Opportunities Today : June  2005 Issue

Arabian Travel Mart gets Bigger Every Year

 

The Arabian Travel Mart (ATM) was held between 3rd and 6th May 2005 at the Convention Centre of the World Trade Centre, Dubai. It is ranked as the third biggest travel and tourism fair after WTM, London and ITB, Berlin. Over 1500 exhibitors participated this year from 63 countries occupying 31% more floor space compared to last year. Our Editor Subhash Motwani met up with Mr Eyad Ali Abdul Rahman, Manager Public Relations of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) and here is what he had to say….

“Dubai is one of the fastest growing tourism destinations in the world. In fact, after September 11, Dubai recorded a 31% growth in tourism whereas global tourism was growing through a very trying period. DTCM is ensuring that Dubai will grow to be one of the top destinations in the world not only for tourism but also for investment and business opportunities. The Burj Al Arab Dubai's luxurious hotel property is already becoming an icon as popular as the Eiffel Tower of Paris. This is the 12th Edition of ATM and we are proud to see that the ATM is growing with every passing year. 

Dubai's NAKHEEL has the biggest stand of over 800 metres displaying its properties which includes the Palms, The World and the Oqyana Sanctuary of Supreme Lifestyle. This is followed by DUBAILAND which has an imposing 645 metres stand.” Amongst the most attractive stands was undoubtedly that of Emirates the official airline of the ATM . 

Arabian Travel Market 2005 is held under the patronage of His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Defence Minister, and under the auspices of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, Government of Dubai.


The DTCM support to Arabian Travel Market (ATM) is reflected in the increase in the Dubai stand size, the number of co-participations and hosted-buyers. DTCM has been promoting and marketing Dubai globally through its network of 14 Overseas Representative offices the latest being the Jeddah office covering Saudi Arabia. The department participates in over 40 exhibitions and road shows overseas annually. The department has launched a new AED3million-budget 'Dubai Heart' promotional campaign which coincided with the ATM-2005. On enquiring about the fast expansion in Dubai, hear is what Mr. Eyad Ali Abdul Rahaman had to say... 

What are the factors behind the boom in construction of tourism-related projects in Dubai?
Dubai has surprised the world through its impressive performance by creating immense opportunities for growth for different segments of the economy, especially tourism. It is not resting on its hard-earned laurels, but working even more aggressively to achieve the goals set for us. The emirate continues to beat its own growth record year after year. Given its strategic geographical location, excellent infrastructure and proactive policies have made Dubai as the tourism, trading, and technology hub of the Middle East. From the tourism perspective, Dubai is rated as one of the safest destinations in the world.

How is Dubai able to cope with the rush of visitors during festivals such as the Dubai shopping festival?
With an impressive number of 272 hotels with 24,700 rooms in addition to 100 hotel apartments with 7,500 furnished apartments, Dubai has the infrastructure and the capacity to handle any number of tourists. The occupancy levels of hotel establishments have been phenomenally strong in Dubai compared with other places. With the increase in tourism every year, there is lot of construction going on to offer world class infrastructure to both business and leisure travellers.

The DTCM also released an impressed CD-ROM guide on Dubai which includes a 12 minute award winning film “Dubai Welcome to 21st Century Arabia”

Etihad Airways unveils exciting new developments at Arabian Travel Market 2005

This was the second appearance of Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates at ATM 2005 and according to Ian Ferguson- Brown, Head of Marketing for Etihad Airways, this was the ideal platform for Etihad to demonstrate its achievements and developments over the past year and to interact with customers, the travel trade, and key industry decision makers. Etihad Airways currently flies to 16 destinations in the Middle East, Europe and Asia and has an ambitious strategy to increase this number to 70 destinations by 2010. 

In keeping with this plan, the airline announced at ATM the expansion of its European network with the addition of a new route to Frankfurt, starting from June 1, 2005. 

Ferguson adds that besides expanding its routes, the airlines has also created Etihad Holidays in record time. Launched in May 2004, Etihad Holidays offers an array of over 170 hotels in more than 35 exciting holiday destinations in 14 countries from vibrant bustling cities and picturesque, romantic beach resorts to cultural breaks and world renowned hotels. 


As one of Europe's main travel hubs and Germany's most international city, Frankfurt provides access to many of the key destinations in the European region. An increasing flow of passenger traffic between Frankfurt and the UAE, means that this latest addition to Etihad's network is a strong strategic move for the airline, facilitating easier access for travel between the two hubs. 

Etihad's focus is on doing things differently reinventing the way an airline works, with the emphasis very much on creating new standards in hospitality. Etihad refers to passengers as 'guests' and has three 'guest zones' Diamond, Pearl and Coral - rather than classes. These do not correspond directly to first, business and economy classes. Each zone provides a premium service, with quality and undivided attention emphasized.