Category Archives: Exhibitions

ITB Asia 2018 has begun with over 1,000 exhibitors and buyers each, under the theme “Travel Reimagined” at the the Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. Compared to 2017, the show has seen a 20 per cent increase in new exhibitors following the growth in demand from Asian and European participants. ITB Asia 2018 has also experienced more than 125 per cent growth in the number of hotel groups signing up as part of the Buyers Programme Partners. At the three-day conference concluding on October 19, top industry leaders will deliver insights on the key trends provoking disruption across the travel industry and how brands are innovating to stay competitive. Commenting on the event, Katrina Leung, Managing Director, Messe Berlin (Singapore) -Organiser, ITB Asia, said, “ITB Asia continues to maintain its position as the leading travel trade show in Asia. It remains one of the top business platforms for connecting exhibitors and partners with key decision makers in the MiCE, corporate and leisure travel industry. Working in close collaboration with our partners and exhibitors, we are delighted to unveil one of our most engaging and exciting programmes yet. We look forward to welcoming visitors to this year’s show.”

The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) has announced hosting four major weddings, with more than 2,000 guests arriving via Gulf Air. Dr Ali Hassan Follad, Adviser to the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority, said, “We are pleased to be hosting four major Indian weddings in the upcoming months which will contribute USD$5 million to the Kingdom’s GDP and further promote Bahrain as a prime wedding destination. The weddings will be held between November 2018 and February 2019. The BTEA aims to provide the needed support to seamlessly host weddings in Bahrain by providing turn-key solutions, including organising logistics, venue selection, in addition to liaising with suppliers and industry professionals such as Gulf Air.” Bahrain boasts a number of four- and five-star hotels with a dedicated service sector that is able to offer all services from food and beverages, entertainment and unique wedding concepts.

The fifth edition of The World Green Economy Summit (WGES) 2018 is set to be held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister, UAE and Ruler, Dubai, from October 24-25 at Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre with the theme ‘Driving innovation, Leading change’. At the press conference organised in Burj Al Arab, HE Dr Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and the Environment, UAE; HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice Chairman, Dubai Supreme Council of Energy (DSCE), Managing Director and CEO, DEWA and Chairman, WGES were present, along with many other dignitaries. During the press conference, HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer announced that the summit will be attended by prominent leaders including HE Francois Hollande, former President, France; HE Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, UAE; HE Thoriq Ibrahim, Minister of Environment and Energy, Maldives; Nezha El Ouafi, Secretary of State to the Minister of Energy, Mines and Sustainable Development, in charge of Sustainable Development, Morocco and Christiana Figueres, Former Secretary General, UNFCCC, along with an elite of global experts, thought leaders and executive officials in green economy and sustainable development.

The Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) has announced that the Dubai Shopping Festival Mega Raffles promotions – the Infiniti Mega Raffle and the Nissan Grand Raffle – have begun on October 15, 2018. The two popular and much-awaited mega raffles, offering incredible prizes every day, will run in cooperation with Arabian Automobiles, the flagship company of AW Rostamani Group and ENOC – two strategic partners of DFRE. The upcoming edition of Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) will run from December 26, 2018 to January 26, 2019. Shoppers can buy raffle tickets for the Infiniti Mega Raffle and participate in the ongoing Nissan Grand Raffle promotion more than two months in advance. At the Infiniti Mega Raffle, one lucky winner will be chosen daily to take home an Infiniti QX50 plus AED 150,000 in cash. To enter the daily draws, customers need to purchase a raffle ticket for AED 200 from October 15 onwards at selected EPPCO and ENOC petrol stations, zoom stores, metro stations, kiosks at main streets, shopping malls, Gold Souk and the Global Village. In addition, five lucky raffle ticket holders will get a weekly chance to win AED 20,000 each over a period of five weeks during the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF), totaling AED 100,000 per week. Besides, one raffle ticket holder will also get a chance to win a mega cash prize of AED 500,000 as DSF concludes. Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO, Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) said, “The Dubai Shopping Festival’s continued success rests on its three pillars – shopping, winning and entertainment. Shoppers eagerly wait all year round for DSF to arrive to grab incredible opportunities such as the mega raffles which have …

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority has announced hosting the PATA Annual Summit from May 15-18, 2020, organised by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA). The four-day event will bring together international thought leaders, industry shapers and senior decision-makers who are professionally engaged with the Asia Pacific region. The summit embraces a global forum for enhancing the sustainable growth, value and quality of tourism and includes a one-day conference, the PATA Annual General Meeting and the PATA Youth Symposium that allows students and young tourism professionals an opportunity to engage with senior industry leaders. As part of the event programme, PATA in partnership with the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) will also once again organise the UNWTO/PATA Leaders Debate which brings together senior executives from both the public and private sector to address thought-provoking issues currently affecting the industry. Dr Mario Hardy, CEO, PATA, said, “Ras Al Khaimah has committed to supporting cultural, natural heritage and environmental preservation across the Emirate, activities which are aligned with PATA’s mission in acting as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region. That is why we are honoured to be working with RAKTDA in bringing together our public and private sector members and partners to discuss the challenges and issues faced by our industry.” Commenting on the announcement, Haitham Mattar, CEO, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, said, “We look forward to hosting the PATA Annual Summit 2020 in Ras Al Khaimah and introducing the destination to key international industry leaders and delegates from the travel and hospitality sector in the Asia Pacific region. Strengthening the Emirate’s MiCE offer by showcasing our world class …

