Region gears up to host biggest ever trade show

Arabian travel market

Region gears up to host biggest ever trade show

Report by TERESA MACHAN

THIS year’s Arabian Travel Market is set to be the biggest in the event’s eight-year history, with a 12-15% growth on last year’s sell-out show.

To date 1,615 visitors from 74 countries have registered for ATM 2001.

Newcomers include representatives from Argentina, Brussels, Brazil, Norway, South Africa and Vietnam. Yemen returns to the show after a year’s absence.

Buyers attending the show this year will focus on the rapidly expanding meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions market. Also new this year are business seminars covering a variety of topical issues affecting the industry.

Gulf Air will be one of the main sponsors at the Sixth Arabian Travel Market Conference taking place in Oman from April 28-30 just prior to ATM.

Called ‘The Gulf – a single destination,’ the conference will address opportunities for a broader marketing approach to the Gulf Region.

Gulf Air has been designated official international carrier for the conference. The carrier’s new vice-president commercial and customer services, Adel Ali, will talk about the significance of selling the Gulf as a region from a commercial perspective and also about the airline’s partnerships with Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman.

“As an airline owned by four Gulf states, we recognise the huge potential the region has for tourism development.

“There are clear advantages in the private and public sector working together to promote the region as a single destination, but there are many issues the conference will need to address to ensure the success of developing a regional identity together,” he said.

ATM 2001 will be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre from May 1-4.

Focused: Adel Ali, Gulf Air vice-president commercial and customer services, will discuss thecommercial importance of selling the Gulf as a whole region