'UAE Sales Mission 2009' highlights Britain's myriad opportunities

Following on the mission's previous success, VisitBritain will again coordinate this high-profile inbound, annual Sales Mission.

Major brands like Harrods, Westfield London, The Mayfair Hotel London, Saltours International, Cheval Group, The Balmoral Hotel Edinburgh and the Judith Blacklock Flower School, will be present for this year's Sales Mission, held from 1 February to 5 February.

The 2009 Sales Mission, sponsored by Virgin Atlantic, provides an excellent opportunity for the UK Travel Trade to meet with key buyers and major operators in the UAE.

The mission will consist of a series of sales visits targeting top decision makers for UK products within the region's many travel agencies.

According to Carol Maddison, VisitBritain Marketing Manager, UAE,

"The inbound Sales Mission offers both parties the opportunities to seek out new contacts and reaffirm existing ones, while at the same time increasing the travel trade's knowledge of Britain and the products the country has to offer in the marketplace".

The mission is a key opportunity for the UK Travel Trade to enter the lucrative, growing tourism market in the UAE. The Middle East region shows no sign of slowing down its 2009 travel plans, despite the current financial situation around the world.

"With Virgin Atlantic's direct flight from Dubai to London, there has lately been a significant increase in airline activity from the Middle East, to the UK," said Thumendrika Ekanayake, Virgin Atlantic, Marketing Communications Manager, UAE.

"Due to strategic promotions, and the fact that UAE nationals choose to travel year round and not just in
the traditional peak summer season, we see a positive increase in outbound traffic," added Ekanayake.

Visitor spending in the UK rose by four percent for the three months of September to November 2008, compared to the same period in 2007. In addition, the July to September quarter provisionally shows that 87,000 visitors came from the UAE and they spent £132 million, according to an International Passenger Survey report.