The 57th ICCA Congress is set to take place from Nov 11-14, 2018 at Dubai World Trade Centre under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince, Dubai and Chairman, Executive Council of Dubai. The event will be familiarising delegates with the ICCA “Outside The Box Sessions” by introducing them to curated tours and site visits, showcasing the city’s cultural offerings, ground-breaking innovation and talent development. Issam Kazim, CEO, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said, “The 2018 ICCA Congress is a key event for the global business events community and provides Dubai a platform to showcase itself as a business and knowledge hub. We hope these experiences, which involve some of our key stakeholders and partners across the city, will inspire delegates and allow them to consider future opportunities in the Dubai. They will also complement the strong core educational programme that ICCA has put together for delegates, as well as the networking and social events throughout the congress.” To help delegates build a more cohesive picture of Dubai, delegates can expect to explore the Expo 2020 Dubai site and see first-hand the scale of the global event and how it is set to provide opportunities for meeting industry professionals. The “Outside The Box Sessions” will also see delegates take a tour of the Emirates airline crew training academy and experience the development of skills as well as the importance of aviation to the city’s development. During the tour, delegates will have a first-hand look at the Emirates airline’s safety and emergency evacuation simulators, service training simulators, as well as the A380 cabin service simulator, among many others.

Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) will be back for its 24th edition from December 26, 2018 to January 26, 2019, attracting shoppers from all over the world. Organised by the Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), an agency of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), DSF will kick off with innovative initiatives and memorable experiences built around the three pillars of the festival – shopping, winning and entertainment. Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO, Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) said, “As Dubai gears up to host yet another successful edition of Dubai Shopping Festival, we are focused on creating a vibrant ambience for visitors to further enhance the emirate’s position as a leading tourism destination that offers unforgettable and rewarding shopping experiences. With DSF being a key pillar of Dubai’s retail sector, we are keen in keeping up the momentum, provided by the previous edition, to help boost business in Dubai during this period. We are grateful to the government and the private sector for their enormous contributions to DSF year after year, and with the 24th edition of DSF set to dawn in December, we are working closely with all our partners to ensure that DSF truly lives up to its reputation as a global attraction.”  

Cutting-edge technology and innovation will be adopted as the theme for Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2019, to be held at Dubai World Trade Centre from April 28 to May 1, 2019. According to a latest research conducted by Colliers International, personalisation Artificial Intelligence (AI) could increase hotel revenues by over 10 per cent and reduce costs by more than 15 per cent – with hotel operators expecting technology such as voice and facial recognition, virtual reality and biometrics to be mainstream by 2025. The research also estimates that 73 per cent of manual activities in the hospitality industry have the technical potential for automation, with many global hotel operators including Marriott, Hilton, and Accor already investing in automating elements of their human resources. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said, “It is important to highlight that the GCC is one of the fastest-growing regional hospitality markets on a global scale and an innovative technology-reliant industry. Its impact on hotels and travel and tourism is multi-dimensional, ranging from voice and facial recognition, chatbots and beacon technology to virtual reality, blockchain and robot concierge. Throughout ATM 2019, the spotlight theme will be launched as a platform to create awareness and inspire the travel and hospitality industry about the next generation of technology, while bringing together senior travel executives to meet and conduct business with innovative tech providers. With technologies like AI and automation quickly maturing, the hospitality and travel and tourism industry must prepare for a wave of disruption in order to reap the overall benefits of these technologies.”

Al Qasba is set to host the debut edition of Sharjah’s first art Festival ‘Reflection’. Aimed at offering artists, sculptors, photographers and musicians a platform for expression, as well as the local community a place to explore the world of art, this popular destination will be turning into a hub of vibrant activity from December 20 to 31. Al Qasba management has opened registrations for established artists as well as aspiring professionals in the fields of photography, painting, sculpture, drawing, work on paper (paper art e.g. Origami and other), performing arts, instillations, sound art, videography, visual arts, and others, to submit their participation requests to: reflection@AlQasba.ae before October 27, 2018. Talking about the event, Khuloud Salim Al Junaibi, Manager, Al Qasba informed, “Aimed at being an annual cultural festival of music, art and learning to celebrate latest local and international trends in art, and food, ‘Reflection’ will be the first-of-its-kind cultural extravaganza in the emirate of Sharjah. Building on the emirate’s reputation of being the cultural capital of the UAE and the region, this art fest will see participation of prestigious galleries, leading restaurants and cafés, talented artists, and government entities. Through this 12-days event, Al Qasba aims to foster a community culture where creative people have an avenue to express themselves, network and showcase their works to potential buyers and the general public in a vibrant and engaging environment.” The fest will comprise artists live in action alongside Al Qasba’s picturesque walkways. Live music concerts, talent shows and delicious cuisines will be in the offering at this 12-days cultural celebration.

Abu Dhabi International Boat Show (ADIBS) 2018 is all set to be held from October 17-20 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. The show will take place under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Nahyan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Sports Council. Designed to be a ‘Uniquely Abu Dhabi’ experience, The Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) is organising and hosting the event, showcasing the emirate’s rich maritime legacy and state-of-the-art range of luxury yachts and boats and fishing products from the world’s leading companies. Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Group CEO, ADNEC, said, “We welcome the international companies and players in the luxury yachts and boats and fishing tools industry to participate in the Abu Dhabi International Boat Show and showcase their latest products. Visitors from the global leisure marine community will witness regional and global launches of the latest yachts and boats and the latest fishing tools, products, and services.” Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Chairman, Al Suwaidi Marine, said, “The inaugural edition of the Abu Dhabi International Boat Show will open doors to a new world of boating and fishing tools within the UAE, accompanied by a rush of potential opportunities that will benefit the players in the maritime industry. We are excitedly looking forward to this event, which we believe will be a strategic platform to showcase and highlight the best that the boating industry has to offer.”