Category Archives: Exhibitions

Arabian Travel Award winner Rezlive has signed up as gold sponsor with Rent Conferences and Exhibitions Company for the first edition of the Saudi Travel Market (STM) to be held in Riyadh from February 25-27, 2024. Jaal Shah, Group Managing Director, Travel Designer Group shared, “We will be participating in the inaugural Saudi Travel Market 2024 as both an exhibitor and sponsor. Saudi Arabia holds significant importance in the travel industry, and your presence at this event reflects your commitment to exploring and contributing to this thriving market. Being a part of the first edition of this prestigious event offers a unique opportunity to engage with travel partners, fostering valuable connections and collaborations. This premier event promises to be a dynamic convergence of key players, innovators, and stakeholders within the travel sector and we are very happy to be a part of this event.” Rent Conferences and Exhibitions Company General Manager Mohammed Al-Harbi said: “We are pleased to sign a new agreement today with Rezlive to sponsor the Saudi Travel Market. The partnership with one of the world’s leading companies in the travel and tourism sector is very important in attracting international companies to the Kingdom. We consider the Saudi Travel Market to be one of the important exhibitions through which we intend to place the Kingdom on the list of major tourist destinations in the coming years. Through this exhibition, we aim to attract the largest international companies to the Kingdom and make it the first and best choice for everyone.” For his part, Rezlive’s Business Development Manager in Saudi Arabia, Mr. Marzooq Suleiman, said: “We are pleased to sponsor one of the most promising tourism exhibitions in Saudi …

Jeddah International Travel Exhibition (JTTX) will take place from 28 – 30 January 2024 connecting international travel businesses to the Saudi travel trade. The three day travel trade exhibition will open from 4pm to 11pm from 28 – 30 January 2024. Last year’s edition saw over 29,000 participants with 172 exhibitors and 27 countries, hence this year the show is expected to attract more visitors both B2B and B2C.  Saudi travel market is considered as one of the fastest growing markets in the World. JTTX is an ideal place to identify and build business relationships, connect and understand customer preferences and trends, as well as to promote Tourism destinations, with relevant products and services. The exhibition is the perfect networking  and meeting point for all in the travel. tourism and hospitality trade.

Once again, ‘blue tourism’ will be taking centre stage at the International Tourism Trade Fair, FITUR, organised by IFEMA MADRID from 24 to 28 January 2024. The FITUR Cruises section will convert Hall 4 into the epicentre of the cruise industry, with destinations and major companies showcasing a wide range of experiences through a full programme of activities, conferences and stands. Over the five days of the 44th edition of FITUR, this section will become the maritime enclave of reference where industry professionals and the general public can enjoy networking sessions, practical talks, dynamic events for all ages and meet-ups with the aim of promoting a deeper understanding of this holiday offer for travel agents and passengers alike. Noteworthy participants of FITUR Cruises With an impressive stand space, the iconic Disney Cruise Line will be bringing the magical experience of its cruises and dream-like destinations. Celebrity Cruises and Azamara will also be present at FITUR on their own stands, as will the renowned cruise line Costa Cruceros, with a double stand in front of the FITUR Cruises auditorium that will recreate the deck of a ship and showcase the new features of its itineraries for 2024 and 2025. As a new addition, the Turkish company specialising in cruises around the Greek islands and Eastern Mediterranean, Miray Cruises, will be participating for the first time at FITUR and will be presenting its programme for 2024. Among the tourist destinations, it is worth highlighting the presence of Ceuta, which will be revealing the wonders that cruise passengers can enjoy when disembarking at its Mediterranean port and which is presented as one of the undiscovered jewels of this coast. The non-profit organisation Mercy …

In a landmark announcement made at the 173rd General Assembly of the Bureau International des Expositions, Saudi Arabia’s capital city Riyadh has been named as the host city for the highly anticipated Expo 2030. Themed ‘The Era of Change: Together for a Foresighted Tomorrow,’ Expo 2030 will align perfectly with the fulfillment of Saudi’s Vision 2030 – a historic blueprint to fundamentally transform the Kingdom, diversify the economy, and improve the lives of the country’s citizens. Saudi is one of the fastest-growing tourist destinations, and in the first quarter of 2023, it had the second-highest number of international arrivals in the world – a growth of 64% compared to the same period in 2019. Expo 2030 is expected to turbocharge the sector’s steep upward trajectory, giving the kingdom a platform to share its unique and diverse wonders with the world while driving forward job creation, sector investment, and trade partnerships. The announcement is also set to significantly boost the Saudi economy and drive the Vision 2030 ambition of making tourism the second largest component of the country’s GDP. Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO and Member of the Board of Saudi Tourism stated: “Today marks an extraordinary chapter for Saudi, with our capital city, Riyadh, honored by the world as the chosen host of Expo 2030. I believe that Expo 2030 will serve as a catalyst for growth and its impact on Saudi’s tourism sector will be felt immediately. As we prepare for this iconic global showpiece, we would like to call on our trade partners to take advantage of the historic opportunities on offer, to help us drive forward sustainable growth and development within the Kingdom’s tourism sector today.” Spotlighting Saudi’s robust …

