Short-list unveiled for The New Frontiers Award 2012

Arabian Travel Market nominates Australia, Brazil and Japan for outstanding contribution to tourism development in the face of overwhelming adversity Arabian Travel Market, the leading travel exhibition in the Middle East, has released the names of destinations nominated for this year’s New Frontiers Award, the results of which will be revealed at a special ceremony at this year’s event in Dubai. Launched in 2005 by Arabian Travel Market, The New Frontiers Award was created to recognise outstanding contributions to tourism development in the face of overwhelming adversity, helping the chosen destination by donating exhibition space at the event to the value of US$10,000. Making the shortlist for 2012 are Australia, Brazil and Japan, all of which suffered devastating natural catastrophes over the last 12 months, said Mark Walsh, Portfolio Director, Arabian Travel Market – Reed Travel Exhibitions. “Natural disasters occurred on an unprecedented scale across the globe in 2011, causing billions of dollars of damage, significant loss of life and economic challenges impacting every sector, with the tourism industry a major casualty,” he said. “Some of the world’s most popular destinations have seen inbound tourism grind to a halt, with tourism receipts as well as the livelihoods of industry professionals adversely affected at every level, from government tourist boards to local tour guides.” “These devastated regions have to not only clean up and rebuild their communities, but also re-evaluate their strategies – and funding – and embark on comprehensive international marketing campaigns to re-establish market confidence and drive tourist traffic,” said Walsh. “The New Frontiers Award is our contribution to accelerating that process at a critical point in the recovery process, assisting in the creation of positive awareness and highlighting ongoing efforts to rebuild this vital sector of the economy to industry peers during the Arabian Travel Market week,” he added. The 2012 nominees have had to deal with the ongoing social and economic consequences of floods, earthquakes or mudslides in the past year: Australia recovering from the aftermath of a series of devastating floods that began in late 2010 and continued into Q1 2011, with Queensland, and its capital Brisbane, worst affected. Queensland was officially declared a disaster zone with more than 75% of the state affected and saw a virtual shutdown of the coal industry, a major economic mainstay. The state of Victoria subsequently saw more than 50 western and central communities faced with flooding of epic proportions. The floods forced the evacuation of approximately 200,000 people from more than 70 towns and cities, with the resulting damage estimated at over AUS$1 billion, and the country’s GDP left reeling from a mammoth AUS$30 billion hit. A relief fund was swiftly established, the Australian Defence Force mobilized and the Queensland Reconstruction Authority was formed to co-ordinate the long-term rebuilding programme. In the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro, a series of floods and mudslides in January 2011 caused significant loss of life and livelihood across the mountain province of Região Serrana, located just 100 kilometres away from the country’s 2016 Olympic city site, as well as in the other south-eastern states of Minas Gerais and São Paulo The worst weather-related natural disaster in Brazil’s history, the economic repercussions were widespread, with popular tourist hotspot, the Serra dos Órgãos national park, declared a disaster zone. With economic losses estimated at, and international concerns about the mid-term impact on the 2014 FIFA World Cup, decisive action on the part of the government saw US$466 million immediately allocated to reconstruction projects and on-the ground teams with experience in Haiti, supporting local municipal government efforts. In Japan, the March 2011 earthquake and subsequent tsunami that struck the eastern coast of the country with cataclysmic force and waves of up to 40.5 metres, travelled 10 kilometres inland across 18 prefectures causing massive loss of life, the destruction of over 125,000 homes and businesses and three nuclear reactor meltdowns. In addition to significant international aid, Japan’s government has allocated US$167 billion over five years as part of a phased recovery plan. While tourism numbers dipped by at least 50% in 2011, the government has also embarked on an ambitious plan to triple the number of international tourists by 2016 with a strong focus on increasing inbound visitor business from China. In Q1 2012 inbounds visitors from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan reached record highs and attractive tour packages targeting European visitors are also slowly yielding results. Last year, Chile received the New Frontiers Award in recognition of its efforts to rebuild its shattered post-2010 earthquake tourism industry, which saw 80% of the population, as well as the entire economy, affected. Accepting the award on behalf of the government, Jean-Paul Tarud Kuborn, Chilean Ambassador to the UAE, said that it was heartwarming to see that the efforts of the country’s tourism board and related government entities were recognised by the Middle East tourism industry. For more information on the New Frontiers Award or Arabian Travel Market 2012, please log on to www.arabiantravelmarket.com -ENDS- Photo-caption: The 2011 New Frontiers Award recipient - Left to Right: Mark Walsh, Jean-Paul Tarud K (UAE Ambassador of Chile) and Amit Arora (Vice President Sales & Marketing for Emaar Hospitality Group LLC). About Arabian Travel Market Arabian Travel Market 2011 boasted more than 2,200 exhibitors and stand-sharers, from 69 countries. Arabian Travel Market is part of the Reed Travel Exhibitions’ portfolio, which includes 15 of the world’s leading travel industry events. For more information visit www.arabiantravelmarket.com Reed Travel Exhibitions Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE) is the world’s leading provider of exhibitions in the travel and tourism industry. Its wide-ranging portfolio of events around the globe covers leisure travel, luxury travel, business travel and the meetings and incentives industry. The 13 events are; World Travel Market (WTM), Arabian Travel Market (ATM), International French Travel Market (IFTM), La Cumbre, International Golf Travel Market (IGTM), International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM), International Luxury Travel Market Asia (ILTMA), Asia-Pacific Incentives & Meetings Expo (AIME) (owned by Melbourne Convention Visitors Bureau), Global Exhibition for Incentive, Business Travel, and Meetings (EIBTM), Gulf Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings (GIBTM), Americas Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings (AIBTM), China Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings (CIBTM) and Business Travel Market. April 2013 will see RTE will launch World Travel Market Latin America in São Paulo. RTE is a business unit of Reed Exhibitions. In 2011, six million participants attended RE’s 500 events in 39 countries covering 44 industry sectors from aerospace and aviation to beauty and cosmetics to sports and recreation. Reed Exhibitions is owned by Reed Elsevier, the world’s leading provider of professional information and online workflow solutions.www.reedtravelexhibitions.com Reed Exhibitions The world's leading organiser of trade and consumer events running over 470 events in 37 countries. Reed Exhibitions excels in creating high profile, highly targeted business and consumer exhibitions and events to establish and maintain business relations, and generate new business. Reed Exhibitions network of offices and promoters extends to 65 countries. www.reedexpo.com Reed Elsevier Reed Elsevier is a world leading provider of professional information and online workflow solutions in the Science, Medical, Legal, Risk Information and Analytics, and Business sectors.   Based in over 200 locations worldwide, they create authoritative content delivered through market leading brands, enabling their customers to find the essential data, analysis and commentary to support their decisions. www.reed-elsevier.com For more information, please contact: Josse Dulka Senior Account Executive Shamal Marketing Communications Dubai, United Arab Emirates Office: +971 4 3652711 Mobile : +971 50 6540229 E-mail: josse@smc-pr.com Web site: www.smc-pr.com

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