Nordic markets show strong interest in Dubai tourism

The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) was joined by private sector organizations - Arabian Explorers, Knight Tours and Emirates - to put up an impressive showing of Dubai's trend-setting tourist attractions during the four-day fair.

Her Royal Highness Sonja, the Queen of Norway, visited the Dubai Stand after inaugurating the exhibition and was received by Mr. Mats Jonsson, Director of the DTCM Representative office for Nordic Countries.

The Dubai Stand, measuring 24 sq meters, was also visited by a large number of Norwegian travel and trade visitors.

Reiseliv is the only international travel and trade show recording an average of 1000 exhibitors from around 60 countries annually.

This is the 11th consecutive year that the DTCM is participating at the 19-year-old travel trade and tourism event.

In 2005, 48,427 travel enthusiasts visited the exhibition confirming that the Reiseliv as the most important annual forum and marketplace for the Norwegian and international travel trade.

Mr. Khalifa Ali Buamaim, DTCM Manager Overseas Promotions, said:"The Nordic market is a very important one for us and there is a great deal of potential for expansion."

The total number of Norwegian visitors to Dubai's hotels recorded a 20 per cent increase in 2004 and is steadily increasing with 10,886 Norwegian visitors staying in Dubai's hotels from January to September 2005.

"The importance that DTCM attaches to the Nordic market is clearly vindicated by the decision to establish to an overseas representative office at Stockholm in Sweden," he said.