Dubai bags tourism awards in the UK

Dubai has been voted "best destination for Middle East and Africa" at the Irish Travel Trade News Awards, while the second award from the Travel Weekly recognized the travel trade training programme conducted by the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM).

Dubai plays host to approximately 700,000 tourists annually from the UK and Ireland, its top market in the Europe.

Fayha Sultan, Marketing Manager-Commerce at the DTCM's representative office for the UK and Ireland, received the Irish Travel Trade News Award recently at a ceremony attended by over 600 leading industry professionals. The other nominees in this category included Egypt and South Africa. The Irish Travel Trade News is the only dedicated travel trade magazine in Ireland and has been operating since 1964.

Based on the results of the fourth Conference & Incentive Travel's (C&IT) Readers Poll 2008, Dubai was voted the top incentive destination by readers of the UK magazine, moving up from second place last year. Dubai beat off stiff competition from London, South Africa, Barcelona, and New York/Las Vegas, taking the second, third, fourth and joint fifth place, respectively.

Dubai also won the 'Best Travel Weekly Academy Training Programme' award at the Travel Weekly Globe Awards, are one of the most respected awards events in the UK travel industry, attended by over 1,600 leading industry professionals. This is the first Travel Weekly Globe Award that Dubai has won.

DTCM's Representative Office for the UK and Ireland created a page on the travelweekly.co.uk website in an area called TW Academy, which offers training to travel agents. On that page we provided agents an opportunity to complete a sample module of Dubai Expert programme, and link through to the full course.

Ian Scott, Director of DTCM's UK & Ireland representative office, commented:

"Dubai's incentive offering is going from strength to strength thanks to the diversity of its activities and accommodation offerings. The future is looking equally exciting with an impressive line-up of new and upcoming developments".