Amid uncertainty across much of the Middle East and North Africa, and with the once-leading destination in the region – Egypt – remaining troubled, the UAE remains a beacon of stability and boom for the travel industry.
I first visited Dubai 12 years ago on a Worldchoice/dnata fam trip; this year, returning for the first time for the Advantage Travel Partnership conference, I was blown away by the changes.
With tourist arrivals to the emirate, and increasingly othe rUAE destinations, growing rapidly, it’s no wonder that so much investment is being ploughed in to keep pace.
You’d be hard pushed to find anywhere in the world where so much is being spent on product and service – be it airports, airlines, infrastructure, public transport, hotels, restaurants or attractions.
And with so much product to fill, it should come as no surprise that Emirates-owned dnata is looking to build its presence in international markets such as the UK, where it has snapped up specialists to the region including Stella Travel Services and Gold Medal, headline sponsor of this UAE-themed edition.
Of course, the UAE isn’t for everyone, and with the pound dropping in value against the UAE dirham and some costs rising, specialists and tourist boards still face a challenge to convince certain customers that it isn’t the preserve of the rich.
But one of the really positive aspects from a trade perspective is that the region’s tourist boards and operators recognise the key role that travel agents must play if they are to achieve their goals – and are willing to reward them for their support.