Arabian Travel Market on course for record attendance

Some 6,899 trade visitors attended the show at the Dubai World Trade Centre in the first two days with nearly 836 media covering the exhibition - 25% more than last year.

And as the show entered its third day, Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE), which organizes the event, disclosed that some 61 exhibitors have already rebooked for next year's event, which will run from May 1- 4, 2007.

"Rebookings account for approximately 7,000 square metres which means around a third of next year's show is already reserved - and this in just one day of opening the show for confirmations," explained said Chris Chackal, Group Exhibition Director, Overseas Events, RTE.

"This bodes extremely well for the event and is a weathervane to the immense inbound and outbound activity for which the Middle East now accounts."

The show, which runs until Friday night and is open to travel consumers on Thursday and Friday evenings at an entry fee of Dhs25, features over 1,750 exhibitors from 59 countries with first time participation from Ireland, Japan and Poland.

Having last year notched up business generation estimated at over US $1 billion, exhibitors and visitors reported a flurry of deals touching all aspects of the travel and tourism industry.

For Adwoa Konadu Appiah of Ghana's Godwilford Travel & Tours the first time trip to Arabian Travel Market proved a successful investment.

"In the first two days I secured inbound and outbound contracts - one from a tour operator in the UAE the other with a supplier from Turkey. This made the visit very worthwhile," she said.

Imad Iridi of Dubai's Alpha Tours secured business from a US supplier and is looking to open up new European and CIS opportunities following his participation.

"The huge European and CIS presence is increasing business avenues for us and the networking has been fantastic. I have also agreed a deal to introduce to the local market horse-back riding tours in conjunction with a firm from Texas. These connections highlight why we come to Arabian Travel Market every year and increase our participation."

Australian participants spoke of the very high calibre of attendee. "This was an opportunity to promote Australia as a quality destination to high level management and GCC decision-makers, which is what will bring us back," said Andrew Oldfield, Distribution Development Manager for the Gulf, Tourism Australia.

RTE said the business emanating from the show is the greatest testimonial to the power of the Arabian Travel Market brand and to its reputation as delivering genuine return on investment.

"Following the end of this show the entire team will be reviewing the feedback and we will undertake a feasibility study before deciding how to manage future growth and deliver even greater exhibitor and visitor satisfaction," said Chackal.