Al Bustan Palace Hotel hosts top international hoteliers

HOTEC 2005 saw hundreds of industry professionals from across the Middle East, Africa, India and Europe gather to hear H.E. Mohsin bin Khamis Al-Balushi, Undersecretary of Tourism, and a host of regional experts deliver a series of high level seminars on burning industry issues. His Excellency Al Balushi delivered a keynote address and a seminar entitled "The Tourism Industry in Oman - A new Era". Guy Wilkinson, director and general manager of Dubai-based industry analysts, The Consulting House, gave an enlightening overview of new hotel developments in the GCC.

Oman's Ministry of Tourism aims to triple tourism arrivals by 2010, and has launched a campaign to attract global visitors, and bolster tourism revenues. The country currently receives 1.2 million arrivals every year.

HOTEC annual event has taken place across the US, Europe and Asia in a number of different five-star hotels. The Al Bustan-hosted event is the second ever such forum held in the Middle East, the first being held last year in Cairo, Egypt.

"Obviously, the criteria for hosting such an event are very exacting, and the organisers chose the Al Bustan Palace as it was outstanding in all requirements: The perfect facilities, in terms of meeting rooms and dining outlets and a beautiful location with easy access yet distant enough to ensure that the event stays undisturbed. Moreover we are offering finest service and accommodation," said Tony Zamora, General Manager of the hotel.

"The Al Bustan has once again made its mark as a leading hotel in the Middle East, from its remarkable and renowned lobby atrium, to high-tech, high speed internet access throughout the hotel - this group of distinguished guests were satisfied with our top quality services throughout the event," added Zamora proudly.

HOTEC is organised by Pelican Events, a highly innovative UK-based business events company, which accomplished their first HOTEC five years ago and applied this successful concept worldwide. The professional business forums are invitation-only events, bringing together hotel operators and suppliers in pre-scheduled face to face business meetings and offering complementary high-profile seminars.

More than 59 supplier companies from all over the world attended the Muscat event, from glassware and door lock system providers to security and bedding manufacturers.

"The combination of exotic location, superb facilities and unsurpassed grandeur makes the Al Bustan Palace InterContinental Muscat a conference and banqueting destination without equal," concluded Zamora.