TravTalk Middle East was the official media partner for the second edition of Qatar Travel Mart which kicked off today in Doha. This year, QTM is set to offer an array of impactful events including an international conference, the Global Village exhibition, a prestigious Gala Dinner, an Awards Ceremony, and a thoughtfully designed Hosted Buyers’ Program. These components are tailored to enhance business-to-business (B2B) prospects. In addition, there will be media familiarization trips and cultural tours. These endeavors collectively aim to cater to the needs of both inbound and outbound travel and tourism enterprises. QTM 2023 will serve as a unifying platform where local and international Destination Management Companies (DMCs), Tour Operators, Travel Agencies, Travel Technology Companies, Associations, and Tourism Boards will converge. This convergence is intended to transcend the confines of the sporting industry, fostering a space for diverse entities to convene. Through this endeavor, fresh connections will be forged, novel opportunities seized, and pre-existing relationships rekindled. This cohesive ecosystem will not only facilitate professional interactions but also will also play a pivotal role in propelling expansion and ingenuity across the travel and tourism landscape.  

Qatar Travel Mart officially opens doors today with TravTalkME as media partner. The three day event kicks off today 20th until 22nd November 2023. Rawad Sleem, Co-Founder and General Manager of NeXTfairs for Exhibitions and Conferences shared that they expect this year not only to be an exciting event but to be 50% larger in scale as well. This year, QTM is set to offer an array of impactful events including an international conference, the Global Village exhibition, a prestigious Gala Dinner, an Awards Ceremony, and a thoughtfully designed Hosted Buyers’ Program. These components are tailored to enhance business-to-business (B2B) prospects. In addition, there will be media familiarization trips and cultural tours. These endeavors collectively aim to cater to the needs of both inbound and outbound travel and tourism enterprises. QTM 2023 will serve as a unifying platform where local and international Destination Management Companies (DMCs), Tour Operators, Travel Agencies, Travel Technology Companies, Associations, and Tourism Boards will converge. This convergence is intended to transcend the confines of the sporting industry, fostering a space for diverse entities to convene. Through this endeavor, fresh connections will be forged, novel opportunities seized, and pre-existing relationships rekindled. This cohesive ecosystem will not only facilitate professional interactions but also will also play a pivotal role in propelling expansion and ingenuity across the travel and tourism landscape.    

Saudi Tourism Authority announced its two year partnership with RX Global – following a formal signing after WTM London – which will see STA become the first-ever ‘Global Travel Partner’ of the World Travel Market (WTM) tradeshow events. The two-year partnership, which is scheduled to run from November 2023 – September 2025 and is designed to cover the global remit of the WTM brand (including  WTM London, WTM Africa, WTM Latin America and Arabian Travel Market), was announced on 8th November 2023, at the closing day of World Travel Market London. The agreement to partner was reached on the Saudi stand between the STA and RX Global on the final day at this year’s WTM, where the STA has led the largest-ever Saudi tourism delegation, with over 75 stakeholders in attendance – a 48% increase from last year. The STA stand this year brings to life the diverse and dynamic offering of what visitors can experience in the authentic home of Arabia, and the scale of progress of the most ambitious transformation in the world. The STA level of attendance and participation truly demonstrates the significance of WTM 2023 in charting the future of the global tourism sector’s growth. Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO and Member of the Board at Saudi Tourism Authority said: “Saudi is the world’s fastest-growing tourism destination, outperforming every expectation and setting the pace globally. Thanks to Saudi’s tourism leadership, each year our presence at WTM London continues to grow, and we are welcoming more visitors than ever, well on track to reach our targets for 2030. “This partnership will highlight Saudi’s progress at WTM London and inspire more visits to Saudi through a series of engaging promotional …

