Business Travel readers select Dubai as the 'Best Incentive Destination'

The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) has been presented with the Business Travel Readers Awards at a gala ceremony held recently at Berkeley Court Hotel in Dublin, Ireland.

Barbel Kirchner, Director of the UK and Ireland Office of the DTCM, received the award on behalf of the DTCM from Mr. Noel Ahern, TD Minister for Housing and Urban Renewal, in the presence of Mr. Clive Brownlee, President of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce.

She said the UK and Ireland have been major markets for Dubai tourism and have been posting year-on-year growth in tourists.

The number of UK guests hosted by Dubai hotel establishments in 2002 recorded a 28.27 per cent increase over the previous year. The hotel establishments played host to over 447, 000 UK guests in Dubai last year.

The DTCM has recently conducted a series of exclusively road shows in the UK and Ireland to tap the markets further and update the industry professionals about the latest developments in Dubai.

She said: "We highly appreciate the confidence that the Business Travel readers have posed in Dubai. This market will continue to play a crucial role in the future as well. The extent of the expanding relations is best reflected in the air connections between Dubai and the UK."

Dubai is connected with London, Birmingham and Manchester by 93 weekly flights - the bulk being operated by Emirates.

Mr. Ahern said Business Travel magazine believes that these unique awards provide readers and business executives with the opportunity to reward excellence to those organisations that provide 'outstanding service in the travel market'.

The Business Travel Readers Awards were organised in conjunction with the Dublin Chamber of Commerce.

Awards were presented in 17 categories and Dubai is the only Middle Eastern destination to win an award. This year, five new awards were added to cover mobile technology and travel insurance.

Auditors Ernst & Young compiled and audited all the readers' entries for the awards.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Michael Flood, Editor, Business Travel magazine, said: "At a time when the Irish economy is facing many challenges, business travel is now more important than ever. The business travel industry in Ireland is worth an estimated €1 billion per annum"