Australian agents admire Al Maha

Top travel agents from Melbourne, Australia flew to Dubai to find out why it has become the region's top leisure hub - and to admire Emirates' Al Maha Desert Resort.

The 11 corporate agents, who between them make bookings worth many millions of dollars, came on a familiarisation trip sponsored by the airline, Jumeirah International and the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing.

Aim was to showcase Dubai's top-class standards and wealth of attractions. All first-timers, they were overwhelmed by its hotels, restaurants - and shopping malls - as well as by the high quality of Emirates' in-flight service.

The group, escorted by Tim Clyde-Smith from Emirates' Melbourne sales office, took a Dubai city tour, dined in the dunes, relaxed with a dhow dinner cruise and visited Al Maha -- which for many of them was the highlight of the trip.

Tim said: "More and more Australians are stopping over in Dubai, and we're growing our network there very fast. In August we start services to Perth, our third destination Down Under after Melbourne and Sydney.

"None of our group had visited Dubai before, let alone the Gulf, and they were almost giddy with excitement at its sights, sounds - and shops. We want to build on this feeling and so win more business from Australia's top-producing agencies."