagination.”
With global shifts in travel patterns - especially the rise of outbound travellers from China and India - he sees big opportunity for regions to reposition themselves on the world stage.
“Our job is to make sure those regions are ready - and that our events help get them there. That’s a huge responsibility, but also such a great and privileged opportunity to help so many people in so many ways. We don’t just help to successfully build businesses but also economies, communities, cultures, careers and a greater appreciation and understanding of our global differences but, even more importantly, our similarities. I can’t wait until the next show in November, WTM London, to see those puzzle pieces come together again to deliver maximum value for all our stakeholders.
“We’re not running events for the sake of it. We’re building platforms for global connection, for business, and for imagination.”
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