Hyatt signs three year Arabian Travel Market host hotel deal

The newly opened Park Hyatt, the recently renovated Hyatt Regency and the Grand Hyatt Dubai will host international Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) buyers for the next three years as part of the Arabian Travel Market Hosted Buyer Programme, as well as 20 media.

"The Grand Hyatt Dubai had a successful association with Arabian Travel Market as the event's host hotel in 2003 and 2005," said Peter Fulton, Regional Director Dubai, Hyatt International Hotels & Resorts.

"Through the programme we gained excellent exposure of our services and facilities among the influential hosted buyers. We certainly believe this programme is a very worthwhile opportunity and hence our enthusiasm to build on our past experience."

Commenting on the agreement Lucie Dawkins, Marketing Executive, Reed Travel Exhibitions said, "We have expanded the hosted buyer programme as a first step in attracting more MICE buyers to Arabian Travel Market. The global MICE industry is valued at US$280 billion annually and is the fastest growing segment of the worldwide business travel sector. It is essential that we provide our exhibitors with the opportunity to access this market.

"Of the 13,000 buyers who visited Arabian Travel Market 2005, more than 1,000 were MICE buyers. Our hosted buyer programme is just part of an initiative that will support our aim to increase that to almost 2000 for next year."

"We decided to go with a hotel group rather than a single property as we want to expand the Hosted Buyer® Programme every year to give our exhibitors wider exposure to well-qualified buyers with large budgets and high-level purchasing responsibility, from the MICE sector," added Dawkins.

"The Hosted Buyer® Programme will be increased in 2006 to accommodate 110 top international buyers, 170 in 2007, and 250 in 2008. We are delighted that The Hyatt Group with three distinct properties in the heart of Dubai are so keen to continue their close relationship with Arabian Travel Market."

The Hosted Buyer® Programme guarantees exhibitors meeting opportunities with the industry's top level meetings & incentive buyers from all around the world. Using the online appointment setting tool prior to the event or the hosted buyer session onsite will ensure valuable and successful business meetings. Organiser, RTE, expects buyers from the key markets of Germany, UK, Italy and France as well as the growth markets of Russia and China. Applicants for the Hosted Buyer® Programme must meet strict qualifying criteria including level of purchasing authority, annual budget, number of events held annually and business conducted internationally.

Arabian Travel Market 2006 will be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre from May 2 - 6.