The WTM Global Travel Report, in association with Tourism Economics published the number of leisure visitors to the region in 2023 is expected to reach 33 million, compared with 29 million in 2019. This 13% increase means that the Middle East is the only region fully recovered from the pandemic in volume. When measured in dollar terms, the Middle East leads the way, in growth terms, with a 46% increase in inbound spend compared with 2019. The Middle East is also outperforming all other regions for domestic travel, which has grown by 176% since 2019, albeit from a low base. The success of the region’s recovery from the pandemic is driven by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, with their commitment to tourism showing signs of success. The report notes that “both countries are investing heavily in tourism infrastructure, viewing tourism development as a key strategy to diversify away from hydrocarbons reliance.” Inbound and domestic in both markets is fully recovered from the pandemic. For Saudi, inbound is outperforming 2019 by 66% in dollar terms, with the UAE registering a 21% increase. For domestic visits, the countries are ahead by 37% and 66% respectively. The next year is also looking good for the region’s overall inbound and domestic market as well as its two major markets. “Saudi Arabia will lead growth due to new visa arrangements and continued capacity development,” the report says, also noting Dubai’s “ability and desire to attract and host large-scale events of all types…” The picture is similar for domestic, with Saudi and the UAE reinforcing their leadership position in 2024. The long-term picture is also positive for the region and Saudi in particular. Over the …

ITB Asia came to a successful close with over 160 speakers delivered more than 4,000 minutes of speeches in over 100 sessions spanning 3 days in 3 conference theatres: the Knowledge Theatre, MICE Show Asia, and Travel Tech Asia. TravTalkME was the media partner once again this year. Thousands of industry experts came together to celebrate travel and forge new connections at ITB Asia, co-located with MICE Show Asia and Travel Tech Asia, and enriched by a multi-track conference. “The 2023 edition of ITB Asia sent a clear signal – the global travel industry is back on track. We were happy to see so many new players, so many fresh faces – that’s the guarantee of a sustainable future for the entire industry. I hope a lot of them will join the ranks of recurring ITB Asia guests, as we are starting preparations for the next year already”, says Katrina Leung, Managing Director of Messe Berlin (Singapore), the organiser of MICE Show Asia, Travel Tech Asia and ITB Asia. Business Networking at Travel Tech Asia 2023 ITB Asia Conference – thousands of insightful minutes The rich conference agenda augmented the experience that attendees could get in the busy exhibition halls. Adopting the motto “Accelerating Growth: Paving the Way for New Opportunities in Travel & Tourism”, the ITB Asia Conference gathered global thought leaders from the entire industry, sparking lively discussions on topics critical to the future of MICE, corporate travel, leisure travel and travel technology. Over 160 speakers delivered more than 4,000 minutes of speeches in over 100 sessions spanning 3 days in 3 conference theatres: the Knowledge Theatre, MICE Show Asia, and Travel Tech Asia. ITB Asia will return …

TravTalk ME as media partner at ITB Asia will be looking forward to a great event with its top exhibitors for the highly anticipated 16th edition, set to take place from today, 25 – 27 October 2023 in Singapore. Co-located with MICE Show Asia and Travel Tech Asia, this year’s event promises three full days of networking opportunities with international exhibitors, complemented by insightful conference sessions at the iconic Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. ITB Asia Sponsors and Key Exhibitors The exhibitors’ list offers a strong mix of all stakeholder groups. This includes top business players such as Aircalin, Air India, Banyan Tree Group, Berlin Brandenburg Airport, BWH Hotel Group, Club Med, EVA Airways Corporation, Finnair, Icelandair, NEOM, Philippine Airlines, Inc., Worldwide Hotels, Vietnam Airlines and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts; National Tourism Organisations (NTOs) including Visit Brussels, Croatian National Tourist Board, Czech Tourism Authority, Visit Finland, Visit Norway, Palestine Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities, PROMPERU, Tourism Seychelles and more; as well as Regional Tourism Organisations (RTOs) such as Visit Berlin, Department of Tourism and Creative Economy of Jakarta, Taipei City Government, Zagreb Tourist Board and more. “ITB Asia is putting together a strong representation from all travel segments. As the industry revives, we are enthusiastic to serve as a tried and tested platform for building new partnerships. The level of expertise provided by global tourism leaders will ensure Singapore is the place where we can shape the future of tourism,”, says Katrina Leung, Managing Director of Messe Berlin (Singapore), Organiser of MICE Show Asia, Travel Tech Asia and ITB Asia. Among this year’s exhibiting NTOs are Brand USA, Croatian National Tourist Board, Czech Tourism Authority, Japan National Tourism Organisation, Korea …