DUBAI, 1 May 2007 — The Middle East’s popular travel and tourism show — Arabian Travel Market — will start today at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Center (DICEC).
Organizers said that the event is expected to feature some 2,600 exhibitors from 64 countries, marking a 24 percent increase over last year. “At this year’s show, there are 116 new exhibiting companies from 34 countries, including first-time representations from China, Croatia, Macau, Palestine, Peru, Ras Al-Khaimah, Swaziland, Taiwan and Zimbabwe. Arabian Travel Market also marks “Visit Palestine” global exhibition debut.
The huge business opportunities these new-to-market incumbents hold out are obvious,” said Tom Nutley, chairman, Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE), organizer of the event. Arabian Travel Market 2007 also sees the show’s first dedicated arena for tourism developments housing all the multi-faceted and diverse attractions being built across the Middle East.
Registrations have come in from 122 countries — 67 percent from the Middle East and North Africa, 16 percent from Europe, 12 percent from Asia, two percent each from Africa and the Americas. One percent is from Australasia.
Nutley said. Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), under whose auspices Arabian Travel Market is staged, said the event takes on greater significance every year as tourism becomes a vital sector.
“Arabian Travel Market provides the world an excellent opportunity to take note of the phenomenal pace of development in Dubai,” Mohammed Khamis ibn Hareb, director, Operations and Marketing Division, DTCM, said.
“Tourism is Dubai’s strong economic sector. The total revenues of Dubai’s hotel industry increased by 22.8 percent to cross the AED11 billion mark in 2006, with an all-time record 6.5 million guests staying with Dubai’s 414 hotels and hotel apartments. Dubai will be able to post even stronger growth levels with 11,000 new hotel rooms entering the market this year to match demand,” he added.
From today to Sunday, the event will be a trade-only forum.
