Region firmly back in business at Arabian Travel Market 2012

Visitor numbers up 7-10% on 2011 figures with new impetus driven by regional industry performance and renewed B2B focus Wrapping up four days of travel trade business, Reed Travel Exhibitions, the organiser of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2012, which concludes today (3 May), reported a healthy increase in visitor numbers, driven by the show’s renewed B2B focus and buoyed by positive indicators from the region’s tourism sector. “The 2011 event attracted over 16,000 trade visitors and indicators for this year show an increase of between 7-10%,” said Mark Walsh, Portfolio Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions. The region's leading trade exhibition for travel industry professionals, the 19th edition of the show has also seen a significant rise in decision makers and influencers – up by 35% - from members of its buyers club, hosted delegates, regional and international speakers and hosted luxury travel buyers. “The initial figures from this year’s show are an endorsement of not only Arabian Travel Market’s continued relevance and structured focus to the regional travel market, but mirror the rebound in both confidence and business levels across the major industry sectors,” remarked Walsh. Independently ABC-audited, ATM 2012 also recorded a 7% increase in exhibitors for this year’s event ahead of the start of the show, with more than 21,000 square metres of floor space hosting over 2,400 exhibitors and 82 new companies. This increase was also reflected in its international reach with 54 national pavilions and 87 countries represented overall. “The business buzz is definitely back, the regional travel industry is in an exceptionally buoyant mood and participants are positive and confident. Our decision to reconfigure the floor plan to a more easily navigable and convenient format this year has also helped to facilitate busier appointment schedules,” said Walsh. Walsh’s comments were echoed by a wide variety of participants, both regional and international, inbound and outbound, right across the industry spectrum. “This is my second year as a visitor and the new layout is definitely easier to navigate. Our focus was the expanding opportunities in apartment accommodation, and I was very impressed to find an entire section dedicated to this,” said Cori Terblanche, Travel World, South Africa. “If we look solely at the European exhibitors for example, floor space has grown from last year and we have seen a surge in interest from destinations eager to attract the affluent Middle Eastern traveller,” added Walsh. Tamara Khalil, Group Director Marketing, Katara Hospitality, in Qatar, reinforced the renewed wave of business optimism. ”ATM was the right platform for us to launch our new corporate identity to the market. The show remains the prime vehicle for the regional industry to share its news, network with the key players and meet potential partners.” This sentiment was echoed by global exhibitors. US-based tour operator, and first time exhibitor, TeamAmerica CEO, Enzo Perretta, said: “ATM is the only way to go to reach the Middle East and Asian markets, and we’ve had four full days during which we’ve met the key players and decision makers in our target markets.” “ATM gives us access to high quality Middle Eastern contacts and allows us to conduct face-to-face business, which is highly valued by our regional clients,” added Ahmad Alkatib, Director, Travellanda UK. The newly introduced Technology Theatre, which ran throughout the four-day show, proved to be a major draw for industry professionals looking to capitalise on market opportunity through the implementation of groundbreaking technologies and new social media channels. “Not only have we signed a number of new contracts on site, but we have also concluded a number of significant partnership agreements that would not have otherwise been possible,” said Osama Abdulrahman, Manager of Dubai-based cheaperskies.com. “Being host hotel for this year’s ATM gave us invaluable face time with hosted buyers as well as the opportunity to introduce targeted top international travel writers and key members of the regional media to our property,” added Andrew Hughes, Director Sales & Marketing for the Mövenpick-managed Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel. “Looking ahead to 2013, re-bookings are already extremely positive and we will continue to develop the show’s offering to reflect regional opportunities as well as global industry trends. Next year ATM will be 20 years old and we are certainly in celebratory mood already,” concluded Walsh. Arabian Travel Market is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai. Now approaching its 20th year, the show has grown to become the largest showcase of its kind in the region and one of the biggest in the world. --- Ends --- For more information on Arabian Travel Market 2012, please log on to www.arabiantravelmarket.com 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: Nathalie Viselé Director Shamal Marketing Communications Dubai, United Arab Emirates Office: +971 4 3652711 I Direct : +971 4 3652712 I Mobile : +971 50 4576525 Fax:+971 4 4278703 E-mail: nathalie@smc-pr.com I Web site: www.smc-pr.com

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