New faces to make appearance alongside old WTMfavourites

Middle east by Jane Archer

New faces to make appearance alongside old WTMfavourites

Exhibiting this year alongside stalwart World Travel Market supporters such as Israel, Egypt and Dubai, are the Iran Tourist Company and the Libya Tourism Investment and Promotion Board.

All of them are keen to win their share of the growing number of travellers who want to explore this region.

Jordan recorded 45% more visitors from the UK in the first eight months of this year against the same period in 1999.

Travel suppliers will be looking to build on this growing interest in the country by highlighting the undiscovered Jordan outside the well known areas of Petra and Amman.

Lebanon has teamed up with Syria and Jordan to promote packages to the region.

The Middle East arewill also have representatives from Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Yemen and Saudia Arabia.

Kuwait will be launching its international tourism festival, Hala 2001, which takes place next February.

Israel will be putting the WTM accent firmly on fun this year, with minister of transport and tourism Amnon Lipkin-Shahak leading the delegation.

Time Out

Time Out

&#42 Dead Sea stand: agents can experience the Dead Sea for themselves with neck massages at the Dead Sea booth, and sample fresh-baked pitta on the Haifa stand. There will also be a happy hour from1pm-2pm every day, plus fashion shows, singers Orna and Moshe Datz and music from the Carmel Youth Ensemble.

&#42 fam trip:

The Dead Sea Marketing Board is organising a fam trip to the region this month. Operators interested, should contact the UK office on 020-8741 5566.

&#42 Dead Sea stand: agents can experience the Dead Sea for themselves with neck massages at the Dead Sea booth, and sample fresh-baked pitta on the Haifa stand. There will also be a happy hour from1pm-2pm every day, plus fashion shows, singers Orna and Moshe Datz and music from the Carmel Youth Ensemble.

&#42 fam trip:

The Dead Sea Marketing Board is organising a fam trip to the region this month. Operators interested, should contact the UK office on 020-8741 5566.

The Dead Sea Marketing Board will have its strongest ever presence at WTM.

The Egyptian Tourist Board will have news of the second Mediterranean Travel Fair, to be held in Cairo in September 2001.

Dubai

The number of visitors to Dubai topped 225,000 for the first time last year – a trend that has encouraged a delegation of 50 hotels, ground handlers and travel-related organisations to WTM.

Existing plans are for the emirate’s current 13,000 bedstock to increase by over 30% by 2002.

The 276 square metre stand designed in the style of a wooden dhow, the traditional Arabian sailing vessel, will be adorned with Middle Eastern artefacts and will feature a majlis meeting area. Underlining this regional theme, a henna artist will offer to decorate the hands of visitors.

Dubai team: from left are Michelle Jones, Bärbel Kirchner and Michelle Morris, from the UK and Ireland Office of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing