The Institute of Travel and Tourism has taken more than 100 registrations for its 2009 conference in Dubai within two days of going live.
Bookings opened on Wednesday this week and by this morning 150 delegates had signed up for the event, which takes place on June 8-10 at the InterContinental Hotel, Festival City, Dubai.
This is despite the fact the overall conference package is around £150 more expensive per person than this year’s event in Cyprus, admitted chairman Steven Freudmann.
He said: “We have never experienced anything like it. Normally on the first morning you would get 20 bookings and then the same per day. We were slightly concerned people would delay their decision but that’s clearly not the case.”
Conference organisers are allowing delegates to arrange their own flights if they do not want to use the special ITT rates organised on Virgin and Royal Brunei Airlines but all those attending must stay at the InterContinental Hotel, Festival City. Rates secured at the hotel are 30% less than the hotel’s best rates, said Freudmann, but do represent a hike on previous years due to the destination.
The conference is limited to 400 delegates in 2009. All companies other than corporate partners or sponsors have been limited to two delegates each following criticism that some companies, particularly in the media, sent large delegations this year.
Freudmann said that people interested in attending should sign up quickly to avoid disappointment.