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Dubai gears up for giant travel show

Dubai, April 13, 2014

More than 2,500 leading players from the travel, tourism and hospitality industry will be showcasing their key products and solutions at this year's Arabian Travel Market (ATM), which has grown almost seven times bigger than last year.

A leading travel and tourism event unlocking business potential within the Middle East for inbound and outbound tourism professionals, ATM runs from May 5 to 8 at Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre.

Technology, a boom in home-grown hospitality brands and the need for more mid-market tourism products, headline 2014 luxury-themed event programme, said the organisers, Reed Travel Exhibitions.
 
More than 100 new exhibitors have signed up for 21st edition of annual travel trade showcase.

The latest statistics from ATM organiser, indicate that demand from new exhibitors at ATM, has merited the addition of an extra hall bringing total event floor space to 23,500 sq m - an increase of almost seven per cent on 2013.
 
Those making their debut include Kenzi Hospitality, IMG Worlds of Adventure, Al Rais Tours & Holidays, Al-Futtaim Travel, Kuwait Airways and Akbar Gulf Travels of India, who will add their voice to over 2,500 confirmed exhibitors ready to welcome an expected 21,000 trade visitors.

Vertical sector growth has been repeated yet again, with travel technology company presence up 14 per cent as technological innovation and online booking trends dominate strategic development.

In terms of geographical regions, the number of Middle East and UAE exhibitors has increased by an impressive 11 per cent with Asia exhibitors rising by seven per cent on 2013 attendance.

“An increasing number of home-grown hotel brands along with our spotlight on luxury tourism have contributed significantly to the 5 per cent growth we have experienced in the hotel sector at ATM. Add to that our 120 targeted Hosted Buyers, who represent the luxury sector, cruise, medical and leisure markets, and we have the makings of an incredibly diverse event this year,” remarked Mark Walsh, the portfolio director, Reed Travel Exhibitions.

The newly-launched ‘Spotlight on Luxury’, which holds particular relevance for the region, will feature luxury-focused seminar sessions and invited hosted buyers directly responsible for this valuable market segment.

According to Walsh, the high-end hotel and destination exhibitors will also showcase their luxury positioning with well-known hospitality brands such as Anantara, Mandarin Oriental, Raffles, Oberoi, Bulgari and The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company taking part, along with luxury destinations such as Monaco, Mauritius, Maldives and the Seychelles.

“Luxury is one of three major global trends that we have identified and incorporated into this year’s programme and offers priceless opportunities for the industry, both inbound and outbound, with GCC nationals in particular spending 260 per cent more on airfares than other nationalities and 430 per cent more on accommodation when they travel,” noted Walsh.

At the other end of the spectrum, we are also seeing ongoing interest and discussions around the opportunities for development in the mid-market tourism category, from accommodation to activities, and specifically for destinations such as Dubai as it begins the countdown to its hosting of Expo 2020, said the official.  

"And this also ties in with the third trend – the growth of home-grown brands and independent chains across the Middle East, many of which are making their presence felt at a ‘local’ level as well as looking beyond regional borders and going global as part of ambitious growth plans," he added.

Another new feature for 2014 is the centrally located ATM Live Wall, where participants will be able to view live streaming of industry interviews, seminar excerpts and other show highlights.

This will be complemented by the introduction of an Exhibitor Showcase Theatre in the heart of the action on the show floor, and the location where exhibitors will be able to present their products and services at a 30-minute session.

The ATM 2014 calendar also encompasses more than 30 wide-ranging seminar and tech theatre sessions covering aviation, cruise tourism, mobile trends and the rising demand for wellness tourism.

Some of the region’s most influential business leaders including Adel Ali, CEO of Air Arabia; Simon Lynch, the director of Business Development, Abercrombie & Kent; and Mohammed Al Dhaheri, the strategy & policy director, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority will be speaking, supported by an international line-up of renowned industry experts.

Sabre, the technology solutions provider to the global travel and tourism industry, has been named as sponsor of the popular Travel Technology Theatre where 16 dedicated sessions will address key industry topics from hints and tips for building a brand online to how to find and work with travel bloggers. -TradeArabia News Service




Tags: Dubai | Gulf | Arabian Travel Market | luxury |

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