50 countries represented in GIBTM

The event is staged in the UAE capital city, Abu Dhabi, and is already generating great interest among the Gulf and International tourism sectors, said Sheikh Sultan, adding that this interest is underpinned by growth in exhibitors, hosted buyers and overall attendee numbers for the 2008 event as compared to the inaugural edition last year.

Moreover, HE Sheikh Sultan considers GIBTM to have a major catalytic impact on the development of the Emirate and the region's MICE tourism sector in 2008. He pointed out that Business & MICE Tourism is one of the most lucrative and high-growth segments in the global tourism industry, as well as having spin-off benefits in terms of international destination branding and facilitating overall trade and commercial linkages.

An important outcome of the Gulf Incentives, Business, Travel and Meetings Exhibition, he said, will be the eventual attraction of major MICE events to be staged in both Abu Dhabi and the Gulf region in the future. HE Sheikh Sultan added that the wide interest in the GIBTM exhibition demonstrates a positive milestone in the implementation of the strategic plans of the Government of Abu Dhabi and in particular its focus on the development of tourism infrastructure that centers on luxury leisure facilities and services to showcase the Emirate of Abu Dhabi as a high-end and sustainable tourism destination.

All indicators, he said, show that the future of Business & MICE Tourism has a chance of real success and that it is due to play a major role in the overall transformation of the Emirate into a leading tourism destination. He pointed out that the GIBTM Exhibition acts as an important showcase for Abu Dhabi's MICE infrastructure and services for meeting planners from all over the world. This in turn serves to strengthen international recognition for, and confidence in, Abu Dhabi's MICE capabilities, thereby enhancing the Emirate's credibility to attract more international exhibitions.

Abu Dhabi hosted more than 197 international companies that attended the last year's event. He said there has been a substantial increase this year in the number of participating companies which stands at 215 from 50 countries. The feedback from both exhibitors and attendees to GIBTM has been very positive; both in terms of increased international interest in Abu Dhabi and the Gulf region as a MICE destination, as well as towards the positioning of GIBTM as a major event on the global MICE industry calendar. Sheikh Sultan emphasized that GIBTM provides a major platform in developing international networking and strengthening strategic partners at both regional and international levels.

His Excellency Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan expected further growth in the number of tourists arriving in Abu Dhabi. The years 2008 and 2009, he said, will see the completion of a large proportion of infrastructure dedicated to the tourism sector in the Emirate.

Sheikh Sultan explained that tourism started gaining a paramount importance in the last few years in the light of the current trends to diversify the sources of income in the Emirate. Abu Dhabi is already a world-renowned tourist destination, as evidenced by the activities of Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority and its partners which play a major role in boosting tourism in the Emirate, contribute in promoting the integration of all departments and institutions in Abu Dhabi and consolidate cooperation in order to activate the tourism sector as well as they strive to achieve its development in compliance with the Abu Dhabi Government's objectives to tap the tourism potentials.

At the same time, he stressed the importance of involving the private sector in the current trends to support and revitalize the tourism sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the role of Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority in supporting partnership between public and private sectors as an effective element in achieving the desired goals of the tourism development strategy in Abu Dhabi.