Atout France, the France tourism development agency for Middle East and Turkey, hosted the first edition of Marhaba France, the biggest  B2B travel trade event selling destination 'France' in the region.

Hosted by Atout France last week at the brand new Sofitel Downtown hotel in Dubai, Marhaba France was an unprecedented platform for exchanges and networking over two days of scheduled meetings and an informal incentive environment between a panel of 50 French suppliers and over 100 of the top travel operators from all over the region.

Leading travel operators from Oman, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey attended the event.

The partner exhibitor list includes the top French destinations, including Paris, the Rhone-Alps summer and winter sport resorts, major resorts of the French Riviera from Cannes to Monaco, top hotels and incoming operators.

Atout France in Dubai, the French tourism ministry’s office for the Middle East and Turkey markets, is totally focused on supporting the regional travel operators, remarked Karim Mekachera, the regional director for Atout France.

“The Middle East continues to represent a key market for inbound tourism to France with nearly 20% increase in visitor numbers in 2013. Potential is immense, but what is important is to keep pace with the growing and changing needs of travellers from Mena,” he added.-TradeArabia News Service